Requiring boards of directors of school districts and the authorities in charge of accredited nonpublic schools to adopt policies related to excusing the absences of students enrolled in grades nine through twelve for civic or political events

This bill requires boards of directors of school districts and the authorities in charge of accredited nonpublic schools to adopt policies related to excusing the absences of students enrolled in grades 9 through 12 for civic or political events. The bill requires the board of directors of each public school district and the authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school to adopt a policy that requires the school district or accredited nonpublic school to grant a student who is enrolled in grades 9 through 12 at least one excused absence each school year when the student is absent from school because of the student’s participation in a civic or political event. The bill establishes that such policy is to include a requirement that the student give notice of the student’s intent to participate in the civic or political event in advance and a requirement that the student demonstrate what the student learned during the student’s participation in the civic or political event. The bill defines “civic or political event” to include voting in an election, serving as a poll worker, participating in a strike, participating in a public comment period before any public body, attending a speech by a candidate for a public office, attending a political forum, attending a civic forum, or attending a town hall meeting. The bill provides that a student’s absence from school that is related to participation in a civic or political event shall not be considered an absence from school for purposes of truancy or the enforcement of standards related to chronic absenteeism.