Public School

Calendar
Guidelines
2024-25
School Year

This is a compilation of guidelines and

procedures, supported by statute, to assist
Local Education Agencies and Regional Offices
of Education in reporting and approving
Public School Calendars.
ILLINOIS
STATE BOARD OF
[Link] • schoolcalendars@[Link] EDUCATION
Public School Calendar Guidelines 2024-25 School Year • 1
Table of Contents
Overview...........................................................................................................3
New Holiday..................................................................................................3
E-learning and Emergency Days...................................................................3
Lincoln’s Birthday Reminder.........................................................................3
Technical Support........................................................................................3
Attendance Days vs. Days that Count Toward Attendance.............................4
School Calendar Preparation Guidelines.........................................................5
Proposed Calendars......................................................................................5
Available Calendar Days, Codes, and Definitions...........................................5
School Activities on Legal Holidays.............................................................10
Days Requiring Waivers................................................................................11
Amended Calendar.......................................................................................12
Final Calendar..............................................................................................13
Special Circumstances....................................................................................14
School District Closure................................................................................14
Individual School Building Closure Due to Public Health Emergency............15
Reporting Individual School Building Closures.............................................16

School Calendar -- Questions and Answers.....................................................17

Public School Calendar Guidelines 2024-25 School Year • 2

Overview
This guidance assumes that the 2024-25 school year will be a normal school year in terms of calendar
requirements. If needed, additional guidance will be released with instructions on how to handle unanticipated
events, including disaster declarations or major public health issues, that might arise.

New Holiday
Public Act 103-0467 creates a new holiday – 2024 General Election Day. November 5, 2024, shall be deemed a legal
school holiday. This is a mandatory holiday as it’s not been added to the list of holidays where school activities are
allowed.

E-learning and Emergency Days

E-learning Days may only be used when an Emergency Day would otherwise be appropriate but using an
E-Learning Day does not remove a Proposed Emergency Day from the district’s calendar. A district that has an
approved e-learning program must utilize all five e-learning days in addition to all Proposed Emergency Days
before ISBE will consider approving Act of God Days.

Given the severe impact of the pandemic on student learning, every effort should be made to make up any
scheduled instructional days when instruction was not provided for any reason. ISBE will continue to look more
closely at requests for Act of God (AOG) Days and may reach out to Regional Offices of Education (ROEs) and school
districts for additional information when a high number of AOG Days has been requested.

Lincoln’s Birthday Reminder

Illinois School Code defines the school holidays. It specifies that Lincoln’s Birthday is the official school holiday
and not Presidents Day. A district may take Presidents Day off by coding it as a Not in Attendance (NIA) day. All the
school holidays are prepopulated in the system. Changing a day that is not an official school holiday to a holiday
code will result in a red error message being displayed and the “Submit” button not showing up at the bottom of the
page.

Technical Support
Questions pertaining to the Public School Calendar should be directed to schoolcalendars@[Link].

Public School Calendar Guidelines 2024-25 School Year • 3

Attendance Days vs. Days That Count Toward Attendance
There has been some confusion with respect to days that count toward the Public School Calendar’s 176 days
of attendance requirement and actual attendance days. In some instances, a day may count toward the Public
School Calendar requirement of 176 student attendance days without student attendance being reported for that
day.

Any day in the Public School Calendar system that starts with an “X” will have student attendance that should be
reported in the Student Information System (SIS) and will be used for claim calculations. If the day starts with
anything other than “X,” there will be no actual attendance those days even if that day counts toward the student
attendance requirement of 176 days.

Here is a list of the days for school year 2024-25 that count toward the 176-day requirement but are not student
attendance days and would not have student attendance reported in SIS or be used for claim calculations:

■ AOG – Act of God Day (can be used after all Proposed Emergency Days have been used
■ FPT – Full Day Parent-Teacher Conferences (up to two per school year
■ FI – Full Day In-Service
■ WFS - Full Day School Improvement Days

Public School Calendar Guidelines 2024-25 School Year • 4

School Calendar Preparation Guidelines
Proposed Calendar
All school districts must prepare a proposed Public School Calendar consisting of a minimum of 185 days to
ensure 176 days of actual pupil attendance.

EXAMPLE:
176 days toward student attendance
4 maximum teacher institute days
5 minimum proposed emergency days

185 total calendar days

The school district regular term begin and end dates must be entered.

■ Begin Date - The first day of school activity as determined by the local school board.
■ E
 nd Date – The last day of school activity as determined by the local school board, including Proposed
Emergency Days (calendar code XED).

