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House File 241 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1establishing the truancy evaluation and reduction pilot
2program to be administered by the department of education
3and making appropriations.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 299.14 Truancy evaluation and
2reduction pilot program.
31. The truancy evaluation and reduction pilot program is
4established to be administered by the department of education.
5The department shall work with the applicable county attorneys,
6school districts, and truancy officers, as well as the United
7States department of the interior and the school at the Sac
8and Fox settlement, on issues related to truancy and student
9absences from school.
102. The department of education shall do all of the
11following:
12a. Use the moneys appropriated under subsection 3 to employ
13one social worker who shall work in a county with a population
14of at least two hundred thousand residents but not more than
15three hundred thousand residents to identify, evaluate, and
16address cases of truancy, student absences from school, and
17other barriers that make it difficult for students to attend
18school as provided in this chapter, or as required by the
19applicable school board’s attendance policy.
20b. Use the moneys appropriated under subsection 3 to employ
21one social worker who shall work in a county with a population
22of at least twenty-five thousand residents but not more than
23twenty-five thousand six hundred residents, a county with a
24population of at least seventeen thousand one hundred residents
25but no more than seventeen thousand four hundred residents,
26and a county with a population of at least sixteen thousand
27six hundred residents but not more than sixteen thousand seven
28hundred residents to identify, evaluate, and address cases of
29truancy, student absences from school, and other barriers that
30make it difficult for students to attend school as provided in
31this chapter, or as required by the applicable school board’s
32or school governing body’s attendance policy.
333. a. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023, and the
34fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, there is appropriated from
35the general fund of the state to the department of education
-1-1seventy-five thousand dollars for the sole and exclusive
2purpose of the truancy evaluation and reduction pilot program.
3The department shall use the moneys appropriated under this
4paragraph for one full-time equivalent position, the social
5worker identified in subsection 2, paragraph “a”.
6b. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023, and the
7fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, there is appropriated from
8the general fund of the state to the department of education
9seventy-five thousand dollars for the sole and exclusive
10purpose of the truancy evaluation and reduction pilot program.
11The department shall use the moneys appropriated under this
12paragraph for one full-time equivalent position, the social
13worker identified in subsection 2, paragraph “b”.
144. The department of education, in consultation with
15the social workers employed pursuant to subsection 2, the
16applicable county attorneys, school districts, and truancy
17officers, as well as the United States department of the
18interior and the school at the Sac and Fox settlement, shall
19prepare a report that evaluates the effectiveness of the
20truancy evaluation and reduction pilot program. The report
21shall include information related to the number of children
22of compulsory attendance age in the applicable counties who
23were deemed a truant under this chapter each school year from
24the school year beginning July 1, 2022, through the school
25year beginning July 1, 2024. The report shall include a
26discussion of barriers that make it difficult for students to
27attend school as provided in this chapter, or as required by
28the applicable school board’s attendance policy, as well as
29recommendations for eliminating those barriers. The report
30shall also include recommendations related to whether and under
31what conditions the truancy evaluation and reduction pilot
32program should be extended or expanded. The department of
33education shall submit the report to the general assembly on
34or before June 30, 2025.
355. This section is repealed July 1, 2025.
-2-1EXPLANATION
2The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
3the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
4This bill establishes the truancy evaluation and reduction
5pilot program to be administered by the department of
6education.
7The bill requires the department to work with certain
8specified persons on issues related to truancy and student
9absences from school. The bill requires the department to
10employ one social worker who shall work in a county with a
11population of at least 200,000 residents but not more than
12300,000 residents and another social worker who shall work in a
13county with a population of at least 25,000 residents but not
14more than 25,600 residents, a county with a population of at
15least 17,100 residents but not more than 17,400 residents, and
16a county with a population of at least 16,600 residents but not
17more than 16,700 residents to identify, evaluate, and address
18cases of truancy, student absences from school, and other
19barriers that make it difficult for students to attend school.
20The bill appropriates a combined $300,000 from the general fund
21to the department for FY 2023-2024 and FY 2024-2025 for the
22social workers.
23The bill requires the department, in collaboration with the
24social workers and certain specified persons, to prepare a
25report evaluating the effectiveness of the truancy evaluation
26and reduction pilot program. The bill establishes the
27information and recommendations that are to be included in the
28report. The bill requires the department to submit the report
29to the general assembly on or before June 30, 2025.
30The bill provides that the Code section establishing the
31truancy evaluation and reduction pilot program is repealed July
321, 2025.
