State K-3 Policies - Education Commission of the States

STATE	Does the state have a definition of chronic absenteeism, and what policies are in place to address chronic absenteeism in the K-3 grades? arrow_downward	Source
Maryland	Statutory Definition: truant student means a student who is unlawfully absent from school for more than 8 days in a quarter, 15 days in a semester or 20 days in a school year. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: requires local school systems to develop a student attendance policy that includes intervention strategies and procedures for dealing with absenteeism at the beginning stages of the problem as well as chronic absenteeism. Requires K-12 truant students to be referred to the county board’s system of active intervention. County boards are allowed to intervene when students are absent, lawfully or unlawfully, but is not a truant student. Principals or head teachers must report students who have been absent or have irregular attendance, without a lawful excuse to the appropriate representative of the school system (county superintendent, the supervisor of pupil personnel, or any other official designated by the county superintendent). That representative must initiate an investigation and may provide counseling regarding the availability of social, health and educational services.	Md. Code Ann., Educ. § 7-302 Md. Code Ann., Educ. § 7-302.2
Maine	Statutory Definition: truant student is at least 6 years of age and has not completed grade 6 and has the equivalent of 7 full days of unexcused absences or 5 consecutive school days of unexcused absences during a school year or is enrolled in a public day school, is at least 5 years of age and has not completed grade 6 and has the equivalent of 7 full days of unexcused absences or 5 consecutive school days of unexcused absences during a school year. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: a student who is determined truant must be referred to the school's student assistance team or the school personnel designated by the superintendent to determine the cause of the truancy and assess the effect of the student's absences, as well as any future absences for the student. If it is determined that a negative effect exists, the student assistance team or the school personnel designated by the superintendent shall develop an intervention plan to address the student's absences and the negative effect of these absences. An intervention plan may include, but is not limited to: (1) Frequent communication between the teacher and the family; (2) Changes in the learning environment; (3) Mentoring; (4) Student counseling; (5) Tutoring, including peer tutoring; (6) Placement into different classes; (7) Consideration of multiple pathways as described under section 4703; (8) Attendance contracts; (9) Referral to other agencies for family services; and (10) Other interventions, including, but not limited to, referral to the school attendance coordinator, student assistance team or dropout prevention committee.	Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 20-A, § 5051-A Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 20-A, § 5051-A
Montana	Statutory Definition: truant or truancy means the persistent nonattendance without excuse for all or any part of a school day equivalent to the length of one class period of a child required to attend a school. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: potential parent prosecution.	Mont. Code Ann. § 20-5-106
Kentucky	Statutory Definition: students, age 6-17, who have 3 or more unexcused absences is truant. A student who has been reported truant 2 or more times is considered habitually truant. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: allows local boards of education to adopt policies that require compulsory attendance, require truants and habitual truants to make up unexcused absences, impose sanctions for noncompliance and collaborate with the justice system to implement early intervention and prevention programs.	Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 159.150
North Dakota	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: the superintendent of public instruction shall disseminate to school districts and nonpublic schools information regarding truancy prevention and intervention programs and research pertaining to best practices in truancy prevention efforts.	N.D. Cent. Code Ann § 15.1-20-03.2
Arizona	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: the school must make a reasonable effort to notify the parent or other person with custody of a pupil if the pupil in a kindergarten program or grades one through eight is absent from school without excuse or without notice to the school in which the pupil is enrolled of authorization of the absence by the parent or other person who has custody of the pupil. Parents must be notified of the attendance procedures on or before the enrollment of a pupil in a kindergarten program or grades one through eight.	Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 15-807
Texas	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: statute requires a school district to adopt truancy prevention measures, including imposing a behavior improvement plan on the student, school-based community service, or referrals to counseling, mediation, mentoring or other community-based services. Regulations identify best practices for a school district to address and prevent truancy, including conducting a needs assessment and identifying a list, or map, of services and programs available within the school district and the community that a school, a student, or a student's parent or guardian may access to address the student's barriers to attendance and make the information available to staff, students, and parents.	19 Tex. Admin. Code § 129.1045 Texas Educ. Code Ann. §25.0915
Florida	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: requires the system of school improvement and education accountability to include an early warning system that a school that serves any student in K-8 must implement to identify students who need additional support to improve academic performance and stay engaged in school. One of the early warning indicators is attendance below 90%.	Fla. Stat. Ann. § 1001.42(18)
Massachusetts	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: requires the department of elementary and secondary education to adopt regulations establishing a truancy prevention program certification process, consistent with the behavioral health and public schools framework and requires that the truancy prevention program evaluate the level of out-of-school support for students and families and address conditions that make students more likely to become truant including, but not limited to, previously unidentified or inadequately addressed special needs, bullying and harassment.	Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. 69, § 1O