Available Calendar Days, Codes, and Definitions

Code Type Day School Code Section

AOG Act of God Day 105 ILCS 5/10-19 and 18-12
ED Emergency Day 105 ILCS 5/10-19
FI Full Day Teacher In-Service Days 105 ILCS 5/10-19.05
FPT Full Day Parent-Teacher Conference Days 105 ILCS 5/10-19.05
HOL Holiday (cannot be entered by a district) 105 ILCS 5/24-2
NIA Not in Attendance NA
PI Parent Institute 105 ILCS 5/3-11
TI Teacher Institute 105 ILCS 5/3-11
XHPT Half Day Parent-Teacher Conference Day 105 ILCS 5/10-19.05
X Student Attendance Day 105 ILCS 5/10-19
XDS Delayed Start Days 105 ILCS 5/18-12
XED Proposed Emergency Day 105 ILCS 5/10-19
XELD E-learning Days 105 ILCS 5/10-20.56
Full Day School Improvement Days
WFS 105 ILCS 5/10-19.05
(waiver)
XHI Half Day Teacher In-Service Days 105 ILCS 5/10-19.05
XHS Half Day School Improvement Days 105 ILCS 5/10-19.05
XID Interrupted Days 105 ILCS 5/18-12

Public School Calendar Guidelines 2024-25 School Year • 5

AOG (Act of God Day) – Though a day designated as an AOG Day is not counted as a pupil attendance day,
this day is not required to be made up. Therefore, inclusion of these days on a school district’s calendar will
contribute toward deeming a school district’s calendar as having met the requirement for 176 days of pupil
attendance. An AOG Day is used for a condition beyond the control of the district that poses a hazardous threat
to the health and safety of the students. AOG Days may only be requested after the district has used all Proposed
Emergency Days built into the proposed calendar. Note: A district that has an approved e-learning program must
utilize all five e-learning days in addition to all Proposed Emergency Days before ISBE will consider approving
AOG Days.

Act of God Days must be approved by the regional superintendent and the state superintendent of education.
AOG Days count toward the required number of student attendance days in the Public School Calendar but are not
attendance days and are not required to be made up.

ED (Emergency Day) – These days do not count toward the 176-day requirement and are not attendance days.
The health and safety of students and staff is a primary concern for every school superintendent. Conditions
beyond the control of the school district that pose a hazardous threat to the health and safety of students and
staff, including adverse weather such as snow, ice, extreme heat or extreme cold, etc., may result in district
closure. Under these or similar circumstances, the district may use an Emergency Day up to a maximum of the
number of Proposed Emergency Days it entered on its proposed calendar. A district would change the day of
the emergency closing to ED (Emergency Day) and change an XED (Proposed Emergency Day) on its calendar
to a different code. Emergency Days taking the place of a day that is needed to reach the minimum number of
attendance days must be made up prior to the end of the school year.

Important: If an Emergency Day is utilized, it is recommended that an Amended Calendar be submitted

electronically through IWAS to the ROE for approval. This will ensure that the most up-to-date Public School
Calendar is available online via the School Calendar Inquiry.

FI (Full Day Teacher In-Service) – Though not counted as a pupil attendance day, this type of day is not required
to be made up. Therefore, inclusion of these days on a school district’s calendar will contribute toward deeming
a school district’s calendar as having met the requirement for 176 days of pupil attendance. A Full Day Teacher
In-Service would include a training program to identify suicidal behavior, instruction of appropriate intervention,
and referral techniques; training pertaining to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) with regard to the
nature of the disease, causes and effects, and detecting and preventing transmission; as well as other topical
health training that is age- and grade-level appropriate.

FPT (Full Day Parent-Teacher Conference) – Though not counted as a pupil attendance day, this type of day is
not required to be made up. Therefore, inclusion of up to two of these days on a school district’s calendar will
contribute toward deeming a school district’s calendar as having met the requirement for 176 days of pupil
attendance. This code may be used if a day contains at least five clock hours of Parent-Teacher Conferences.

HOL (Holidays) – Do not count toward the 176-day requirement and are not attendance days. The legal school
holidays are all prepopulated in the Public School Calendar, and districts cannot add this code for any other day.
Section 24-2 of the School Code identifies the legal school holidays in Illinois, which are listed below. If your district
celebrates a holiday that is not considered a legal school holiday (e.g., Presidents Day instead of Lincoln’s Birthday),
that day needs to be coded NIA. School activities are permitted for those days underlined and in bold print on the
following page.

