Section 210.30  Requirements for Student Participation

Any individual subject to compulsory attendance requirements set forth in Article 26 of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/Art. 26] may be considered for enrollment in an IHOPE program, provided that he or she is considered to be a "dropout" for reporting purposes under Section 2‑3.13a of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/2-3.13a]. 

a)         Each regional office of education or CPS, as applicable, that establishes an IHOPE program shall provide information about the program to the parents or guardians of all dropouts who are less than 18 years old who are being considered for enrollment and shall identify a staff member who may be contacted for information or assistance.

1)         Before a dropout as defined in this subsection (a) is enrolled in an IHOPE program, the program shall send a written notification to the student and the student's parent or guardian to attend a conference about the program.  This notification also shall contain a statement of the rights of the parent or guardian (e.g., requirement for written parental permission to enroll in the program, ability to withdraw consent for enrollment, participation in development of an individual instructional plan).

2)         The conference shall be designed to help the parent or guardian determine whether the student's participation in an IHOPE program would be beneficial.

3)         A dropout as defined in this subsection (a) shall not be enrolled in an IHOPE program without the written consent of his or her parent or guardian.  This provision does not apply to youth who are considered to be an "unaccompanied youth" under Section 725 of federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Improvements Act of 2001 (42 USC 11431 et seq.).

b)         Before enrolling a dropout who is 18 years or older or an unaccompanied youth, the IHOPE program shall conduct the conference described in subsection (a) with the dropout. 

c)         An approved IHOPE program shall enroll only dropouts who reside in their region or district (see Section 2-3.66b(b) of the School Code), and no tuition may be charged of students who choose to participate.

d)         Enrollment in an IHOPE program of a dropout who, when enrolled in his or her previous school, had an Individualized Education Program shall be subject to the additional requirements set forth in Section 210.35.

e)         Receipt of a high school diploma under the IHOPE program is not subject to the State assessment requirements contained in Section 2-3.64a-5 of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/2-3.64a-5].

f)         All rights granted under this Part to the student's parent or guardian shall become those of the student once the student reaches 18 years of age, subject to the provisions of the Emancipation of Minors Act [750 ILCS 30].

g)         For each dropout enrolled, an IHOPE program shall request from the school that the student last attended a certified copy of the student's records, in accordance with 23 Ill. Adm. Code 375.75 (Public and Nonpublic Schools: Transmission of Records for Transfer Students).

(Source:  Amended at 39 Ill. Reg. 13478, effective September 24, 2015)