Bill > HF1604

This bill modifies Minnesota's laws related to school attendance, truancy, and child welfare response. The bill expands the definition of "habitual truant" to include children between 12 and 17 years old who are absent for one or more class periods on seven school days per year, and also includes provisions for children under 12 in cases of potential educational neglect. The bill mandates that school staff and other mandated reporters must immediately report to local welfare agencies when a child has seven or more unexcused absences, allowing voluntary reporting from any person. When such a report is received, the local welfare agency must provide a child welfare response, offering culturally and linguistically appropriate services to the child and family to address school attendance concerns. If the family does not engage with these services after multiple attempts, the agency may proceed with an educational neglect report. Additionally, the bill appropriates funds in fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to provide grants to local welfare agencies to support school attendance improvement efforts, including program evaluation. The bill aims to proactively address school attendance issues and provide supportive interventions before escalating to more formal child welfare proceedings.

Education

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF1604&ssn=0&y=2025