Chronically Absent & Truant Students

About 

While chronic absenteeism measures total absences, including excused and unexcused, truancy measures only unexcused absences. 

Chronic absence means absences that total 10% or more of school days of the most recent academic school year, including absences with and without valid cause, as defined in Section 26-2a of this Code, and out-of-school suspensions for an enrolled student. 

Chronic truant is defined as a child who has missed 5% or more of the previous 180 school days without a valid excuse. Students who are chronic truants will be offered support services and resources aimed at correcting the truancy issue.

If chronic truancy persists after support services and other resources are made available, the school and district will take further action, including:

• Referral to the truancy officer
• Reporting to officials under the Juvenile Court Act
• Referral to the State’s Attorney
• Appropriate school discipline
   

A student who misses 15 consecutive days of school without valid cause and who cannot be located or, after exhausting all available support services, cannot be compelled to return to school is subject to expulsion from school. A parent or guardian who knowingly and willfully permits a child to be truant violates State law.