Section 207.10  Purpose and Applicability

 

a)         This Part implements Sections 22-92 and 26-13 of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/26-13], concerning absenteeism and truancy policies. 

 

b)         This Part applies to school districts; charter schools established under Article 27A of the School Code; alternative schools and programs, including Regional Safe Schools Programs established under Article 13A of the School Code, Alternative Learning Opportunities Programs established under Article 13B of the School Code, and optional education programs established under Section 2-3.66 of the School Code; and any other school serving students in any of the grades kindergarten through 12 that receives public funds, including, but not limited to, nonpublic schools that receive public funds and special education cooperatives. 

 

Section 207.20  Content and Communication of Policies

 

a)         Each absenteeism and truancy policy adopted under this Part must include all of the requirements of Section 22-92 of the School Code and must specify the date of adoption (indicated by month, date, and year) as well as any revision dates.

 

b)         A school or district must post its absenteeism and truancy policy on its internet website, if any, and incorporate the policy into its student handbook.

 

Section 207.30  Required Submission Process

 

a)         Each absenteeism and truancy policy adopted under this Part must be updated every 2 years and filed with the State Board of Education and the regional superintendent of schools (see Section 22-92(b) of the School Code [105 ILCS 5]). No later than September 30, 2022, or no later than September 30 of the first full school year a school becomes subject to this Part, each school or district must file the policy through the State Board of Education’s Illinois Web Application Security (IWAS) system and must submit an updated policy every two years thereafter no later than September 30 of the year due.

 

1)         If applicable, the submission in IWAS must include a link to the policy on the school’s or district’s website.

 

2)         The school or district must submit the entire updated policy with the amendment or modification date (indicated by month, date, and year) included in the reference portion of the policy.

 

3)         If, after review and re-evaluation of its absenteeism and truancy policy, the school or district determines that no updates are necessary, a copy of board minutes or a signed statement from the board president clearly indicating that the policy was reevaluated and no changes were determined to be necessary must be submitted electronically through the IWAS system with the State Board of Education. If the school does not have a board or board president, the school’s chief school administrator must submit the signed statement.

 

b)         The State Board of Education will grant each regional superintendent access to the IWAS application that contains the absenteeism and truancy policies for every school and district in the region. This access will meet the requirement in subsection (a) that schools or districts file policies with the regional superintendent but does not prevent the regional superintendent from collecting the policy through any other means.