Bill
SB 1616
Illinois provides nonbinding guidance to avoid major school events on culturally or religiously significant dates, encouraging districts to consider these days in scheduling.
Status and effective date
- Enacted as Public Act 104‑0115; Governor approved August 1, 2025.
- Effective August 1, 2025.
- Introduced in the Illinois Senate by Sen. Ram Villivalam; Chief House sponsor Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl. Companion bills: HB 159 and HB 888.
Purpose and intent
- To provide statewide scheduling guidance to reduce conflicts between major school events (e.g., ceremonies, extracurricular events, assessments, or other events that would be difficult to make up) and days of cultural, religious, or other significance to students. The goal is to improve student participation and inclusivity when schools set event dates.
Key provisions
- New Section added to the School Code: 105 ILCS 5/2‑3.206 (Scheduling guidance for major school events).
- Definition: “Major school event” — a school‑sanctioned or sponsored event on a locally created school calendar, including events or activities difficult for a student to make up.
- State Board of Education (SBE) responsibilities:
- In consultation with stakeholders, identify dates during the year that have cultural, religious, or other significance to the student population and when students may have out‑of‑school commitments or be unable to participate.
- By July 1 each year, prominently post on its website and distribute to every school district a nonexhaustive list of identified days/dates of such observances for, at minimum, the school year that begins in the next calendar year.
- Include with the list a statement encouraging schools to be mindful of these days when planning major events.
- Include a statement that the list is guidance only and does not affect a student’s statutory right to be excused for observance of a religious holiday under Section 26‑2b of the School Code, whether or not that holiday appears on the list.
- Inform districts that the list is nonexhaustive and districts may add additional days based on community feedback or local demographics.
- Distribute the list annually to relevant associations or entities as determined by the SBE (e.g., regional offices, Illinois High School Association, Department of Early Childhood, Board of Higher Education, etc.).
- No mandate to prohibit scheduling on listed dates — the act provides guidance, not a prohibition or funding.
Who is affected
- State Board of Education: must consult stakeholders and prepare/distribute the list annually.
- School districts and schools: receive the guidance and are encouraged (but not required) to avoid scheduling major events on listed dates; may add additional local observances.
- Students and families: intended benefit is fewer conflicts between important school events and cultural/religious observances; existing rights to excused absences for religious observance remain unchanged.
- Educational associations and other entities that receive the list.
Procedural/timeline notes
- Annual deadline for SBE publication and distribution: July 1 each year for the upcoming school year.
- The list is expressly nonexhaustive and advisory; districts retain local calendar control and may incorporate additional dates per community needs.
- No appropriation or funding mechanism is included in the Act.
Potential impacts and considerations
- Likely to reduce scheduling conflicts for events (graduations, major assessments, all‑school events, interscholastic competitions) and improve inclusivity for students from diverse cultural and religious backgrounds.
- Administrative work for SBE to consult stakeholders and maintain the list each year; modest operational impact on districts planning calendars.
- Preserves local control—districts are not required to follow the list but are encouraged to consider it.
- Does not change statutory excusal rights for religious observances or mandate accommodations beyond scheduling guidance.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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