Public School Calendar Guidelines 2024-25 School Year • 6

■ New Year’s Day (Jan. 1)
■ Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday (third Monday in January)
■ Lincoln’s Birthday (Feb. 12)
■ Casimir Pulaski’s Birthday (first Monday in March)
■ Memorial Day (last Monday in May)
■ Juneteenth National Freedom Day (June 19)
■ Independence Day (July 4)
■ Labor Day (first Monday in September)
■ Columbus Day (second Monday in October)
■ General Election Day (Nov. 5, 2024)
■ Veterans Day (Nov. 11)
■ Thanksgiving Day (fourth Thursday in November)
■ Christmas Day (Dec. 25)

NIA (Not in Attendance Day) – These days do not count toward the 176-day requirement and are not attendance
days. This code is used when there are no students engaged in learning as determined by the local school board.
This code is primarily used for breaks throughout the year as well as district-specific holidays.

PI (Parent Institute Day) – These days do not count toward the 176-day requirement and are not attendance
days. However, each day less than the four combined TI and PI days allowed increases the 176-day requirement
by an additional day. They may be used in place of a TI day. A Parent Institute Day is used by the district to provide
information on topics that the district deems necessary to achieve the following purposes:

■ Enhance parental involvement in the education of the district’s students;

■ Improve parental communication and involvement with the district;
■ Enhance parental knowledge of child development, district programs, school conditions, and societal problems
threatening students; and
■ Improve parental skill development.

Parent Institute Days shall be designed by the school district upon consultation with the district’s teaching staff,
administrators, and parent organizations. The district may provide appropriate personnel, including district staff,
to conduct, attend, or participate in all or any portion of the institutes. Districts shall use every means available
to inform parents and guardians about Parent Institutes and to encourage attendance and active participation in
such events.

Parent Institutes may be held during that period of the day that is not part of the regular school day and may be
held on Saturdays. Days scheduled for Parent Institutes may be scheduled separately for different grade levels and
different attendance centers of the district.
Districts may establish reasonable fees, which may not exceed the cost of holding Parent Institutes, for
attendance and shall waive any fees so established for any parents or guardians who are unable to afford them.
Nothing shall preclude districts from applying for or accepting private funds to conduct Parent Institutes.

A school district may utilize up to two days allowed by law for Teacher Institutes to conduct Parent Institutes
for the parents and guardians of children attending the district. No district may utilize Teacher Institute Days as
Parent Institute Days without the consent of the district’s In-Service Advisory Committee created under
Section 3-11 of the School Code. If a district does not have such a committee, Parent Institute Days must be
approved by the district’s teaching staff.

Public School Calendar Guidelines 2024-25 School Year • 7

TI (Teacher Institute Day) –These days (maximum of four) do not count toward the 176-day requirement and
are not attendance days. However, each day less than the four combined TI and PI days allowed increases the
176-day requirement by an additional day. These days can be used for any educational gathering, demonstration
of methods of instruction, visitation of schools or other institutions or facilities, sexual abuse and sexual assault
awareness seminar, or training in first-aid (which may include cardiopulmonary resuscitation or defibrillator
training) held or approved by the regional superintendent and declared to be an Institute Day or a Parent-Teacher
Conference Day. Up to two Teacher Institute Days may be used for either Parent-Teacher Conferences or Parent
Institutes, as provided in Section 10-22.18d of the School Code. Teacher Institute Days used as Parent-Teacher
Conference Days would use calendar code TI. Teacher Institute Days used as Parent Institute Days would use
calendar code PI.

X (Student Attendance Day) – These days count toward the 176-day requirement and are attendance days.
Students are receiving in-person instruction as defined by the local school board on such days. This code
should be used when the majority of students are receiving in-person instruction on a given day.

XDS (Delayed Start Day) – These days count toward the 176-day requirement and are attendance days. A delayed
start day is a day in which the district is unable to provide the minimum five hours of instruction due to a condition
beyond the control of the school district that poses a hazardous threat to the health and safety of students and
staff and delays the start of the school day (e.g., fog).

XED (Proposed Emergency Day) – These days do not count toward the 176-day requirement and are not
attendance days. The proposed calendar requires districts to enter a minimum of five Proposed Emergency Days.
These days must be removed on the final calendar. Adjust the school year end date at the top of the IWAS screen
in the Public School Calendar system to reflect the last day of school activity and any unused Proposed Emergency
Days will be removed. All Proposed Emergency Days must be converted to Emergency Days and used before AOG
Days are allowed.

