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Amendments › HF 2547

Amendment H-8194 to HF 2547

Relating to education, including by requiring school engagement meetings and attendance cooperation proceedings when children are absent from school, requiring school districts to restrict student use of cellular phones and smartphones, modifying provisions related to open enrollment of truant students, and modifying penalties

Adopted · March 12, 2024

Filed March 12, 2024 in the House by

What it changes

AI summary This amendment requires schools to consult with the county attorney when creating rules for excused absences and adds students with individualized education programs to the attendance process. It changes the definition of chronic absenteeism to include missed hours, updates the threshold for absenteeism to 20 percent of the school calendar, and replaces the term "mediator" with "arbitrator." Additionally, it clarifies that the local county attorney is responsible for enforcing these attendance laws.1

Read the amendment’s wording
  1. Page 1, by striking lines 27 and 28 and inserting “policy or rules relating to the reasons considered to be valid or acceptable excuses for absence from school , in consultation with the county attorney of the county in which the public school district’s or accredited nonpublic school’s central administrative office is located, related to absenteeism and truancy .”
  2. Page 2, before line 19 by inserting: “(5) Who has an individualized education program that affects the child’s attendance.”
  3. Page 2, after line 18 by inserting: “Sec. ___. NEW SECTION . 299.1C County attorney. The county attorney of the county in which the public school’s or accredited nonpublic school’s central administrative office is located shall be responsible for the enforcement of this chapter, as described in this chapter. Actions instituted by a county attorney pursuant to this chapter shall be instituted in the county in which the public school’s or accredited nonpublic school’s central administrative office is located.”
  4. Page 3, by striking line 7 and inserting “least twenty percent of the days or hours in the school calendar . A”
  5. Page 3, by striking lines 19 and 20 and inserting: “299.12 Failure to attend.”
  6. Page 3, line 21, after “
  7. ” by inserting “Definitions.”
  8. Page 3, line 23, after “days” by inserting “or hours”
  9. Page 3, by striking lines 24 and 25 and inserting “established pursuant to section 279.10 by a public school.”
  10. Page 3, line 27, by striking “or an accredited nonpublic school”
  11. Page 3, by striking line 32 and inserting: “
  12. Chronic absenteeism.”
  13. Page 3, before line 33 by inserting: “a. When a child becomes chronically absent, a school” -1- H 8191.3652 (2) 90 jda/jh 1/ 3
  14. Page 3, line 33, after “certified mail to” by inserting “the county attorney of the county in which the public school’s central administrative office is located, and to”
  15. Page 4, by striking lines 7 through 13 and inserting: “(1) The county attorney of the county in which the public school’s central administrative office is located and the board of directors of the public school agree to the amount of absences that will lead to the school official sending the notice.”
  16. Page 4, by striking line 17 and inserting: “
  17. School engagement meeting.”
  18. Page 4, before line 18 by inserting: “a. (1) If a child is absent from school for greater”
  19. Page 4, line 19, after “days” by inserting “or hours”
  20. By striking page 4, line 28, through page 5, line 4, and inserting “to fifteen percent of the days or hours in a school calendar.”
  21. Page 5, by striking lines 11 through
  23. Page 5, line 27, by striking “a school official” and inserting “the participants”
  24. Page 6, by striking line 11 and inserting: “
  25. Absenteeism arbitration.”
  26. Page 6, before line 12 by inserting: “a. (1) When a child becomes truant, a school official”
  27. Page 6, line 13, by striking “or accredited nonpublic school’s”
  28. Page 6, by striking lines 21 through 32 and inserting: “(1) prior to a child becoming truant.”
  29. Page 6, line 34, by striking “or accredited nonpublic school’s”
  30. Page 7, line 1, by striking “a mediator” and inserting “an arbitrator”
  31. Page 7, by striking line
  33. Page 7, line 8, by striking “mediator” and inserting “arbitrator” -2- H 8191.3652 (2) 90 jda/jh 2/ 3
  34. Page 7, line 15, by striking “or accredited nonpublic school’s”
  35. Page 7, line 25, by striking “mediator” and inserting “arbitrator”
  36. Page 7, line 30, by striking “mediator” and inserting “arbitrator”
  37. Page 7, line 32, by striking “mediator” and inserting “arbitrator”
  38. Page 8, lines 5 and 6, by striking “a school official” and inserting “the participants”
  39. Page 8, line 17, by striking “or accredited nonpublic school”
  40. Page 9, by striking lines 19 through 21 and inserting: “
  41. a. On or before December 31, 2024, each school district”
  42. By renumbering as necessary.

Official amendment (PDF) · In the Bill Book