SCH CD-E-LEARNING-ATTENDANCE

104th Regular Session Introduced by Andrew Chesney

The bill ends counting verified e-learning participation as full attendance days, requiring districts to adjust attendance methods and possibly affecting funding.

Referred to Assignments

Purpose / Intent

The bill revises how daily pupil attendance is calculated under the Illinois School Code by removing a provision that explicitly treated verified participation in certain school‑board‑adopted e‑learning programs as “full days” of attendance. The change narrows the circumstances in which remote/e‑learning participation automatically counts as a full day for attendance (and related funding/requirements) purposes.

Key provisions

Amends Section 10‑19.05 of the School Code (105 ILCS 5/10‑19.05).

Deletes language that: “days of attendance by pupils through verified participation in an e‑learning program adopted by a school board and verified by the regional office of education or intermediate service center for the school district … shall be considered as full days of attendance.”

Leaves other attendance counting rules (in‑person hours thresholds, partial‑day rules, kindergarten rules, in‑service allowances, etc.) intact.

Effective July 1, 2025.

Who is affected

Public school districts and their business/attendance offices — they must adjust attendance accounting and reporting practices where they previously relied on e‑learning participation counting as full days.

Regional offices of education and intermediate service centers — entities that previously verified e‑learning participation for full‑day credit may see changed verification roles.

Students participating in district e‑learning/remote programs — attendance for such days may no longer automatically be counted as full instructional days for purposes tied to attendance (including some state reporting and funding formulas).

District finance/planning staff — potential implications for attendance‑based state aid, mandated minutes, and compliance with instructional day/clock‑hour requirements.

Potential impacts / considerations

Fiscal: districts that relied on e‑learning days to meet minimum attendance or average daily attendance (ADA) could see reductions in counted attendance, which can affect state funding. The bill does not specify alternate funding or transitional provisions.

Operational: districts may need to revise e‑learning program design, attendance verification practices, and scheduling to ensure compliance with statutory attendance requirements (e.g., minimum clock‑hour thresholds).

Policy: may encourage greater in‑person instructional time or revised remote‑learning policies to preserve attendance counts.

Legislative / procedural timeline

Introduced (sponsor): Sen. Andrew S. Chesney.

Advanced through committees and floor votes (committee actions and readings recorded).

Passed both chambers (record votes shown in legislative history).

Approved by the Governor and enacted as Chapter No. 2025‑152.

Effective date: July 1, 2025.

Note: “SB 1228” is a bill number used in multiple states for unrelated measures (e.g., bills on housing moratoria, spring restoration, or working groups). The summary above describes the Illinois SB 1228 amending school‑attendance law.

Bill