Bill > H0930

This bill aims to address and prevent chronic absenteeism in Vermont schools by establishing clear definitions for "absence," "chronic absenteeism," "excused absence," "truancy," and "unexcused absence," and by requiring the Agency of Education to develop a model policy for schools to prevent and respond to chronic absenteeism and truancy, which must be adopted by school districts and approved independent schools. The bill also updates existing laws regarding compulsory attendance, allowing for excused absences for a broader range of reasons including medical appointments, family emergencies, and religious holidays, and clarifies the responsibilities of parents, guardians, and school officials in addressing student absences, with new provisions for notifying the Department for Children and Families in cases of persistent truancy. Additionally, it mandates that schools provide alternative educational access for suspended or expelled students and sets deadlines for the Agency of Education and school districts to implement these new policies, while also repealing an outdated penalty section and requiring a report on home study program attendance requirements.

Education

Education (House)

https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2026/H.930