Guidance document addresses the Regional Safe School Program (RSSP), which serves expulsion-eligible and suspension-eligible students in grades 6-12 by providing a system of alternative education programs for disruptive students.​​

Guidance document addresses the Regional Safe School Program (RSSP), which serves expulsion-eligible and suspension-eligible students in grades 6-12 by providing a system of alternative education programs for disruptive students.​​

(e) To maintain order and security in the schools, school authorities may inspect and search places and areas such as lockers, desks, parking lots, and other school property and equipment owned or controlled by the school, as well as personal effects left in those places and areas by students, without notice to or the consent of the student, and without a search warrant. As a matter of public policy, the General Assembly finds that students have no reasonable expectation of privacy in these places and areas or in their personal effects left in these places and areas. School authorities may request the assistance of law enforcement officials for the purpose of conducting inspections and searches of lockers, desks, parking lots, and other school property and equipment owned or controlled by the school for illegal drugs, weapons, or other illegal or dangerous substances or materials, including searches conducted through the use of specially trained dogs. If a search conducted in accordance with this Section produces evidence that the student has violated or is violating either the law, local ordinance, or the school's policies or rules, such evidence may be seized by school authorities, and disciplinary action may be taken. School authorities may also turn over such evidence to law enforcement authorities.

The purpose of this Article is to specify the requirements for the operation of alternative learning opportunities programs, which are intended to provide students at risk of academic failure with the education and support services needed to meet Illinois Learning Standard and to complete their education in an orderly, safe, and secure learning environment. Services provided under this Article should be provided in a manner that addresses individual learning styles, career development, and social needs to enable students to successfully complete their education.

The district plan must be consistent with the school district’s overall mission and goals and aligned with the local school improvement plans of each participating school. The district plan must include all of the following:

• (1) A description of the program, including the students at risk of academic failure to be served, evidence of need, program goals, objectives, and measurable outcomes.
• (2) A staffing plan, including the experiences, competency, and qualifications of certified and non-certificated staff and emphasizing their individual and collective abilities to work with students at risk of academic failure.
• (3) A description and schedule of support services that will be available to students as part of their instructional program, including procedures for accessing services required for students on an as-needed basis.
• (4) How the district will use grant funds to improve the educational achievement of students at risk of academic failure.
• (5) A detailed program budget that includes sources of funding to be used in conjunction with alternative learning opportunities grant funds and a plan for allocating costs to those funds.
• (6) A plan that outlines how funding for alternative learning opportunities will be coordinated with other State and federal funds to ensure the efficient and effective delivery of the program.
• (7) A description of other sources of revenue the district will allocate to the program.
• (8) An estimate of the total cost per student for the program and an estimate of any gap between existing revenue available for the program and the total cost of the program.
• (9) A description of how parents and community members will be involved in the program.
• (10) Policies and procedures used by the district to grant credit for student work satisfactorily completed in the program.
• (11) How the district will assess students enrolled in the program, including how statewide testing for students in alternative learning opportunities settings will be addressed.
• (12) How students will be admitted to the program and how students will make an effective transition back to the regular school program, as appropriate.
• (13) All cooperative and intergovernmental agreements and subcontracts with eligible entities.

To establish projects to offer modified instructional programs or other services designed to prevent students from dropping out of school, including programs pursuant to Section 2-3.41 [105 ILCS 5/2-3.41], and to serve as a part time or full time option in lieu of regular school attendance and to award grants to local school districts, educational service regions or community college districts from appropriated funds to assist districts in establishing such projects. The education agency may operate its own program or enter into a contract with another not-for-profit entity to implement the program. The projects shall allow dropouts, up to and including age 21, potential dropouts, including truants, uninvolved, unmotivated and disaffected students, as defined by State Board of Education rules and regulations, to enroll, as an alternative to regular school attendance, in an optional education program which may be established by school board policy and is in conformance with rules adopted by the State Board of Education. Truants’ Alternative and Optional Education programs funded pursuant to this Section shall be planned by a student, the student’s parents or legal guardians, unless the student is 18 years or older, and school officials and shall culminate in an individualized optional education plan. Such plan shall focus on academic or vocational skills, or both, and may include, but not be limited to, evening school, summer school, community college courses, adult education, preparation courses for high school equivalency testing, vocational training, work experience, programs to enhance self concept and parenting courses. School districts which are awarded grants pursuant to this Section shall be authorized to provide day care services to children of students who are eligible and desire to enroll in programs established and funded under this Section, but only if and to the extent that such day care is necessary to enable those eligible students to attend and participate in the programs and courses which are conducted pursuant to this Section. School districts and regional offices of education may claim general State aid under Section 18-8.05 [105 ILCS 5/18-8.05] or evidence-based funding under Section 18-8.15 [105 ILCS 5/18-8.15] for students enrolled in truants’ alternative and optional education programs, provided that such students are receiving services that are supplemental to a program leading to a high school diploma and are otherwise eligible to be claimed for general State aid under Section 18-8.05 or evidence-based funding under Section 18-8.15, as applicable.

Memo addresses the Regional Safe School Program (RSSP), which serves expulsion-eligible and suspension-eligible students in grades 6-12 by providing a system of alternative education programs for disruptive students.​​

Guidance document addresses the Regional Safe School Program (RSSP), which serves expulsion-eligible and suspension-eligible students in grades 6-12 by providing a system of alternative education programs for disruptive students.​​

Policy requires districts to ensure opportunities for students to receive educational services during a period of suspension or expulsion.

Document addresses ensuring opportunities for students to receive educational services during a period of suspension or expulsion.