XELD (E-learning Day) – These days count toward the 176-day requirement and are attendance days. This code
may be used when a district has an approved e-learning plan and is using it to provide instruction to students. A
district is limited to five total E-learning Days per calendar year. After all E-learning Days are used, Emergency
Days should be used until all Proposed Emergency Days are gone before using Act of God Days. A district that has
an approved e-learning program must utilize all five e-learning days in addition to all Proposed Emergency Days
before ISBE will consider approving Act of God Days.

XHI (Half Day Teacher In-Service) – These days count toward the 176-day requirement and are attendance days
since students will be instructed for a half day. A Half Day In-Service would include a training program to identify
suicidal behavior, instruction of appropriate intervention, and referral techniques; training pertaining to AIDS with
regard to the nature of the disease, causes and effects, and detecting and preventing transmission; as well as
other topical health training that is age- and grade-level appropriate.

XHPT (Half Day Parent-Teacher Conference) - These days count toward the 176-day requirement and are
attendance days since students will be instructed for a half day. A Half Day Parent-Teacher Conference Day must
include at least three hours of instruction time followed by at least two hours of Parent-Teacher Conferences on
the same day.

XHS (Half Day School Improvement) – These days count toward the 176-day requirement and are attendance
days. A district may qualify for a Half Day School Improvement Day by providing an instructional day (instructional

Public School Calendar Guidelines 2024-25 School Year • 8

time does not include lunch, passing time, or recess) in excess of five hours (300 minutes). Any time above and
beyond the 300 minutes may be banked to accumulate 120 minutes, at which time the district qualifies and may
schedule a Half Day School Improvement Day. Once the day has been scheduled, the banked time resets back to
zero and an additional 120 minutes must be banked prior to scheduling another Half Day School Improvement Day.

XID (Interrupted Day) – These days count toward the 176-day requirement and are attendance days. An
Interrupted Day is a day in which the district has provided at least one hour of instruction but must close prior
to providing five hours of instruction due to a condition beyond the control of the school district that poses a
hazardous threat to the health and safety of students and staff.

Public School Calendar Guidelines 2024-25 School Year • 9

School Activities on Legal Holidays

Section 24-2 of the School Code allows school activities to occur and be coded in the Public School Calendar on five
legal school holidays (Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday (third Monday in January); Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday (Feb.
12); Casimir Pulaski’s Birthday (first Monday in March); Christopher Columbus Day (second Monday in October); and
Veterans Day (Nov. 11)), provided that:

■ T
 he person or persons honored by the holiday are recognized through instructional activities conducted on
that day or, if the day is not used for student attendance, are recognized on the first school day preceding or
following that day.

■ T
 he entity choosing to exercise this authority first holds a public hearing about the proposal. The entity shall
provide notice preceding the public hearing to both educators and parents. The notice shall set forth the time,
date, and place of the hearing, describe the proposal, and indicate that the entity will take testimony from
educators and parents about the proposal.

Provided these requirements are met, the district has the flexibility to use the day as a holiday or for school
activities as described in the proposal. If school activities are conducted on the legal school holiday, the entity
codes the Public School Calendar as appropriate for the activities.

Note: A school holding any kind of event on Veterans Day (Nov. 11) must include a moment of silence at the event to
recognize veterans of foreign wars (105 ILCS 5/10-20.46).

Public School Calendar Guidelines 2024-25 School Year • 10

Days Requiring Waivers

WFS (Full Day School Improvement) – These days count toward the 176-day requirement but are not attendance
days. An approved waiver allows districts to utilize banked instruction time over the minimum requirement to take
a Full Day School Improvement Day. A district may qualify for a Full Day School Improvement Day by providing an
instructional day. Instructional time does not include lunch, passing time, or recess) in excess of five hours (300
minutes). Any time above and beyond the 300 minutes may be banked to accumulate 300 minutes, at which time
the district qualifies and may schedule a Full Day School Improvement Day. Once the day has been scheduled, the
banked time resets back to zero and an additional 300 minutes must be banked prior to scheduling another Full
Day School Improvement Day.

TIH (Teacher Institute/Workshop Holiday Waiver) – This is when circumstances necessitate that a Teacher
Institute/Workshop be held on a holiday other than one of the five allowable days under Section 24-2 of the School
Code.

XH (Pupil Attendance Holiday Waiver) – This is when circumstances necessitate that a student attendance day be
held on a holiday other than one of the five allowable days under Section 24-2 of the School Code

In either instance, the district must adhere to the follow guidelines:

■ A
 ll applicants for any type of waiver or modification must post a notice on the applicant’s website at least 14 days
in advance of the public hearing, stating the time, date, location, and general subject matter of the hearing.

