Senate File 2351 - Introduced SENATE FILE 2351 BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION (SUCCESSOR TO SF 2116) A BILL FOR An Act relating to the open enrollment of pupils who are 1 truant or chronically absent, and including applicability 2 provisions. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 5869SV (2) 91 jda/jh

S.F. 2351 Section 1. Section 282.18, subsection 13, Code 2026, is 1 amended to read as follows: 2 13. a. If a pupil, for whom a request to transfer has 3 been filed with a district, has been suspended or expelled in 4 the district, the pupil shall not be permitted to transfer 5 until the pupil has been reinstated in the sending district. 6 Once the pupil has been reinstated, however, the pupil shall 7 be permitted to transfer in the same manner as if the pupil 8 had not been suspended or expelled by the sending district. 9 If a pupil, for whom a request to transfer has been filed 10 with a district, is expelled in the district, the pupil 11 shall be permitted to transfer to a receiving district under 12 this section if the pupil applies for and is reinstated in 13 the sending district. However, if the pupil applies for 14 reinstatement but is not reinstated in the sending district, 15 the receiving district may deny the request to transfer. The 16 decision of the receiving district is not subject to appeal. 17 b. (1) If a pupil, for whom a request to transfer has been 18 filed with a district, is chronically absent as defined in 19 section 299.12, participating in a school engagement meeting 20 under section 299.12, subsection 3, or currently a party to 21 an absenteeism prevention plan entered into under section 22 299.12, subsection 3, the pupil shall not be permitted to 23 transfer until the pupil is no longer chronically absent, no 24 longer participating in the school engagement meeting, or no 25 longer a party to the absenteeism prevention plan. Once the 26 pupil is no longer chronically absent, no longer participating 27 in the school engagement meeting, and no longer a party to 28 an absenteeism prevention plan, the pupil shall be permitted 29 to transfer in the same manner as if the pupil had not been 30 chronically absent, participating in a school engagement 31 meeting, or a party to an absenteeism prevention plan. 32 (2) Notwithstanding subparagraph (1), a pupil who is 33 chronically absent as defined in section 299.12, participating 34 in a school engagement meeting under section 299.12, subsection 35 -1- LSB 5869SV (2) 91 jda/jh 1/ 2

S.F. 2351 3, or currently a party to an absenteeism prevention plan 1 entered into under section 299.12, subsection 3, and for whom 2 a request to transfer has been filed with a district, may be 3 permitted to transfer if the receiving district approves the 4 request to transfer. 5 Sec. 2. APPLICABILITY. This Act applies to applications 6 and notifications related to open enrollment submitted under 7 section 282.18 on or after the effective date of this Act. 8 EXPLANATION 9 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 10 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 11 This bill relates to the open enrollment of pupils who are 12 truant or chronically absent. 13 The bill provides that if a pupil, for whom a request to 14 open enroll has been filed with a district, is chronically 15 absent as defined in Code section 299.12 (failure to attend), 16 participating in a school engagement meeting under Code section 17 299.12, or currently a party to an absenteeism prevention plan 18 entered into under Code section 299.12, the pupil is prohibited 19 from transferring until the pupil is no longer chronically 20 absent, participating in the school engagement meeting, or a 21 party to the absenteeism prevention plan; provided, however, 22 that the bill authorizes such a pupil to transfer if the 23 receiving district approves the request to transfer. Once the 24 pupil is no longer chronically absent, no longer participating 25 in the school engagement meeting, and no longer a party to 26 an absenteeism prevention plan, the pupil is permitted to 27 transfer. Current Code section 282.18(16) provides that an 28 application for open enrollment may be granted at any time 29 with approval of the resident and receiving districts. The 30 bill does not modify this provision. The bill applies to open 31 enrollment applications and notifications that are submitted on 32 or after the effective date of the bill. 33 -2- LSB 5869SV (2) 91 jda/jh 2/ 2