Ohio	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: requires the board of education of each city, exempted village, local, joint vocational, and cooperative education school district and the governing board of each educational service center to adopt a new or amended policy to guide employees of the school district or service center in addressing and ameliorating student absences. In developing the policy, the appropriate board shall consult with the parents, guardians, or other persons having care of the pupils attending school in the district, among others.	Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3321.191
Michigan	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: requires the attendance officer to investigate each case of nonattendance at school. If a child is repeatedly absent from school without valid excuse, or is failing in schoolwork or gives evidence of behavior problems, the superintendent of schools, or the intermediate superintendent may request the attendance officer to notify the parent or other person in parental relationship to come to the school or to a place designated at a time specified to discuss the child’s irregularity in attendance, failing work, or behavior problems with the proper school authorities.	Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 380.1586
Pennsylvania	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: parent notification and follow-up conference if absences continue.	14 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. § 1333
New York	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.
Alabama	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.
Arkansas	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.
Hawaii	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.
Kansas	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.
Mississippi	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.
South Dakota	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.
Wyoming	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.
Iowa	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: if a child is not in compliance with the attendance requirements and has not completed educational requirements through the sixth grade, and the school has used every means available to assure the child does attend, the school truancy officer shall contact the child’s parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian to participate in an attendance cooperation meeting. The purpose of the attendance cooperation meeting is for the parties participating in the meeting to attempt to ascertain the cause of the child’s nonattendance, to cause the parties to arrive at an agreement relative to addressing the child’s attendance, and to initiate referrals to any services or counseling that the parties believe to be appropriate under the circumstances.	Iowa Code Ann. § 299.12
Nebraska	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: each school board must have a written attendance policy that includes the circumstances under which the school must render services to address barriers to attendance. These services may include parent notification and meetings between the parents and school personnel which must result in the development of a collaborative plan to reduce barriers identified to improve regular attendance.	Neb. Rev. Stat. § 79-209
Tennessee	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: as an alternative to the filing of a truancy petition or for criminal prosecution for educational neglect, a director of schools or attendance supervisor shall devise and recommend, and the school board shall adopt, progressive truancy interventions for students who violate compulsory attendance requirements. These interventions must be designed to address student conduct related to truancy in the school setting and minimize the need for referrals to juvenile court. Attendance policies should include remedies to address excessive absences that account for a student's social and emotional development and family support. Early intervention is a key aspect of a policy that effectively improves attendance. Efforts to improve attendance should include supports and interventions in elementary, middle, and high school levels to address and prevent chronic absenteeism.	Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-3009 Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0520-01-02-.17
New Jersey	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: any attendance officer who shall find any child between six and 16 years of age who is a truant from school, shall take the child and deliver him to the parent, guardian or other person having charge and control of the child, or to the teacher of the school which such child is lawfully required to attend.	N.J. Stat. Ann. § 18A:38-28
Missouri	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.
New Hampshire	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: school boards must appoint truant officers for their districts and adopt policies which must define excused absence, the process for considering exceptions to unexcused absences, and a process for intervention designed to address individual cases of truancy as quickly as possible and to reduce the number of habitual truants in the school district. The process shall consider whether school record keeping practices and notification provided to parents or guardians of the child’s absences have an effect on the child’s attendance. The board shall provide for the participation of parents in the development of the policy. The policy shall include early parental involvement in the intervention process.	N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 189:34
Georgia	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: requires the local board of education to provide School Social Work/Visiting Teacher Services by promoting home, school, and community cooperation to address the needs of the at-risk student population characterized by poverty, high absenteeism, academic failure, pregnancy, disruptive behavior or other student dysfunctions. Establishes student attendance protocol committees which are required to adopt a written student attendance protocol. The protocol must address mandatory school attendance violations and outline methods for addressing the causes of those violations with children and their parents.	Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 160-4-8-.01 Ga. Code Ann. § 20-2-260.2
Utah	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: requires a local school board, local charter board, or school district to make efforts to resolve the school attendance problems of each school-age minor who is, or should be, enrolled in the school district. These efforts may include: counseling of the minor by school authorities; issuing a notice of truancy to a school-age minor who is at least 12 years old, in accordance with Section 53-6-203; issuing a notice of compulsory education violation to a parent of a school-age child, in accordance with Section 53-6-202; making any necessary adjustment to the curriculum and schedule to meet special needs of the minor; considering alternatives proposed by a parent; monitoring school attendance of the minor; voluntary participation in truancy mediation, if available; and providing a school-age minor's parent, upon request, with a list of resources available to assist the parent in resolving the school-age minor's attendance problems.	Utah Code Ann. § 53G-6-206 Utah Code Ann. § 53G-6-209
