SB0654 EnrolledLRB102 12874 CMG 18217 b


  
1    AN ACT concerning education.
  
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
3represented in the General Assembly:
  



 
 
4    Section 5. The School Code is amended  by adding Section 
527-6.3 as follows:
 
6    (105 ILCS 5/27-6.3 new)
7    Sec. 27-6.3. Play time required in elementary school.
8    (a)  All public schools shall provide daily time for 
9supervised, unstructured, child-directed play for all students 
10in kindergarten through grade 5. Play time must allow 
11unstructured play, and may include organized games, but shall 
12not include the use of computers, tablets, phones, or videos. 
13Schools are encouraged to provide play time outdoors, but it 
14may be held indoors. If play time is held indoors, schools are 
15encouraged to provide it in a space that promotes physical 
16activity. Time spent dressing or undressing for outdoor play 
17time shall not count towards the daily time for play.
18    (b)   Play time shall not count as a course of physical 
19education that fulfills the requirements of Section 27-6, nor 
20shall time spent in a course of physical education count 
21towards the daily time for play.
22    (c)   Play time shall be considered clock hours for the 
23purposes of Section 10-19.05. For any school day 5 clock hours 
 
 
SB0654 Enrolled- 2 -LRB102 12874 CMG 18217 b

1or longer in length, the total time allotted for play for 
2students in kindergarten through grade 5 must be at least 30 
3minutes. For any school day less than 5 clock hours in length, 
4the total time allotted for play each school day must be at 
5least one-tenth of a day of attendance for the student 
6pursuant to Section 10-19.05. Play time may be divided into 
7play periods of at least 15 consecutive minutes in length.
8    (d)   For students with disabilities, play time shall comply 
9with a student's applicable individualized education program 
10(IEP) or federal Section 504 plan.
11    (e)   All public schools shall prohibit the withholding of 
12play time as a disciplinary or punitive action, except when a 
13student's participation in play time poses an immediate threat 
14to the safety of the student or others. School officials shall 
15make all reasonable efforts to resolve such threats and 
16minimize the use of exclusion from play to the greatest extent 
17practicable and in accordance with subsection (d).
 
 
18    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 
192021.