A new school-discipline law will go into effect for all Illinois public schools in September 2016, and it’s a bit of a game-changer.

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner signed the bill into law back in August, a move described as “a sweeping reform of the state’s school discipline policies.”

You can read more about the bill below or on this page of the Illinois General Assembly website.

Under the law, districts must allow suspended and expelled students to make up work for full credit, and must create a policy that allows students to re-engage with school after their punishment. Additionally, it requires that each district form a parent-teacher advisory committee that will annually review student discipline policies and implementation of the policies.

For more information, contact your local school district. You can find lists and links to Kane County school districts on the Kane County Regional Office of Education website.

Meeting Coming Up in East Aurora

SOURCE: East Aurora School District 131 news release

East Aurora School District 131 families are invited to a free meeting to learn about the District Handbook and how a new state law will affect student discipline. English- and Spanish-language presentations will be held simultaneously at East Aurora High School, 500 Tomcat Lane, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 29. The English-language presentation will be in the freshman gym and the Spanish-language presentation will be in the cafeteria.

At the meeting, district administrators will share the suggested changes for the 2016-17 East Aurora Student-Parent Handbook. The handbook gives guidelines for allowable school behavior, and outlines possible consequences for various infractions. During the school year, parent groups have met for school-level meetings to provide feedback on, and suggest changes to, the district’s handbook. Parent representatives from each building who were involved in the school-level meetings will be present.

The Feb. 29 presentations will also discuss Senate Bill 100. The bill makes significant changes to how a school can approach discipline, especially suspensions and expulsions. The bill requires districts to use suspensions and expulsions only as a last resort, and limit the duration of out-of-school punishments.

Districts must allow suspended and expelled students to make up work for full credit, and must create a policy that allows students to re-engage with school after their punishment.

Additionally, the Bill requires that the district must form a parent-teacher advisory committee that will annually review student discipline policies and implementation of the policies.

There will be a question-and-answer session after the presentation. The presentation can be viewed here.

Kane County Public School Districts

• Batavia School District #101
• Central School District #301
• East Aurora District #131
• Geneva CUSD #304
• Kaneland School District #302
• School District #300
• School District U-46
• St. Charles CUSD #303
• West Aurora School District #129

About Senate Bill 100

SOURCE: Illinois General Assembly website

Replaces everything after the enacting clause and amends the School Code. Makes changes concerning:

• student discipline policies and the parent-teacher advisory committee;
• creation of memoranda of understanding with local law enforcement agencies that clearly define law enforcement’s role in schools,
• what a written expulsion or suspension decision must include;
• the use of school exclusions by school officials; a prohibition on zero-tolerance policies;
• when out-of-school suspensions of 3 days or less may be used;
• when out-of-school suspensions of longer than 3 days, expulsions, and disciplinary removals to alternative schools may be used;
• the provision of appropriate and available support services; the re-engagement of students; the opportunity for a student to make up work;
• professional development on the adverse consequences of school exclusion and justice-system involvement, effective classroom management strategies, culturally responsive discipline, and developmentally appropriate disciplinary methods that promote positive and healthy school climates;
• a prohibition on school officials advising or encouraging students to drop out voluntarily due to behavioral or academic difficulties; and
• a prohibition on issuing a monetary fine or fee as a disciplinary consequence.

Effective Sept. 15, 2016.

Senate Floor Amendment No. 2

Provide that out-of-school suspensions of longer than 3 days, expulsions, and disciplinary removals to alternative schools may be used if the student’s continuing presence in school substantially disrupts, impedes, or interferes with the operation of the school and other appropriate and available behavioral and disciplinary interventions have been exhausted.

Provides that “substantially disrupts, impedes, or interferes with the operation of the school” shall be determined on a case-by-case basis by school officials.

House Committee Amendment No. 1

Provides that out-of-school suspensions of longer than 3 days, expulsions, and disciplinary removals to alternative schools may be used only if other appropriate and available behavioral and disciplinary interventions have been exhausted and the student’s continuing presence in school would either (i) pose a threat to the safety of other students, staff, or members of the school community or (ii) substantially disrupt, impede, or interfere with the operation of the school (instead of only if the student’s continuing presence in school poses a threat to the safety of other students, staff, or members of the school community or substantially disrupts, impedes, or interferes with the operation of the school and other appropriate and available behavioral and disciplinary interventions have been exhausted); makes a related change.

Provides that school officials shall make all reasonable efforts to address such disruptions to the greatest extent practicable.