Alaska	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.
Delaware	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.
Minnesota	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.
Vermont	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.
West Virginia	Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.
Washington	Statutory Definition: interventions begin when a child in elementary school who is required to attend school and has five or more excused absences in a single month during the current school year, or ten or more excused absences in the current school year. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: requires the school district to schedule a conference or conferences with the parent and child at a time reasonably convenient for all persons included for the purpose of identifying the barriers to the child’s regular attendance, and the supports and resources that may be made available to the family so that the child is able to regularly attend school	Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 28A.225.018 Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 28A.225.018
South Carolina	Statutory Definition: Intervention required when the student has three consecutive unlawful absences or a total of 5 unlawful absences. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: the state board of education is required to establish regulations which require school officials to immediately intervene to encourage a student’s future attendance. Defines the term intervene to mean identify the reasons for the child’s continued absence and to develop a plan in conjunction with the student and his parent or guardian to improve his future attendance.	S.C. Code Ann. § 59-65-90 S.C. Code Ann. § 59-65-90
New Mexico	Statutory Definition: in accountability statutes: “chronic absenteeism” means the percentage of students missing ten percent or more of the school year for any reason, including excused absences, unexcused absences and out-of-school suspensions. Attendance statutes: “chronically absent” or “chronic absenteeism” means that a student has been absent for ten percent or more of classes or school days for any reason, whether excused or not, when enrolled for more than ten days. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: requires public schools to develop an attendance policy that establishes an early warning system that includes evidence-based metrics to identify students at risk of chronic absenteeism or excessive absenteeism, provides for early identification of chronically absent students and employs an attendance improvement plan. This plan should focus on (a) keeping students in an educational setting; (b) prohibiting out-of-school suspension or expulsion as the punishment for absences; (c) assisting a student's family to remove barriers to the student's regular school attendance or attendance in another educational setting; and (d) providing additional educational opportunities to students who are struggling with attendance.	N.M. Stat. Ann. § 22-2F-2 N.M. Stat. Ann. § 22-12A-2 N.M. Stat. Ann. § 22-12A-6
Idaho	Statutory Definition: habitually truant means the pupil is in violation of the school attendance regulations or the child’s parent or guardians have failed or refused to require the child to be instructed. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: prosecution of parent is possible.	Idaho Code Ann. § 33-206 Idaho Code Ann. § 33-207
Louisiana	Statutory Definition: habitually absent meant 5 unexcused absences in any school semester. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: parents and guardians must be notified when there is no valid reason found for a student’s non-enrollment or unexcused absence from school.	28 La. Admin. Code Pt CXV, 1117
Rhode Island	Statutory Definition: habitual truant, that is, every child who is required under § 16-19-1 to attend school and who willfully and habitually absents himself or herself from attending school. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.	R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 16-19-6
California	Statutory Definition: for purposes of the SLDS, “chronic absentee” means a pupil who is absent on 10 percent or more of the schooldays in the school year when the total number of days a pupil is absent is divided by the total number of days the pupil is enrolled and school was actually taught in the regular day schools of the district, exclusive of Saturdays and Sundays. Chronic Truant: Any pupil subject to compulsory full-time education or to compulsory continuation education who is absent from school without a valid excuse for 10 percent or more of the schooldays in one school year, from the date of enrollment to the current date, is deemed a chronic truant. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: local education agencies that receive Learning Communities for School Success Program grants may use those funds to implement activities or programs to improve attendance and reduce chronic absenteeism, including, but not limited to, early warning systems or early intervention. Declares the legislative intent that supervisors of attendance promote a culture of attendance and establish a system to accurately track pupil attendance in order to address various aspects of chronic absenteeism.	Cal. Educ. Code § 48263.6 Cal. Educ. Code § 60901 Cal. Educ. Code § 33432 Cal. Educ. Code § 48240
Indiana	Statutory Definition: Chronic absenteeism: students who have been absent from school for ten percent (10%) or more of a school year for any reason. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: requires the department to make reduction of absenteeism in schools a policy priority and provide assistance and guidance to school corporations and schools in (1) identifying contributing factors of absenteeism; and (2) developing chronic absence reduction plans that school corporations may elect to include as a component of the school improvement plans. Requires the department to provide resources and guidance to school corporations concerning evidence-based practices and effective strategies that reduce absenteeism in schools. However, the department may not mandate a particular policy within a chronic absence reduction plan adopted by a school corporation or school.	Ind. Code Ann. § 20-20-8-8 Ind. Code Ann. § 20-19-3-12.2
