Signed by Governor Bruce Rauner

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes educational disciplinary guidelines.

Highlights:

• Authorizes a school to suspend a student for 3 days or less if the presence of the student meets any of the following criteria (Sec. 5):
• The student’s presence poses a threat to the school’s safety; or
• The student’s presence is a distraction to another student’s learning opportunities.
• Authorizes a school to suspend for more than 3 days, expel, or transfer a student to an alternative school in the following circumstances (Sec. 5):
• The school exhausts all other disciplinary resources; 
• The student’s presence poses a threat to the school’s safety; 
• The student’s presence is a distraction to another student’s learning opportunities; and
• The school provides written documentation, detailing the reason for the disciplinary action.
• Prohibits a school from having a zero-tolerance policy, unless required to by state or federal law, or using a monetary fine as a disciplinary consequence in its disciplinary policies (Sec. 5).
• Prohibits a school official from advising or encouraging a student to drop out voluntarily (Sec. 5).
• Requires a school, in the case of suspension or expulsion, to provide to the student the following opportunities (Sec. 5):
• The utilization of equal opportunity to make up lost academic coursework for full credit; 
• The utilization of a policy to facilitate the re-engagement of the student upon returning; and 
• The utilization of additional appropriate support services, if necessary. 
• Requires a school to provide professional development to school staff about the adverse effects of school exclusion and judicial involvement (Sec. 5).
• Authorizes a school to create memoranda of understanding with local law enforcement agencies to define law enforcement’s role in the school (Sec. 5).
• Requires public and charter schools to adopt disciplinary policies that comply with this bill by September 15, 2016 (Sec. 5).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that establishes educational disciplinary guidelines.

Highlights:

• Authorizes a school to suspend a student for 3 days or less if the presence of the student meets any of the following criteria (Sec. 5):
• The student’s presence poses a threat to the school’s safety; or
• The student’s presence is a distraction to another student’s learning opportunities.
• Authorizes a school’s use of a suspension of greater than 3 days, expulsion, or disciplinary removal to alternative schools in the following circumstances (Sec. 5):
• The student’s presence poses a threat to the school’s safety; 
• The student’s presence is a distraction to another student’s learning opportunities;
• The school exhausts all other disciplinary resources; and
• The school provides written documentation, detailing the reason for the disciplinary action.
• Prohibits a school from including a zero-tolerance policy, except when required by federal or state law or a monetary fine as a disciplinary consequence in its disciplinary policies (Sec. 5).
• Prohibits a school official from advising or encouraging a student to drop out voluntarily (Sec. 5).
• Requires a school, in the case of suspension or expulsion, to provide to the student the following services (Sec. 5):
• The utilization of equal opportunity to make up lost academic coursework for full credit; 
• The utilization of a policy to facilitate the re-engagement of the student upon returning; and 
• The utilization of additional appropriate support services, if necessary. 
• Requires a school to provide professional development to school staff about the adverse effects of school exclusion and judicial involvement (Sec. 5).
• Authorizes a school to create memoranda of understanding with local law enforcement agencies to define law enforcement’s role in the school (Sec. 5).
• Requires both public and charter schools to adopt disciplinary policies that comply with this bill by September 15, 2016 (Sec. 5).

Full Bill Text