Illinois General Assembly - Bill Status for HB2827

Creates the Homeschool Act. Requires the State Board of Education to create a Homeschool Declaration Form to be used by a homeschool administrator to submit information indicating that a child is enrolled in a homeschool program to the principal of the public school or to the school district that the homeschooled child would otherwise attend. Provides that a student enrolled in a homeschool program in which the homeschool administrator has not notified the public school or school district with the Homeschool Declaration Form is considered truant, with penalties applying. Provides that if a child in a homeschool program seeks to enroll part time in a public school or participate in any public school activities taking place on or off of school grounds, the homeschool administrator must submit proof that the child has received all required immunizations and health examinations or a signed Certificate of Religious Exemption. Sets forth requirements for homeschool administrators and programs and reporting requirements. Makes conforming and other changes in the Freedom of Information Act, the School Code, and the Illinois School Student Records Act, including requiring (rather than allowing) nonpublic schools to register with the State Board of Education.

Replaces everything after the enacting clause with the provisions of the introduced bill, and makes the following changes. In the Homeschool Act: Requires proof of immunization and a health examination or an exemption only for regularly occurring, public-school-sponsored, public-school activities. Requires a homeschool administrator to have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent at a minimum. Requires the homeschool administrator to provide proof of, among other options, any degree obtained from an institution of higher education. Changes the reporting date for regional offices of education, intermediate service centers, and the Chicago school district from June 30 (beginning in 2027 and every year thereafter) to July 31; changes the reporting date for the State Board of Education from July 31 (previously beginning in 2027, but now beginning in 2028) to February 1; and makes other changes. Provides that nothing in the Act supersedes the Department of Children and Family Services Guardianship Administrator's authority to approve or deny whether a youth under the custody or guardianship of the Department of Children and Family Services Guardianship Administrator may participate in a homeschool program and that consent must be obtained from the Department of Children and Family Services Guardianship Administrator prior to the Homeschool Declaration Form being submitted for all youth under the custody or guardianship of the Department of Children and Family Services Guardianship Administrator. In the Freedom of Information Act: Provides that information and records held by any school district (rather than the Chicago school district) containing confidential information about a student, parent, or guardian under the Homeschool Act is exempt from copying and inspection. In the Illinois School Student Records Act: Provides that neither a "student permanent record" nor a "student temporary record" includes a Homeschool Declaration Form or any record that a homeschool administrator submits to a school district for proof of a homeschooled student's immunization and health examination. Provides that student records or information may be released, transferred, disclosed, or otherwise disseminated to the State Board of Education or a school or school district's regional office of education or intermediate service center or, in the case of the Chicago school district, the general superintendent of schools only for the purposes of transmitting a Homeschool Declaration Form to one of these entities in accordance with the Homeschool Act. Requires a regional office of education or intermediate service center or, in the case of the Chicago school district, the general superintendent that receives a Homeschool Declaration Form to maintain a copy of the Homeschool Declaration Form for not less than 5 years after receiving the Homeschool Declaration Form. Provides that a public school or school district is not required to maintain a Homeschool Declaration Form or a copy of a Homeschool Declaration Form, but may maintain a copy of a Homeschool Declaration Form as long as the public school or school district abides by all storage requirements and confidentiality requirements. Requires a public school or school district that receives proof of a homeschooled student's immunization and health examination to maintain a copy of those records for not less than 5 years after receipt.

Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Creates the Homeschool Act. Requires the State Board of Education to create a homeschool notification form that a parent or guardian shall submit to the regional office of education, intermediate service center, or superintendent for the area in which the student resides. Requires the notification form to be published in a downloadable and printable format on the Board's website no later than June 1, 2026. Provides that beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, a parent or guardian who homeschools the parent's or guardian's student shall submit the notification form before September 1 of each year. Provides that a public school or school district shall only retain a copy of the notification form if the homeschool parent or guardian requests that the record be retained by the public school or school district, and if such record is retained, the regional office of education, intermediate service center, or superintendent shall retain the record for not less than 5 years. Provides that there exists a rebuttable presumption that a student is not truant if a homeschool notification form was submitted. Allows a homeschool administrator to have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent. Provides that consent must be obtained from the Department of Children and Family Services' Guardian Administrator prior to a homeschool notification form being submitted for all youth under the custody and guardianship of the Department. Provides that homeschools shall provide every student enrolled in homeschool instruction sufficient content to satisfy certain requirements of the School Code. Allows a truant officer to request an educational portfolio as part of a truancy investigation, which must be produced by the homeschool no later than 10 days after the request is made. Allows the State Board of Education to adopt any rules necessary to implement and administer the Act. Makes other changes. Makes conforming changes in the Freedom of Information Act, the School Code, the Illinois School Student Records Act, and the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act.

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