Illinois	Statutory Definition: chronic absence means absences totaling 10% or more of school days, with or without a valid cause. It applies to all student subject to compulsory attendance. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: every school district, charter school, or alternative school or any school receiving public funds is required to collect and review its chronic absence data and determine what systems of support and resources are needed to engage chronically absent students and their families to encourage the habit of daily attendance and promote success. These schools are then encouraged to provide a system of support to students at risk of being found chronically absent, through the Illinois Multi-tiered Systems of Support Network. Regulations require each school district to develop an absenteeism and truancy policy including (1) A definition of a valid cause for absence in accordance with Section 26-2a of the School Code; (2) A description of diagnostic procedures to be used for identifying the causes of unexcused student absenteeism, which shall, at a minimum, include interviews with the student, his or her parents or guardians, and any school officials or other parties who may have information about the reasons for the student's attendance problem; and (3) The identification of supportive services to be made available to truant or chronically truant students. These services shall include, but need not be limited to, parent conferences, student counseling, family counseling, and information about existing community services which are available to truant and chronically truant students and relevant to their needs.	105 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. 5/26-18 Illinois Admin. Code tit. 23, §1.290
Virginia	Statutory Definition: any child permitted by any parent, guardian, or other person having control thereof to be habitually absent from school contrary to the provisions of this article may be proceeded against as a child in need of supervision. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.	Va. Stat. Ann. § 22.1-267
Nevada	Statutory Definition: [not habitual] a pupil shall be deemed a truant who is absent from school without the written approval of the pupil’s teacher or the principal of the school for at least one period of a school day, unless the pupil is physically or mentally unable to attend school. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: there is at least one advisory board to review school attendance in each county. Each advisory board must (a) Review the records of the attendance and truancy of pupils submitted to the advisory board; (b) Identify factors that contribute to the truancy of pupils in the school district; (c) Establish programs to reduce the truancy of pupils in the school district, including, without limitation, the coordination of services available in the community to assist with the intervention, diversion and discipline of pupils who are truant; (d) At least annually, evaluate the effectiveness of those programs; (e) Establish a procedure for schools and school districts for the reporting of the status of pupils as habitual truants; and(f) Inform the parents and legal guardians of the pupils who are enrolled in the schools within the district of the policies and procedures adopted pursuant to the provisions of this section. The advisory board may work with a family resource center or other provider of community services to provide assistance to pupils who are truant.	Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 392.130 Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 392.128
North Carolina	Statutory Definition: “Student Chronic Absentee” is a student who is enrolled in a North Carolina public school for at least 10 school days at any time during the school year, and whose total number of absences is equal to or greater than 10 percent of the total number of days that such student has been enrolled at such school during such school year; This definition applies to all students enrolled in a school, including those who have not reached the compulsory attendance age, as well as those who have reached or exceeded the compulsory attendance age. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.	16 N.C. Admin. Code 6E.0106
Wisconsin	Statutory Definition: “habitual truant” means a pupil who is absent from school without an acceptable excuse under sub. (4) and s. 118.15 for part or all of 5 or more days on which school is held during a school semester. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.	Wis. Stat. Ann. § 118.16
Connecticut	Statutory Definition: “chronically absent child” means a child who is enrolled in a school and whose total number of absences at any time during a school year is equal to or greater than ten per cent of the total number of days that such student has been enrolled at such school during such school year. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: required the Department of Education, in consultation with the Interagency Council for Ending the Achievement Gap, to develop a chronic absenteeism prevention and intervention plan for use by local and regional boards of education to reduce chronic absenteeism in the school district.	Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 10-198c Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 10-198d
District of Columbia	Statutory Definition: “chronic absenteeism” means the incidence of students missing more than 10% of school days, including excused and unexcused absences. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.	D.C. Code § 38-201
Oklahoma	Statutory Definition: “Chronic absenteeism” means absence from school at least ten percent (10%) of the time that school is in session and the student is included in membership, eighteen (18) or more days on a 180 day school calendar or ten percent (10%) or more of school days on a 1,080 hours school calendar. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.	Okla. Admin. Code 210:10-13-25
Oregon	Statutory Definition: “chronic absenteeism” means a student has missed 10 percent or more of school days, including excused, nonexcused and disciplinary exclusion, within a school year. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: a Chronic Absenteeism Support Program is established to support schools and school districts address chronic absenteeism. School districts must work with Chronic Absenteeism Coaches who must be able to identify students at risk of being chronically absent, identify student populations disproportionately affected by chronic absenteeism and propose solutions to chronic absenteeism that target the causes of chronic absenteeism, are equitable and inclusive, culturally responsive and trauma sensitive.	Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 327.853 Or. Admin. R. 581-020-0634 Or. Admin. R. 581-020-0649
Colorado	Statutory Definition: "child who is habitually truant" means a child, age 6-17, who has four unexcused absences from public school in any one month or ten unexcused absences from public school during any school year. Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.	Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 22-33-107

