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2012 SESSION

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HB 886 Truancy; Board of Education shall promulgate regulations to address.

Introduced by: Kenneth C. Alexander | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED HOUSE:

Chronic school absenteeism and truancy.  Requires the Board of Education to promulgate regulations by July 1, 2013, to address truancy. In promulgating these regulations, the Board shall address the following: (i) provisions for early intervention at the school level for repeated unexcused absences; (ii) identification of and a plan to address a student's academic, social, familial, and other barriers that impede attendance in school; and (iii) arrangement of conferences that may be necessary among school personnel, students, parents, and community services providers, as appropriate, to address plans and strategies to improve student attendance, including but not limited to referrals to family assessment and planning teams.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Chronic school absenteeism and truancy.  Lessens the time that the attendance officer and other school personnel must act to enforce the compulsory school attendance law concerning students who are chronically or habitually absent from school or truant. Currently, students may be absent for five scheduled school days without notification to school personnel that the parent is aware and supportive of the student's absence before the attendance officer or school personnel is required to make a reasonable effort to contact the parent regarding the unexcused absence and develop a plan to address the student's nonattendance. The bill provides that failure of a student to report to school for three consecutive school days during part of the school year triggers contact of the parent by the attendance officer or school personnel concerning the student's nonattendance, if the parent has not notified school personnel of the absence. The time frame for scheduling the required conference with the parent of a chronically absent student also has been reduced from five to three school days, and the conference must be held within five school days, rather than 15 days, after the fourth absence. The bill makes other technical changes for clarity and consistency.