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2program to be administered by the department of education
3and making appropriations.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 299.14 Truancy evaluation and
2reduction pilot program.
31. The truancy evaluation and reduction pilot program is
4established to be administered by the department of education.
5The department shall work with the applicable county attorneys,
6school districts, and truancy officers, as well as the United
7States department of the interior and the school at the Sac
8and Fox settlement, on issues related to truancy and student
9absences from school.
102. The department of education shall do all of the
11following:
12a. Use the moneys appropriated under subsection 3 to employ
13one social worker who shall work in a county with a population
14of at least two hundred thousand residents but not more than
15three hundred thousand residents to identify, evaluate, and
16address cases of truancy, student absences from school, and
17other barriers that make it difficult for students to attend
18school as provided in this chapter, or as required by the
19applicable school board’s attendance policy.
20b. Use the moneys appropriated under subsection 3 to employ
21one social worker who shall work in a county with a population
22of at least twenty-five thousand residents but not more than
23twenty-five thousand six hundred residents, a county with a
24population of at least seventeen thousand one hundred residents
25but no more than seventeen thousand four hundred residents,
26and a county with a population of at least sixteen thousand
27six hundred residents but not more than sixteen thousand seven
28hundred residents to identify, evaluate, and address cases of
29truancy, student absences from school, and other barriers that
30make it difficult for students to attend school as provided in
31this chapter, or as required by the applicable school board’s
32or school governing body’s attendance policy.
333. a. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023, and the
34fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, there is appropriated from
35the general fund of the state to the department of education
-1-1seventy-five thousand dollars for the sole and exclusive
2purpose of the truancy evaluation and reduction pilot program.
3The department shall use the moneys appropriated under this
4paragraph for one full-time equivalent position, the social
5worker identified in subsection 2, paragraph “a”.
6b. For the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023, and the
7fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, there is appropriated from
8the general fund of the state to the department of education
9seventy-five thousand dollars for the sole and exclusive
10purpose of the truancy evaluation and reduction pilot program.
11The department shall use the moneys appropriated under this
12paragraph for one full-time equivalent position, the social
13worker identified in subsection 2, paragraph “b”.
144. The department of education, in consultation with
15the social workers employed pursuant to subsection 2, the
16applicable county attorneys, school districts, and truancy
17officers, as well as the United States department of the
18interior and the school at the Sac and Fox settlement, shall
19prepare a report that evaluates the effectiveness of the
20truancy evaluation and reduction pilot program. The report
21shall include information related to the number of children
22of compulsory attendance age in the applicable counties who
23were deemed a truant under this chapter each school year from
24the school year beginning July 1, 2022, through the school
25year beginning July 1, 2024. The report shall include a
26discussion of barriers that make it difficult for students to
27attend school as provided in this chapter, or as required by
28the applicable school board’s attendance policy, as well as
29recommendations for eliminating those barriers. The report
30shall also include recommendations related to whether and under
31what conditions the truancy evaluation and reduction pilot
32program should be extended or expanded. The department of
33education shall submit the report to the general assembly on
34or before June 30, 2025.
355. This section is repealed July 1, 2025.
-2-1EXPLANATION
2The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
3the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
4This bill establishes the truancy evaluation and reduction
5pilot program to be administered by the department of
6education.
7The bill requires the department to work with certain
8specified persons on issues related to truancy and student
9absences from school. The bill requires the department to
10employ one social worker who shall work in a county with a
11population of at least 200,000 residents but not more than
12300,000 residents and another social worker who shall work in a
13county with a population of at least 25,000 residents but not
14more than 25,600 residents, a county with a population of at
15least 17,100 residents but not more than 17,400 residents, and
16a county with a population of at least 16,600 residents but not
17more than 16,700 residents to identify, evaluate, and address
18cases of truancy, student absences from school, and other
19barriers that make it difficult for students to attend school.
20The bill appropriates a combined $300,000 from the general fund
21to the department for FY 2023-2024 and FY 2024-2025 for the
22social workers.
23The bill requires the department, in collaboration with the
24social workers and certain specified persons, to prepare a
25report evaluating the effectiveness of the truancy evaluation
26and reduction pilot program. The bill establishes the
27information and recommendations that are to be included in the
28report. The bill requires the department to submit the report
29to the general assembly on or before June 30, 2025.
30The bill provides that the Code section establishing the
31truancy evaluation and reduction pilot program is repealed July
321, 2025.
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