Compulsory Attendance Statutes (105 ILCS 5/26-1 et seq.)
The Illinois compulsory attendance law requires that "Whoever has custody or control of any child between the ages of 7 and 17 years (unless the child has already graduated from high school) for school years before the 2014-2015 school year or (ii) between the ages of 6 (on or before September 1) and 17 years (unless the child has already graduated from high school ) beginning with the 2014-2015 school year..." The compulsory attendance law provides an exception for "any child attending a private or parochial school where children are taught the branches of education taught to children of corresponding age and grade in the public schools, and where the instruction of the child in the branches of education is in the English language;"
Click for complete description of 105 ILCS 5/26
Section 3-13 of the Illinois school Code gives the Regional Superintendent of Schools the authority to appoint a County Truant Officer.
The Will County Regional Office of Education assists local school districts with truancy violations, which requires warning letters, truancy hearings, and in some cases, going to Juvenile Court for final disposition. School districts can request assistance with truancy concerns by contacting the Will County Regional Office of Education. A student non-compliance form can be emailed or faxed to the office.
A truant is defined as a child subject to compulsory school attendance and who is absent without valid cause from such attendance for a school day or portion thereof. A chronic truant is any student who misses 5 percent or more of the previous 180 attendance days of school without a proper excuse.
Truancy Prevention, Intervention, and Mediation Procedures
Please complete and email the Truancy Referral Form to Andrew Alarcon, the Truancy Officer, at aalarcon@willroe.org.