105 ILCS 5/34-18.66

(105 ILCS 5/34-18.66)

Sec. 34-18.66. Remote and blended remote learning. This Section applies if the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act.

(1) If the Governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act, the State Superintendent of Education may declare a requirement to use remote learning days or blended remote learning days for the school district, multiple school districts, a region, or the entire State. During remote learning days, schools shall conduct instruction remotely. During blended remote learning days, schools may utilize hybrid models of in-person and remote instruction. Once declared, remote learning days or blended remote learning days shall be implemented in grades pre-kindergarten through 12 as days of attendance and shall be deemed pupil attendance days for calculation of the length of a school term under Section 10-19.

(2) For purposes of this Section, a remote learning day or blended remote learning day may be met through the district's implementation of an e-learning program under Section 10-20.56.

(3) If the district does not implement an e-learning program under Section 10-20.56, the district shall adopt a remote and blended remote learning day plan approved by the general superintendent of schools. The district may utilize remote and blended remote learning planning days, consecutively or in separate increments, to develop, review, or amend its remote and blended remote learning day plan or provide professional development to staff regarding remote education. Up to 5 remote and blended remote learning planning days may be deemed pupil attendance days for calculation of the length of a school term under Section 10-19.

(4) Each remote and blended remote learning day plan shall address the following:

(i) accessibility of the remote instruction to all students enrolled in the district;

(ii) if applicable, a requirement that the remote learning day and blended remote learning day activities reflect State learning standards;

(iii) a means for students to confer with an educator, as necessary;

(iv) the unique needs of students in special populations, including, but not limited to, students eligible for special education under Article 14, students who are English learners as defined in Section 14C-2, and students experiencing homelessness under the Education for Homeless Children Act, or vulnerable student populations;

(v) how the district will take attendance and monitor and verify each student's remote participation; and

(vi) transitions from remote learning to on-site learning upon the State Superintendent's declaration that remote learning days or blended remote learning days are no longer deemed necessary.

(5) The general superintendent of schools shall periodically review and amend the district's remote and blended remote learning day plan, as needed, to ensure the plan meets the needs of all students.

(6) Each remote and blended remote learning day plan shall be posted on the district's Internet website where other policies, rules, and standards of conduct are posted and shall be provided to students and faculty.

(7) This Section does not create any additional employee bargaining rights and does not remove any employee bargaining rights.

(8) Statutory and regulatory curricular mandates and offerings may be administered via the district's remote and blended remote learning day plan, except that the district may not offer individual behind-the-wheel instruction required by Section 27-24.2 via the district's remote and blended remote learning day plan. This Section does not relieve schools and the district from completing all statutory and regulatory curricular mandates and offerings.

(Source: P.A. 101-643, eff. 6-18-20.)