■ T
 he posting of such information on the applicant’s official website is in addition to the requirement to publish a
notice of the public hearing in a newspaper of general circulation at least seven days prior to the hearing.

■ A
 ll other public notice requirements that apply to the waiver process remain in effect (written notice of public
hearing provided at least seven days in advance to applicant’s exclusive collective bargaining agent and advance
written notice of public hearing provided to state legislators representing the territory of the applicant).

See additional information regarding the waiver process on the ISBE Waivers and Modifications of the School Codes
and Rules of the State Board webpage.

Public School Calendar Guidelines 2024-25 School Year • 11

Amended Calendar

An Amended Calendar may be submitted only after the proposed calendar has been approved by the ROE/
Intermediate Service Center (ISC). Calendar amendments are necessary due to changes determined by the district
or for unanticipated circumstances out of the control of the district, such as the use of Emergency or Act of God
Days.

Amended Calendars should be submitted to the respective ROE/ISC within 30 days of the change or event. There is
no limit to the number of Amended Calendars that a district may submit for approval.

The document type selected in the calendar system must be Amended Public School Calendar.

Public School Calendar Guidelines 2024-25 School Year • 12

Final Calendar

The recommended due date for submitting the final calendar is the last day of school.

The document type selected in the calendar system must be Final Public School.

Note: If an Amended Public School Calendar is in “draft” status (i.e., has not been submitted for RCDT
Administrator or ROE/ ISC approval), leave the calendar in draft status and proceed with entering the final
calendar. If an Amended Public School Calendar has a “submitted” status, complete the process (i.e., receive
approval from the ROE/ISC before a final calendar may be accessed).

The Regular School End Date is the last day of school activity. Any unused Proposed Emergency Days
(calendar code XED) that are coded at the end of the school calendar must be removed by correcting the
Regular School End Date to the last day of actual school activity.

Once the Regular School End Date has been updated, the calendar codes after that date are truncated.

■ V
 erify that any Emergency Days used are coded as ED on the day(s) the district was closed
■  erify Total Calendar Days = at least 180.
V
■  erify that Total Attendance Days = at least 176.
V

Public School Calendar Guidelines 2024-25 School Year • 13

Special Circumstances
A special circumstance is an event that causes one or more school buildings or the entire district to close due
to circumstances beyond the control of the district.

School District Closure

The health and safety of students and staff are primary concerns for every school superintendent. Conditions
beyond the control of the school district that pose a hazardous threat to the health and safety of students and
staff, including adverse weather such as snow, ice, extreme heat or extreme cold, etc., may result in district
closure. Under these or similar circumstances, the district has the following options:

■ E
 -learning Day (calendar code XELD) – If the district has an approved E-learning plan it can utilize one of the
five E-learning Days it has available each school year. The district should not remove a Proposed Emergency Day
(XED) when utilizing an E-learning Day. A district that has an approved e-learning program must utilize all five
e-learning days in addition to all Proposed Emergency Days before ISBE will consider approving Act of God Days.

■ E
 mergency Day (calendar code ED) -- The district can convert one of its five Proposed Emergency Days
(calendar code XED) and use it as an Emergency Day. Emergency Days must be made up prior to the end of the
school year.

■ A
 ct of God Day (calendar code AOG) -- If all Proposed Emergency Days have been utilized and the district has no
reasonable way of making the district closure day up, the district can request an Act of God Day.

■ N
 ot in Attendance Day (calendar code NIA) -- The district always has the option to utilize a Not in Attendance
Day. If the Not in Attendance Day is replacing an attendance day that was necessary for the district to reach
the minimum number of attendance days required by School Code, then the Not in Attendance Day needs to be
made up before the end of the school year.

Public School Calendar Guidelines 2024-25 School Year • 14

Individual School Building Closure Due to Public Health Emergency
A district with multiple individual buildings where instruction is provided may claim attendance when the district
must close one, but not all, of its buildings due to a public health emergency as determined by ISBE in consultation
with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). The district may claim attendance for the day(s) the building is
closed using the average attendance of this individual building for the three student attendance days immediately
preceding the closure date. This situation does not affect the official Public School Calendar, but reporting of such
day(s) must be made within 30 days of occurrence by submitting the required information electronically via the
Public School Calendar system in IWAS. Use the menu item labeled “Enter School Building Interruption/Closure” to
send the information to the regional superintendent for forwarding to the state superintendent for approval.

