H.F. 241 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 299.14 Truancy evaluation and 1 reduction pilot program. 2 1. The truancy evaluation and reduction pilot program is 3 established to be administered by the department of education. 4 The department shall work with the applicable county attorneys, 5 school districts, and truancy officers, as well as the United 6 States department of the interior and the school at the Sac 7 and Fox settlement, on issues related to truancy and student 8 absences from school. 9 2. The department of education shall do all of the 10 following: 11 a. Use the moneys appropriated under subsection 3 to employ 12 one social worker who shall work in a county with a population 13 of at least two hundred thousand residents but not more than 14 three hundred thousand residents to identify, evaluate, and 15 address cases of truancy, student absences from school, and 16 other barriers that make it difficult for students to attend 17 school as provided in this chapter, or as required by the 18 applicable school board’s attendance policy. 19 b. Use the moneys appropriated under subsection 3 to employ 20 one social worker who shall work in a county with a population 21 of at least twenty-five thousand residents but not more than 22 twenty-five thousand six hundred residents, a county with a 23 population of at least seventeen thousand one hundred residents 24 but no more than seventeen thousand four hundred residents, 25 and a county with a population of at least sixteen thousand 26 six hundred residents but not more than sixteen thousand seven 27 hundred residents to identify, evaluate, and address cases of 28 truancy, student absences from school, and other barriers that 29 make it difficult for students to attend school as provided in 30 this chapter, or as required by the applicable school board’s 31 or school governing body’s attendance policy. 32 3. a. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023, and the 33 fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, there is appropriated from 34 the general fund of the state to the department of education 35 -1- LSB 1058HH (3) 90 jda/jh 1/ 3

H.F. 241 seventy-five thousand dollars for the sole and exclusive 1 purpose of the truancy evaluation and reduction pilot program. 2 The department shall use the moneys appropriated under this 3 paragraph for one full-time equivalent position, the social 4 worker identified in subsection 2, paragraph “a” . 5 b. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023, and the 6 fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, there is appropriated from 7 the general fund of the state to the department of education 8 seventy-five thousand dollars for the sole and exclusive 9 purpose of the truancy evaluation and reduction pilot program. 10 The department shall use the moneys appropriated under this 11 paragraph for one full-time equivalent position, the social 12 worker identified in subsection 2, paragraph “b” . 13 4. The department of education, in consultation with 14 the social workers employed pursuant to subsection 2, the 15 applicable county attorneys, school districts, and truancy 16 officers, as well as the United States department of the 17 interior and the school at the Sac and Fox settlement, shall 18 prepare a report that evaluates the effectiveness of the 19 truancy evaluation and reduction pilot program. The report 20 shall include information related to the number of children 21 of compulsory attendance age in the applicable counties who 22 were deemed a truant under this chapter each school year from 23 the school year beginning July 1, 2022, through the school 24 year beginning July 1, 2024. The report shall include a 25 discussion of barriers that make it difficult for students to 26 attend school as provided in this chapter, or as required by 27 the applicable school board’s attendance policy, as well as 28 recommendations for eliminating those barriers. The report 29 shall also include recommendations related to whether and under 30 what conditions the truancy evaluation and reduction pilot 31 program should be extended or expanded. The department of 32 education shall submit the report to the general assembly on 33 or before June 30, 2025. 34 5. This section is repealed July 1, 2025. 35 -2- LSB 1058HH (3) 90 jda/jh 2/ 3

H.F. 241 EXPLANATION 1 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 2 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 3 This bill establishes the truancy evaluation and reduction 4 pilot program to be administered by the department of 5 education. 6 The bill requires the department to work with certain 7 specified persons on issues related to truancy and student 8 absences from school. The bill requires the department to 9 employ one social worker who shall work in a county with a 10 population of at least 200,000 residents but not more than 11 300,000 residents and another social worker who shall work in a 12 county with a population of at least 25,000 residents but not 13 more than 25,600 residents, a county with a population of at 14 least 17,100 residents but not more than 17,400 residents, and 15 a county with a population of at least 16,600 residents but not 16 more than 16,700 residents to identify, evaluate, and address 17 cases of truancy, student absences from school, and other 18 barriers that make it difficult for students to attend school. 19 The bill appropriates a combined $300,000 from the general fund 20 to the department for FY 2023-2024 and FY 2024-2025 for the 21 social workers. 22 The bill requires the department, in collaboration with the 23 social workers and certain specified persons, to prepare a 24 report evaluating the effectiveness of the truancy evaluation 25 and reduction pilot program. The bill establishes the 26 information and recommendations that are to be included in the 27 report. The bill requires the department to submit the report 28 to the general assembly on or before June 30, 2025. 29 The bill provides that the Code section establishing the 30 truancy evaluation and reduction pilot program is repealed July 31 1, 2025. 32 -3- LSB 1058HH (3) 90 jda/jh 3/ 3