104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB1616
 
Introduced 2/4/2025, by Sen. Ram Villivalam
 
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new
    Amends the School Code. Requires the State Board of Education to identify days during the year when there may be a portion of the student body absent or unable to participate in a major school event due to cultural, religious, or other observances and, by February 1 of each year, to prominently post on its website and distribute to school districts a nonexhaustive list of the corresponding days and dates of potential cultural, religious, or other observances in the upcoming school year. Allows a school district to include additional days and dates based on community feedback or demographics. Requires the State Board to distribute the list by February 1 each year to regional offices of education, the Department of Early Childhood, the Board of Higher Education, the Illinois High School Association, and other relevant associations or entities as determined by the State Board. Effective immediately.


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A BILL FOR
 
SB1616LRB104 12054 LNS 22149 b

1    AN ACT concerning education.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, 
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section 
52-3.206 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/2-3.206 new)
7    Sec. 2-3.206. Major school-event-scheduling guidance. As 
8used in this Section, "major school event" includes, but is 
9not limited to, tests, special projects, special events, 
10special activities, schoolwide events, or extracurricular 
11activities that would be difficult to make up.
12    The State Board of Education, through consultation with 
13stakeholders, shall identify days during the year when there 
14may be a portion of the student body absent or unable to 
15participate in a major school event due to cultural, 
16religious, or other observances.
17    By February 1 of each year, the State Board of Education 
18shall prominently post on its website and distribute to each 
19school district a nonexhaustive list of the corresponding days 
20and dates of potential cultural, religious, or other 
21observances for at a minimum the upcoming school year, as a 
22resource for making major school-event-scheduling decisions, 
23encouraging school districts not to schedule a major school 
 
 
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1event on those days.
2    The list shall include a statement indicating that the 
3list is only for scheduling purposes and does not affect a 
4student's right to be excused from attendance because of the 
5observance of a religious holiday pursuant to Section 26-2b of 
6this Code, regardless of whether the religious holiday appears 
7on the list.
8    Upon the distribution of the list, the State Board of 
9Education shall also inform school districts that a school 
10district may include additional days and dates based on 
11community feedback or demographics.
12    The State Board of Education shall additionally distribute 
13the list by February 1 each year to regional offices of 
14education, the Department of Early Childhood, the Board of 
15Higher Education, the Illinois High School Association, and 
16other relevant associations or entities as determined by the 
17State Board of Education.
 
18    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
19becoming law.