Illinois § 15-35

§ 15-35.

Chronic absenteeism in preschool children. (a) In this Section, "chronic absence" means absences that total 10% or more of school days of the most recent academic school year, including absences with and without valid cause, as defined in Section 26-2a of the School Code. (b) The General Assembly makes all of the following findings: (1) The early years are an extremely important period in a child's learning and development. (2) Missed learning opportunities in the early years make it difficult for a child to enter kindergarten ready for success. (3) Attendance patterns in the early years serve as predictors of chronic absenteeism and reduced educational outcomes in later school years. Therefore, it is crucial that the implications of chronic absence be understood and reviewed regularly under the Preschool for All Program and Preschool for All Expansion Program under Section 15-30 of this Act. (c) The Preschool for All Program and Preschool for All Expansion Program under Section 15-30 of this Act shall collect and review its chronic absence data and determine what support and resources are needed to positively engage chronically absent students and their families to encourage the habit of daily attendance and promote success. (d) The Preschool for All Program and Preschool for All Expansion Program under Section 15-30 of this Act are encouraged to do all of the following: (1) Provide support to students who are at risk of reaching or exceeding chronic absence levels. (2) Make resources available to families, such as those available through the State Board of Education's Family Engagement Framework, to support and encourage families to ensure their children's daily program attendance. (3) Include information about chronic absenteeism as part of their preschool to kindergarten transition resources. (e) On or before July 1, 2020, and annually thereafter through June 30, 2026, the Preschool for All Program and Preschool for All Expansion Program shall report all data collected under subsection (c) of this Section to the State Board of Education, which shall make the report publicly available via the Illinois Early Childhood Asset Map Internet website and the Preschool for All Program or Preschool for All Expansion Program triennial report. (e-5) On and after July 1, 2026, the Preschool for All Program and Preschool for All Expansion Program shall report all data collected under subsection (c) to the Department of Early Childhood, which shall review the chronic absence data to determine what support and resources are needed to positively engage chronically absent students and their families to encourage the habit of daily attendance and promote success. The Department shall also report all data collected under this subsection and make a report publicly available via the Illinois Early Childhood Asset Map Internet website and the Preschool for All Program or Preschool for All Expansion Program triennial report. (Source: P.A. 103-594, eff. 6-25-24.)