Illinois HB 4253: SCH CD-COMPULSORY KINDERGARTEN

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104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY 
State of Illinois 
2025 and 2026
HB4253

Introduced 1/14/2026, by Rep. Kevin Schmidt 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

105 ILCS 5/26-1 from Ch. 122, par. 26-1

 Amends the Compulsory Attendance Article of the School Code. Provides that, beginning with the 2028-2029 school year, any pupil enrolled in the public schools who is of compulsory school age but who has not yet attended kindergarten at a public, private, or parochial school shall be required to satisfactorily complete kindergarten before advancing to first grade. Effective immediately.

LRB104 16189 LNS 29572 b

STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT
MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

HB4253LRB104 16189 LNS 29572 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 changing Section 

526-1 as follows:

6 (105 ILCS 5/26-1) (from Ch. 122, par. 26-1)

7 Sec. 26-1. Compulsory school age and ; exemptions; 

8compulsory kindergarten. 

9 (a) Whoever has custody or control of any child (i) 

10between the ages of 7 and 17 years (unless the child has 

11already graduated from high school) for school years before 

12the 2014-2015 school year or (ii) between the ages of 6 (on or 

13before September 1) and 17 years (unless the child has already 

14graduated from high school) beginning with the 2014-2015 

15school year shall cause such child to attend some public 

16school in the district wherein the child resides the entire 

17time it is in session during the regular school term, except as 

18provided in Section 10-19.1, and during a required summer 

19school program established under Section 10-22.33B; provided, 

20that the following children s