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1 AN ACT concerning education.
2 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
4 Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section
5 26-20 as follows:
6 (105 ILCS 5/26-20 new)
7 Sec. 26-20. Chronic Absence Task Force.
8 (a) The Chronic Absence Task Force is created within the
9 State Board of Education to study chronic absenteeism and to
10 support the development of a State strategy to address the
11 ongoing challenges presented by chronic absenteeism for
12 students in early childhood education and care programs and
13 students in grades kindergarten through 12.
14 (b) The Task Force shall consist of the following members:
15 (1) the State Superintendent of Education or the State
16 Superintendent's designee;
17 (2) the Secretary of Early Childhood or the
18 Secretary's designee;
19 (3) the following persons, each appointed by the State
20 Superintendent of Education:
21 (A) one expert in children's disabilities,
22 impairments, and social-emotional issues;
23 (B) one member who represents a nonprofit
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1 organization that advocates for students in temporary
2 living situations;
3 (C) one member who represents school social
4 workers;
5 (D) one member who represents a statewide
6 professional teachers' organization who is a currently
7 employed teacher;
8 (E) one member who represents a different
9 statewide professional teachers' organization who is a
10 currently employed teacher;
11 (F) one member who represents a professional
12 teachers' organization in a city having a population
13 exceeding 500,000 who is a currently employed teacher;
14 (G) one member who represents an association for
15 school administrators;
16 (H) one member who represents an association for
17 school board members;
18 (I) one member who represents an association for
19 school principals;
20 (J) 3 members who represent an association for
21 regional superintendents of schools from different
22 parts of the State;
23 (K) one member who represents an association for
24 high school districts;
25 (L) one member who represents an association for
26 large unit school districts;
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1 (M) one member who represents a school district in
2 a western suburb of the City of Chicago;
3 (N) one member who represents a nonprofit
4 organization that advocates for children in foster
5 care;
6 (O) one member who represents an organization for
7 charter schools in this State; and
8 (P) one member representing an early childhood
9 advocacy organization.
10 (c) Task Force members shall serve without compensation.
11 (d) The Task Force shall meet initially at the call of the
12 State Superintendent of Education. The State Superintendent or
13 the State Superintendent's designee shall serve as chairperson
14 of the Task Force. For every meeting after the initial
15 meeting, the Task Force shall meet at the call of the
16 chairperson.
17 (e) The State Board of Education shall provide
18 administrative support to the Task Force.
19 (f) The Task Force may allow testimony from the public
20 regarding the chronic absence of students.
21 (g) The Task Force shall identify strategies, mechanisms,
22 and approaches to help families, educators, principals,
23 superintendents, and the State Board of Education address and
24 mitigate the high rates of chronic absence of students in
25 State-funded early-childhood programs and public-school
26 students in grades kindergarten through 12 and shall recommend
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1 the following to the General Assembly and the State Board of
2 Education:
3 (1) a coherent State strategy for addressing the high
4 rates of chronic absenteeism in this State;
5 (2) State goals for a reduction in chronic
6 absenteeism;
7 (3) changes related to State Board of Education
8 policies regarding chronic absences, truancy, and
9 attendance that are consistent with federal law and the
10 State Board of Education's approved plan under the federal
11 Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965;
12 (4) State policies or initiatives to be established in
13 order to mitigate and prevent chronic absenteeism; and
14 (5) evidence-based practices for using attendance and
15 chronic absenteeism data to create a multitiered system of
16 support that promotes ongoing professional development and
17 equips school-based and community-based personnel with the
18 skills and knowledge necessary to reduce contributing
19 factors to chronic absenteeism in State-funded
20 early-childhood programs and public elementary and
21 secondary schools, which will result in students being
22 ready for college and a career.
23 (h) The Task Force shall submit a report to the General
24 Assembly and the State Board of Education no later than
25 December 15, 2027.
26 (i) The Task Force is dissolved and this Section is
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1 repealed on January 31, 2028.
2 Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect
3 September 1, 2025.Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.