SB1228 amends the Illinois School Code section governing daily pupil attendance calculations. The bill removes the specific language that currently treats days of attendance earned through verified participation in a school board–adopted e-learning program, when verified by the regional office of education or intermediate service center, as full days of attendance. In practical terms, it would eliminate that express statutory recognition of e-learning days within the attendance-counting formula.
The bill does not otherwise rewrite the broader attendance statute, which still contains numerous rules for counting attendance in traditional classrooms, partial-day enrollment, homebound instruction, kindergarten, remote educational programs, and certain work-based learning or blended learning activities. Its effective date is July 1, 2025, and its main legal effect would be to change how school districts may count e-learning participation toward required pupil attendance under Section 10-19.05 of the School Code.
Impact
SB1228 would amend 105 ILCS 5/10-19.05, the School Code provision that defines when a student day counts as attendance for state reporting and school calendar compliance. By deleting the clause for verified e-learning participation, the bill would narrow the explicit statutory basis for counting e-learning days as full attendance days, potentially affecting school district attendance calculations, compliance with minimum school-day and school-year requirements, and state aid or reporting practices tied to attendance. The bill would directly affect public school districts, regional offices of education, intermediate service centers, and students participating in district-adopted e-learning programs.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials, there is no documented public debate to gauge broad support or opposition. The bill’s caption and structure suggest a targeted policy change focused on limiting e-learning attendance credit, which may appeal to those favoring in-person instruction standards and may concern districts that rely on e-learning flexibility. However, no formal sentiment can be inferred from committee discussion or voting history because none is provided.
Contention
The central point of contention is likely whether e-learning should continue to count as full attendance for statutory and funding purposes. Supporters of the change may argue that attendance should reflect in-person instructional time and that e-learning should not receive the same treatment as traditional school days. Opponents, including school administrators or districts using e-learning for weather closures, emergencies, or instructional flexibility, may argue that removing the explicit attendance credit could reduce operational flexibility and complicate compliance with attendance requirements. No specific stakeholder positions are documented in the provided record.