HB2802: SCH CD-STEAM ABSENCE EXEMPTION

Legislative Summary

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.