HB2802 - 104th General Assembly (2025-2026)

SCH CD-STEAM ABSENCE EXEMPTION
Last Action
08/15/2025 - House: Public Act . . . . . . . . . 104-0250
Statutes Amended In Order of Appearance
105 ILCS 5/26-1  from Ch. 122, par. 26-1
Synopsis As Introduced
Amends the Compulsory Attendance Article of the School Code. Provides that a female student in any of grades 6 through 12 who is participating in an educational program in the fields of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics, subject to guidelines established by the State Board of Education, shall be permitted by a school board to have one school-day-long, excused absence per school year to participate in an externship or volunteer opportunity with an Illinois organization in the fields of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. Provides that the school board may require that the student provide reasonable advance notice of the intended absence to the appropriate school administrator and require that the student provide documentation of the participation in an externship or volunteer opportunity to the appropriate school administrator.

House Floor Amendment No. 1
Deletes reference to:
105 ILCS 5/26-1  
Adds reference to:
105 ILCS 5/10-19.05  
Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning the daily pupil attendance calculation, allows for participation in a supervised career development experience (instead of a supervised career development experience or any work-based learning experience) in which student participation and learning outcomes are approved (instead of directed) by a licensed educator for assessment of competencies. Provides that participation (instead of participation in a work-based learning experience) may include, but is not limited to, scheduled events of local, State, and national youth organizations, career and technical education student organizations, FFA associations, and 4-H programs as part of organized competitions, exhibitions, or conferences (instead of scheduled events of State FFA associations, the National FFA Organization, and 4-H programs as part of organized competitions or exhibitions). Allows for participation in any work-based learning experience, including supervised agricultural experiences, in which student participation and learning outcomes are approved by an educator who holds an Educator License with Stipulations with a Career and Technical Educator endorsement and a work-based learning designation, as required by rule. Allows for participation in a youth apprenticeship in which student participation and outcomes are approved (instead of directed) by a licensed educator for assessment of competencies. Provides that a student and the student's parent or legal guardian are responsible for obtaining coursework that is missed while the student participates in an activity from the student's teacher; makes related changes. Requires school district attendance policies to be updated, added to a district's student handbook, and publicly posted to reflect the activities allowed to be counted toward the calculation of clock hours of school work. Provides that these policies shall include, at a minimum, an approval process for students to attend allowable activities and provisions for making up missed coursework that do not penalize a student.
Actions
DateChamberAction
02/05/2025HouseFiled with the Clerk by Rep. Tony M. McCombie
02/06/2025HouseFirst Reading
02/06/2025HouseReferred to Rules Committee
03/04/2025HouseAssigned to Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter Schools
03/11/2025HouseAdded Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Sue Scherer
03/11/2025HouseAdded Co-Sponsor Rep. Anna Moeller
03/12/2025HouseDo Pass / Short Debate Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter Schools; 009-000-000
03/13/2025HousePlaced on Calendar 2nd Reading - Short Debate
03/19/2025HouseHouse Floor Amendment No. 1 Filed with Clerk by Rep. Tony M. McCombie
03/19/2025HouseHouse Floor Amendment No. 1 Referred to Rules Committee
03/20/2025HouseHouse Floor Amendment No. 1 Rules Refers to Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter Schools
03/24/2025HouseAdded Co-Sponsor Rep. Emanuel "Chris" Welch
03/26/2025HouseSecond Reading - Short Debate
03/26/2025HouseHeld on Calendar Order of Second Reading - Short Debate
04/07/2025HouseHouse Floor Amendment No. 1 Recommends Be Adopted Elementary & Secondary Education: Administration, Licensing & Charter Schools; 008-000-000
04/08/2025HouseChief Sponsor Changed to Rep. Regan Deering
04/08/2025HouseAdded Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Tony M. McCombie
04/08/2025HouseAdded Co-Sponsor Rep. Suzanne M. Ness
04/08/2025HouseChief Co-Sponsor Changed to Rep. Tony M. McCombie
04/11/2025HouseRemove Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Tony M. McCombie
04/11/2025HouseChief Sponsor Changed to Rep. Tony M. McCombie
04/11/2025HouseHouse Floor Amendment No. 1 Adopted
04/11/2025HousePlaced on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading - Short Debate
04/11/2025HouseThird Reading - Short Debate - Passed 115-000-000
04/14/2025SenateArrive in Senate
04/14/2025SenatePlaced on Calendar Order of First Reading April 29, 2025
04/23/2025SenateChief Senate Sponsor Sen. Doris Turner
04/23/2025SenateFirst Reading
04/23/2025SenateReferred to Assignments
04/29/2025SenateAssigned to Education
05/07/2025SenateDo Pass Education; 014-000-000
05/07/2025SenatePlaced on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading May 8, 2025
05/13/2025SenateSecond Reading
05/13/2025SenatePlaced on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading May 14, 2025
05/20/2025SenatePlaced on Calendar Order of 3rd Reading **
05/22/2025SenateAdded as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Mary Edly-Allen
05/22/2025SenateAdded as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Rachel Ventura
05/22/2025SenateThird Reading - Passed; 058-000-000
05/22/2025SenateAdded as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Javier L. Cervantes
05/22/2025HousePassed Both Houses
05/26/2025SenateAdded as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford
05/27/2025SenateAdded as Alternate Co-Sponsor Sen. Christopher Belt
06/20/2025HouseSent to the Governor
08/15/2025HouseGovernor Approved
08/15/2025HouseEffective Date January 1, 2026
08/15/2025HousePublic Act . . . . . . . . . 104-0250