Bullying law in Illinois: what the school must actually do

Illinois's truth table

Investigation deadline in law: 10 school days — the district's policy must require all reasonable efforts to complete the investigation within 10 school days of the report (§27-23.7(b)(5)).

Parent notice: Within 24 hours after the school learns of a student's involvement (§27-23.7(b)(4)).

Victim transfer: No statutory transfer right.

Retaliation for reporting: prohibited by statute.

Source: 105 ILCS 5/27-23.7

Verified Illinois details

• Illinois has both numbers in the statute: parents of all students involved must be informed within 24 hours, and the investigation must be pursued with all reasonable efforts to finish within 10 school days. Keep the qualifier — it is a real standard, not an absolute guarantee.
• Anonymous reporting must be available, but formal discipline cannot rest on an anonymous report alone.
• No state-level appeal of an individual outcome was found in §27-23.7 — escalation runs through the district, then ISBE on policy non-compliance, then federal OCR where a protected class is involved.

The five paper-trail moves + the written report

Rules checked October 2026 — every rule on this page is cited to its source. Verify day counts against your district's official calendar.