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2005 SESSION

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HB 1420 Truancy; reporting of students' nonattendance at school.

Introduced by: Daniel W. Marshall, III | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Reporting of students' nonattendance at school. Streamlines, clarifies, and strengthens the requirements for reporting and resolving students' nonattendance and unexcused absences. The bill requires that the school principal also be notified of a student's absence from school throughout the reporting process. After five unexcused absences during the school year, the attendance officer must contact the parent directly to obtain an explanation for the student's absence, inform him of the consequences of the student's continued nonattendance, and of the required written documentation explaining the student's absence. The written documentation must be a notarized statement from the parent that the student was absent due to a family emergency or a written statement from a licensed physician or other health care provider, or a health care facility confirming that the student was absent due to illness. Current law requires that a plan be developed to resolve the issues related to the student's nonattendance. Under the provisions of this bill, the plan must now include the written documentation submitted by the parent regarding the student's absence. If the student is absent for an additional day after the school attendance officer has contacted the parent concerning the unexcused absence, and the attendance officer and the school principal have not been notified of the student's absence by the parent, the attendance officer must schedule a conference with the parent, school principal or his designee, other school personnel and community service providers, and the student to resolve the issues of his nonattendance. If the student has an unexcused absence after this step in the process, the attendance officer or the division superintendent must enforce the compulsory school attendance law. However, the provisions allowing the attendance officer or the division superintendent to seek immediate enforcement of the compulsory school attendance law and to proceed against the student and his parent for violation of the compulsory school attendance law have not been changed.


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