When will the change requiring physicals for entry into 6th grade instead of 5th grade take effect?
Public Act 95-0422 (SB 937) amends the School Code (105 ILCS 5/27-8.1) by changing the physical examination requirement for students from “prior to entering 5th grade” to “prior to entering 6th grade”. Both the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) acknowledge that because the 2007-2008 school year has already commenced, this legislative change would be burdensome to families of Illinois school children, as well as schools. After conferring with the legislative sponsors, it has been determined that the enforcement of the 6th grade physical examination requirement will be deferred until the 2008-2009 school year in order to allow ISBE sufficient time to notify all schools and in turn, families and their students. Additionally, IDPH will notify partner organizations, such as the Illinois Chapter of American Academy of Pediatrics and the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians, of the change to the physical examination requirement and the d