Maryland

Statutory Definition: truant student means a student who is unlawfully absent from school for more than 8 days in a quarter, 15 days in a semester or 20 days in a school year.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: requires local school systems to develop a student attendance policy that includes intervention strategies and procedures for dealing with absenteeism at the beginning stages of the problem as well as chronic absenteeism.

Requires K-12 truant students to be referred to the county board’s system of active intervention. County boards are allowed to intervene when students are absent, lawfully or unlawfully, but is not a truant student.

Principals or head teachers must report students who have been absent or have irregular attendance, without a lawful excuse to the appropriate representative of the school system (county superintendent, the supervisor of pupil personnel, or any other official designated by the county superintendent). That representative must initiate an investigation and may provide counseling regarding the availability of social, health and educational services.

Md. Code Ann., Educ. § 7-302

Md. Code Ann., Educ. § 7-302.2

Maine

Statutory Definition: truant student is at least 6 years of age and has not completed grade 6 and has the equivalent of 7 full days of unexcused absences or 5 consecutive school days of unexcused absences during a school year or is enrolled in a public day school, is at least 5 years of age and has not completed grade 6 and has the equivalent of 7 full days of unexcused absences or 5 consecutive school days of unexcused absences during a school year.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: a student who is determined truant must be referred to the school's student assistance team or the school personnel designated by the superintendent to determine the cause of the truancy and assess the effect of the student's absences, as well as any future absences for the student. If it is determined that a negative effect exists, the student assistance team or the school personnel designated by the superintendent shall develop an intervention plan to address the student's absences and the negative effect of these absences. An intervention plan may include, but is not limited to:
(1) