Bill Text: IL HB3197 | 2015-2016 | 99th General Assembly | Enrolled

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Amends the School Code. Creates the Attendance Commission within the State Board of Education to study chronic absenteeism and make recommendations for strategies to prevent chronic absenteeism. Sets forth provisions concerning the members of the Commission, meetings and hearings of the Commission, State Board support for the Commission, and duties of the Commission. Provides that the Attendance Commission shall submit an annual report to the General Assembly and the State Board of Education no later than December 15 of each year. Provides that the Commission is abolished and these provisions are repealed on December 16, 2020. Effective immediately.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 11-0)

Status: (Passed) 2015-08-21 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 99-0432 [HB3197 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2015-HB3197-Enrolled.html

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AN ACT concerning education.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Section
2-3.163 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/2-3.163 new)
Sec. 2-3.163. Attendance Commission.
(a) The Attendance Commission is created within the State
Board of Education to study the issue of chronic absenteeism in
this State and make recommendations for strategies to prevent
chronic absenteeism. The Commission shall consist of all of the
following members:
(1) The Director of the Department of Children and
Family Services or his or her designee.
(2) The Chairperson of the State Board of Education or
his or her designee.
(3) The Chairperson of the Board of Higher Education or
his or her designee.
(4) The Secretary of the Department of Human Services
or his or her designee.
(5) The Director of the Department of Public Health or
his or her designee.
(6) The Chairperson of the Illinois Community College

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Board or his or her designee.
(7) The Chairperson of the State Charter School
Commission or his or her designee.
(8) An individual that deals with children's
disabilities, impairments, and social emotional issues,
appointed by the State Superintendent of Education.
(9) One member from each of the following
organizations, appointed by the State Superintendent of
Education:
(A) A non-profit organization that advocates for
students in temporary living situations.
(B) An Illinois-focused, non-profit organization
that advocates for the well-being of all children and
families in this State.
(C) An Illinois non-profit, anti-crime
organization of law enforcement that researches and
recommends early learning and youth development
strategies to reduce crime.
(D) An Illinois non-profit organization that
conducts community-organizing around family issues.
(E) A statewide professional teachers'
organization.
(F) A different statewide professional teachers'
organization.
(G) A professional teachers' organization in a
city having a population exceeding 500,000.

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(H) An association representing school
administrators.
(I) An association representing school board
members.
(J) An association representing school principals.
(K) An association representing regional
superintendents of schools.
(L) An association representing parents.
(M) An association representing high school
districts.
(N) An association representing large unit
districts.
(O) An organization that advocates for healthier
school environments in Illinois.
(P) An organization that advocates for the health
and safety of Illinois youth and families by providing
capacity building services.
(Q) A statewide association of local philanthropic
organizations that advocates for effective
educational, health, and human service policies to
improve this State's communities.
(R) A statewide organization that advocates for
partnerships among schools, families, and the
community that provide access to support and remove
barriers to learning and development, using schools as
hubs.

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(S) An organization representing statewide
programs actively involved in truancy intervention.
Attendance Commission members shall serve without
compensation but shall be reimbursed for their travel expenses
from appropriations to the State Board of Education available
for that purpose and subject to the rules of the appropriate
travel control board.
(b) The Attendance Commission shall meet initially at the
call of the State Superintendent of Education. The members
shall elect a chairperson at their initial meeting. Thereafter,
the Attendance Commission shall meet at the call of the
chairperson. The Attendance Commission shall hold hearings on a
periodic basis to receive testimony from the public regarding
attendance.
(c) The Attendance Commission shall identify strategies,
mechanisms, and approaches to help parents, educators,
principals, superintendents, and the State Board of Education
address and prevent chronic absenteeism and shall recommend to
the General Assembly and State Board of Education:
(1) a standard for attendance and chronic absenteeism,
defining attendance as a calculation of standard clock
hours in a day that equal a full day based on instructional
minutes for both a half day and a full day per learning
environment;
(2) mechanisms to improve data systems to monitor and
track chronic absenteeism across this State in a way that

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identifies trends from prekindergarten through grade 12
and allows the identification of students who need
individualized chronic absenteeism prevention plans;
(3) mechanisms for reporting and accountability for
schools and districts across this State, including
creating multiple measure indexes for reporting;
(4) best practices for utilizing attendance and
chronic absenteeism data to create multi-tiered systems of
support and prevention that will result in students being
ready for college and career; and
(5) new initiatives and responses to ongoing
challenges presented by chronic absenteeism.
(d) The State Board of Education shall provide
administrative support to the Commission. The Attendance
Commission shall submit an annual report to the General
Assembly and the State Board of Education no later than
December 15 of each year.
(e) The Attendance Commission is abolished and this Section
is repealed on December 16, 2020.
Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.