In order to claim attendance for the closed building, the district must follow the steps outlined below to justify a
school building closure due to a public health emergency:

1. The school district must consult with a health department in its area and request a signed written statement
from that entity, which must be submitted to ISBE and must include:

■ T
 he name of the building that is being recommended for closure.

■ T
 he specific public health emergency that warrants the closure.

■ T
 he anticipated dates(s) that the building will be closed as recommended by the health department.

2. Once the signed statement is received, ISBE will consult with IDPH to determine that a public health emergency
exists.

3. If verified, the district and the appropriate ROE/ISC will be notified that a public health emergency exists and the
district will be allowed to submit an electronic request for the building closure.

Public School Calendar Guidelines 2024-25 School Year • 15

Reporting Individual School Building Closures

When a closure affects an individual building or buildings as described in Section 18-12 of the School Code, the
closure must be reported to ISBE within one month of the occurrence via the electronic Public School Calendar
system available in IWAS.

Procedures listed below are used by the district to report and submit the request for individual school building
closure in the Public School Calendar system in IWAS.
1. Log in to the Public School Calendar system in IWAS.
2. Choose menu item “Enter School Building Interruption/Closure.”
3. From the dropdown, select the school building that was closed.
4. Click on the “Closure” button.
5. S
 elect the month and day of the closure.
6. Click the “Continue” button. Note: Individual entry must be made for each day the building was closed.
7. Enter the reason for the closure in the box provided.
8. Click the “Save Page Entry” button.
9. Click the “Submit” button to forward the information to the appropriate district staff for approval. You will see a
confirmation screen indicating that the request has been submitted.
10. Once approved by appropriate district staff, the request for individual school building closure will go to the
ROE/ISC for review.

Public School Calendar Guidelines 2024-25 School Year • 16

School Calendar Questions and Answers

Where can I find previous year public school calendars?

Previous year public school calendars dating as far back as the 2004-05 school year can be found using
the School Calendar Inquiry webpage.

How many days were approved for Act of God Days in the 20XX-20XX school year? How many
Emergency Days were approved in the 20XX-20XX school year?
Previous year public school calendars can be found on the School Calendar Inquiry webpage. Reports
can be accessed from this page to provide information from previous school years, such as the questions
asked here. Once on this page, choose the report Calendar Codes by Date Range, choose the correct
school year, and choose district if specific district (or county if more of a range is wanted). Choose
specific district, county, or all counties from the dropdown. Select the calendar code, school type, and
enter date range (to capture entire school year use July 1, 20XX, through June 30, 20XX), then click the
“Continue” button. This will display the information from the latest approved calendar, which for previous
years would be the final calendar.

How do I enter a proposed calendar?

This is done in IWAS using the Public School Calendar system found under System Listings. Once logged
into the system, choose Enter Calendar, the correct School Year, Continue, then click the “Enter” link
all the way to the right for the proposed calendar that is either Not Entered or in Draft status. Further
questions on how to make corrections/updates are addressed in the User Guide menu option found at the
top of the page.

What is the minimum number of days that must be included on a proposed calendar?
A proposed calendar must include at least 185 Total Calendar Days (105 ILCS 5/10-19).

How do I enter an Amended Calendar?

This is done in IWAS using the Public School Calendar system found under System Listings. Once logged
into the system, choose Enter Calendar, the correct School Year, Continue, then click the “Enter” link
all the way to the right for the Amended Calendar that is either Not Entered or in Draft status. Further
questions on how to make corrections/updates are addressed in the User Guide menu option found at the
top of the page.

How do I enter a final calendar?

Final calendars are not available until after May 1 of the current school year. Entering a final calendar after
May 1 is done in IWAS using the Public School Calendar system found under System Listing. Once logged
into the system choose Enter Calendar, the correct School Year, Continue, then click the “Enter” link all
the way to the right for the final calendar. Further questions on how to make corrections/updates are
addressed in the User Guide menu option found at the top of the page.

What is the minimum number of days that must be included on a final calendar?
A district must have at least 180 Total Calendar Days on the final calendar (105 ILCS 5/10-19).

What is the minimum number of pupil attendance days required?

A final calendar must include a minimum of 180 Total Calendar Days. Four of the 180 Total Calendar Days
may be used as Teacher Institute Days. This is where the 176 student attendance days referred to in

Public School Calendar Guidelines 2024-25 School Year • 17

Section 10-19 of the Illinois School Code comes from; however, the 176 days can be further reduced if
a district includes in its calendar a full day for Parent-Teacher Conferences and/or Full Day Teacher In-
Service, for which a maximum of two full days may be scheduled, reducing the 176 further by two, making
the minimum 174 actual pupil attendance days (105 ILCS 5/10-19).

