Bill > SB1961

This bill amends the School Code to fundamentally change how non-resident students are handled in school districts. The bill eliminates all previous provisions related to charging tuition to non-resident pupils, effectively prohibiting school districts from charging tuition to students who do not live within their district boundaries. The legislation requires each school board to establish a policy for transferring non-resident students into their district and creates a new standardized process for student transfers. Under the new rules, districts must approve transfer applications unless there is no capacity at the requested grade level, and they must publish monthly vacancy information on their websites. Districts are now required to report transfer application data annually to the State Board of Education, including the number of applications, acceptances, denials, and reasons for denials. The bill also removes previous language about residency hearings, penalties for enrollment violations, and specific provisions related to student transfers, streamlining the process and making it more accessible for students seeking to attend schools outside their immediate residential area.

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=1961&GAID=18&DocTypeID=SB&SessionID=114&GA=104