HF 2547 (LSB 5466HV (2) 90)

HOUSE FILE 2547

BY  COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

(SUCCESSOR TO HF 2254)

A BILL FOR

An Act requiring the development of an attendance improvement plan when a student is chronically absent from school.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  299.1C  Students who are chronically absent.
   1.  When a student who is enrolled in a public school was absent from school for at least ten percent of the school days in the prior school year for any reason, all of the following persons shall meet to discuss how to improve the student’s attendance, create an attendance improvement plan, and sign the attendance improvement plan:
   a.  The student’s parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian, if the student is not an emancipated minor.
   b.  The student, if the student is an emancipated minor.
   c.  A representative of the public school in which the student is enrolled.
   d.  A representative of the county attorney of a county in which the school district is located.
   2.  During the meeting described in subsection 1, the representative of the county attorney shall provide the student or the student’s parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian, as applicable, with information related to this state’s laws related to attendance requirements, penalties associated with violating the attendance requirements, and exceptions to the attendance requirements.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill requires the development of an attendance improvement plan when a student is chronically absent from school.
   The bill provides that, when a student who is enrolled in a public school was absent from school for at least 10 percent of the school days in the prior school year for any reason, the student or the student’s parent, guardian, or custodian, as applicable, a representative of the public school, and a representative of the county attorney of a county in which the public school is located shall meet to discuss how to improve the student’s attendance, create an attendance improvement plan, and sign the attendance improvement plan. The bill requires that, during the meeting, the representative of the county attorney shall provide the student or the student’s parent, guardian, or custodian, as applicable, with information related to this state’s laws related to attendance requirements, penalties associated with violating the attendance requirements, and exceptions to the attendance requirements.