Note: If a district has an approved waiver to have Full Day School Improvement Days, the minimum 174
pupil attendance days can be further reduced by the number of days approved by such waiver.

How many hours are required for a legal school day?

A legal school day requires five hours of school work (instruction). Instructional time does not include
lunch, passing time, or recess (105 ILCS 5/10-19.05).

How many hours are required if the district wants to start the school day late or end the school day
early one day a week to allow staff to conduct school improvement activities?
A full day of school requires five hours of school work (instruction). Instructional time does not include
lunch, passing time, or recess. If a district wants to start the school day late to allow staff to conduct
school improvement activities but is still able to provide five hours of instruction even after the late start,
the calendar is not affected. If a district is unable to provide five hours of instruction due to the late start,
the calendar is affected and the day should be coded on the calendar as a Half Day School Improvement
Day (calendar code XHS), provided sufficient time has been banked since the last scheduled Half Day
School Improvement Day (105 ILCS 5/10-19.05).

How does a district qualify for a Half Day School Improvement Day?
A district may qualify for a Half Day School Improvement Day by providing an instructional day
(instructional time does not include lunch, passing time, or recess) in excess of five hours (300 minutes).
Any time above and beyond the 300 minutes may be banked to accumulate 120 minutes, at which time the
district qualifies and may schedule a Half Day School Improvement Day. Once the day has been scheduled,
banked time resets back to zero and an additional 120 minutes must be banked prior to scheduling
another Half Day School Improvement Day (105 ILCS 5/10-19.05).

How many hours of institute activities are required for a Teacher Institute Day?
A minimum of five hours of school work must be completed for a day to count toward the calendar;
therefore, a minimum of five hours of institute activities must be completed on a Teacher Institute Day
for the day to count toward the calendar. School work (instructional time) does not include lunch, passing
time, or recess (105 ILCS 5/10-19.05).

Must a district make up all strike days?

Whether or not days a district is on strike are made up is a local decision. This is normally determined
as part of the settlement agreement that ends the strike; it is not an ISBE issue. Days not made up that
leave the final calendar with less than the required 180 total calendar days could result in a change in the
district’s recognition status.

May Emergency Days be used for strike days?

Yes. Emergency Days may be used at the discretion of the district for whatever the district deems an
emergency. If the day that the Emergency Day is replacing was necessary to get to the 176-day attendance
minimum, it will need to be made up prior to the end of the school year.

Public School Calendar Guidelines 2024-25 School Year • 18

May Act of God Days be used for strike days?
No. Act of God Days may only be accessed after all of the Proposed Emergency Days have been used
(converted from “proposed” to “used”) and the reason for the closure must be an act of God (e.g., snow,
flood, tornado) or a condition beyond the control of the school district that poses a hazardous threat
to the health and safety of the students. Act of God Days are not required to be made up and must be
approved by ISBE. The request for approval is done by completing an Amended Calendar and submitting it
to the ROE/ISC for forwarding on to ISBE. A brief explanation as to why the district was closed is required.

What are the rules for continuing education during a strike (work stoppage)?
Rules for work stoppage can be found in Section 1.420(f)(3) of the 23 Ill Admin. Code, which states:

A school district shall be considered to have conducted a legal school day, which is eligible to be counted
for General State Aid, when the following conditions are met during a work stoppage.
■  ifty percent or more of the district’s students are in attendance, based on the average daily attendance
F
during the most recent full month of attendance prior to the work stoppage.
■  ducational programs are available at all grade levels in the district, in accordance with the minimum
E
standards set forth in this Part.
■  ll teachers hold educator licenses that are registered with the regional superintendent of schools for
A
their county of employment. Other than substitute teachers, licensure appropriate to the grade level
and subject areas of instruction is held by all teachers.

What is an Interrupted Day?

An Interrupted Day is a day in which the district has provided at least one hour of instruction but must
close prior to providing five hours of instruction due to a condition beyond the control of the school
district that poses a hazardous threat to the health and safety of students and staff. When this situation
occurs, it must be reported by completing an Amended Calendar for submission to the ROE/ISC within 30
days of the occurrence (105 ILCS 5/18-12).

What is a Delayed Start Day?

