(a) The State Board of Education shall establish and implement rules requiring all of the public schools and all private or nonpublic elementary and secondary schools located in this State, whenever any such school has a student who is transferring to any other public elementary or secondary school located in this or in any other state, to forward within 10 days of notice of the student's transfer an unofficial record of that student's grades to the school to which such student is transferring. Each public school at the same time also shall forward to the school to which the student is transferring the remainder of the student's school student records as required by the Illinois School Student Records Act [105 ILCS 10/1 et seq.]. In addition, if a student is transferring from a public school, whether located in this or any other state, from which the student has been suspended or expelled for knowingly possessing in a school building or on school grounds a weapon as defined in the Gun Free Schools Act [20 U.S.C.S. § 7151 et seq.], for knowingly possessing, selling, or delivering in a school building or on school grounds a controlled substance or cannabis, or for battering a staff member of the school, and if the period of suspension or expulsion has not expired at the time the student attempts to transfer into another public school in the same or any other school district: (i) any school student records required to be transferred shall include the date and duration of the period of suspension or expulsion; and (ii) with the exception of transfers into the Department of Juvenile Justice school district, the student shall not be permitted to attend class in the public school into which he or she is transferring until the student has served the entire period of the suspension or expulsion imposed by the school from which the student is transferring, provided that the school board may approve the placement of the student in an alternative school program established under Article 13A of this Code [105 ILCS 5/13A-0.5 et seq.]. A school district may adopt a policy providing that if a student is suspended or expelled for any reason from any public or private school in this or any other state, the student must complete the entire term of the suspension or expulsion before being admitted into the school district. This policy may allow placement of the student in an alternative school program established under Article 13A of this Code, if available, for the remainder of the suspension or expulsion. Each public school and each private or nonpublic elementary or secondary school in this State shall within 10 days after the student has paid all of his or her outstanding fines and fees and at its own expense forward an official transcript of the scholastic records of each student transferring from that school in strict accordance with the provisions of this Section and the rules established by the State Board of Education as herein provided.

Before receiving State funds for an alternative learning opportunities program, a school district must adopt policies and guidelines for the admission and transfer of students to the program and for transitioning students as appropriate back to the regular school program in a manner consistent with guidelines provided by the State Board. A school district must adopt policies and procedures for the establishment of a new alternative learning opportunities program or for securing State approval for an existing program. Any district that plans to establish an alternative learning opportunities program must notify the State Superintendent of Education before enrolling students in the program.

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:

(c) A school or school district may deny enrollment to a student 17 years of age or older for one semester for failure to meet minimum attendance standards if all of the following conditions are met:

Students in grades 4 through 12 who meet enrollment criteria established by the school district and who meet the definition of "at risk of academic failure" are eligible to participate in an Alternative Learning Opportunities Program [105 ILCS 5/13B-20.25] approved under this Part.

a) It shall be the goal of the Alternative Learning Opportunities Program (ALOP) to assist students in successfully completing their education, including, but not limited to, returning to the regular school program, or to a postsecondary or adult education program, as soon as appropriate. In establishing procedures for the transition of students to the regular or another program, districts shall ensure that:

b) The requirements of subsection (a) of this Section apply in instances where a student is removed from the ALOP by his or her parent or guardian before completion of the objectives stated in his or her Student Success Plan.