When the final bell rings at the end of this school year, the bell will also toll for junk food and soda in the state's elementary and middle schools.

The soon-to-be illicit substances were expelled by the Illinois State Board of Education Thursday for not making the grade when it came to the health of the state's students.

The ISBE adopted the ban on soda, candy and chips in response to a request made by Gov. Rod Blagojevich last November. In making the request, the governor cited research that showed healthier students have higher attendance rates, better behavior and superior test scores.

"But despite the obvious reasons to eat healthy, for children, the temptation to eat junk food can just be too great. Today, the State Board approved rules to reduce this temptation for kids to replace nutritious meals at school with things like candy, soda, pizza and chips," Blagojevich said.

Existing ISBE rules already prohibit the sale of junk food in elementary schools during breakfast and lunch. The board's most recent action amends the rules to ban junk food during the entire school day in elementary and middle schools. The new rules will take effect in the 2006-2007 school year.

Du Quoin Schools Superintendent Gary Kelly said school personnel will do the best job they can to enforce the ban in the elementary and middle schools so the ISBE "can achieve the goals it is trying to address. I will not, however, be looking to suspend the first student who brings in a candy bar from home."

Zeigler-Royalton Superintendent George Wilkerson said junk food is already banned for those Z-R students not yet in high school. "As far as I know, the students don't have any problem with the way things are," Wilkerson said.

The ISBE has the authority to ban junk food in those elementary and middle schools who participate in the National School Lunch Program. In addition to prohibiting junk food throughout the school day, the new rules will also change the definition of junk food to focus on the food's nutritional content.

The notice of the adopted rules will be submitted to the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules for review. When the process is complete, the adopted rules will be filed with the Secretary of State and implemented sometime next fall.

- The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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