A Delayed Start Day is a day in which the district is unable to provide the minimum five hours of instruction
due to a condition beyond the control of the school district that poses a hazardous threat to the health
and safety of students and staff that delays the start of the school day (e.g., fog). When this situation
occurs, it must be reported by completing an Amended Calendar and submitting it to the ROE/ISC within
30 days of the occurrence (105 ILCS 5/18-12).

Are there a required number of hours/minutes that must be provided on a Delayed Start Day?
The School Code does not provide a minimum number of hours/minutes that must be provided on
a Delayed Start Day. The School Code does provide a requirement for an Interrupted Day (one hour
of instruction must be provided to count as an Interrupted Day), but a Delayed Start Day has no such
requirement.

How is attendance claimed for Interrupted/Delayed Start Days?

A full day of attendance may be claimed for a student who was in attendance for the entire time the
district was open. If the student was absent for part of the time the district was open (e.g., dental
appointment), then attendance reporting reverts back to the 150-minute rule. If the student received
less instruction time than the entire time the district was open but at least 150 minutes, the student can
Public School Calendar Guidelines 2024-25 School Year • 19
be claimed for a half day of attendance. If the student received less than 150 minutes of instruction, no
attendance may be claimed (105 ILCS 5/10-19.05).

May days scheduled for in-service activities, staff development activities, or Parent-Teacher
Conferences be scheduled separately for different grade levels and different attendance centers?
Yes (105 ILCS 5/10-19.05).

Does a district have to hold a public hearing locally to waive legal school holidays?
Yes, a district may hold a public hearing locally to waive five specific legal school holidays (Columbus
Day, Veterans Day, Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday, Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday, and Casimir Pulaski’s
Birthday). Once the described process is complete, there is no expiration of such waiver. All other legal
school holidays a district wishes to waive require completing the waiver process to receive ISBE approval
(105 ILCS 5/24-2).

What qualifies as instructional activities honoring the people represented by legal school holidays?
How the instructional activities are administered is a local issue; however, instructional time does not
include lunch, passing time, or recess so instructional activities provided during those periods would not
qualify (105 ILCS 5/10-19.05).

How are General Assembly-approved waivers added to the Public School Calendar?
ISBE submits a waiver report to the General Assembly twice a year. Approval/denial is granted in late May/
early June or late November/early December. The General Assembly-approved waivers related to the
Public School Calendar include Full Day In-Service Waiver (calendar code WFI), Full Day Parent-Teacher
Conference Waiver (calendar code WFPT), and Half Day Parent-Teacher Conference Waiver (calendar code
XXPW). These calendar codes are only accessible to districts that have a General Assembly-approved
waiver as they must be added to the Public School Calendar system by ISBE staff.

If less than 50% of a district’s students are in attendance, may the day still be counted as a calendar
day for Public School Calendar and General State Aid purposes?
There is no student attendance percentage requirement for public school districts on a normal school
day. The 50% requirement only applies during a strike situation.

What is the process for an Individual School Building Interruption/Closure?

If a school district provides instruction in multiple buildings and one or more (but not all) of those buildings
must close due to a condition that poses a hazardous threat to the health and safety of students and
staff, it is considered an Individual Building Interruption/Closure. The day is considered an interruption
if at least one hour of instruction was provided prior to the building being closed. The day is considered
a closure if no instruction or less than one hour of instruction was provided prior to the building being
closed. Individual Building Interruption/Closure does not affect the Public School Calendar. The district
must report the interruption/closure within 30 days of the occurrence using the “Enter School Building
Interruption/Closure” in the Public School Calendar system. Additional information about this process may
be found on page 13 (105 ILCS 5/10-19.05).

How is attendance claimed for an Individual School Building Interruption Day?

A full day of attendance may be claimed for a student who was in attendance for the entire time the school
building was open on an Individual Building Interrupted Day. If the student was absent for part of the time
the district was open (e.g., dental appointment), then attendance reporting reverts back to the 150-minute

Public School Calendar Guidelines 2024-25 School Year • 20

rule. If the student received less instruction time than the entire time the district was open but at least
150 minutes, the student can be claimed for a half day of attendance. If the student received less than 150
minutes of instruction, no attendance may be claimed.

How is attendance claimed for Individual Building Closure Day?

Attendance for an Individual Building Closure Day is based on the average attendance of the affected
building for the three school days immediately preceding the closure for that building. For example, if
the individual building is closed on November 4, the attendance for November 4 would be calculated by
dividing the sum of that building’s attendance on November 1, 2, and 3 by three to determine the average
(105 ILCS 5/18-12).

Public School Calendar Guidelines 2024-25 School Year • 21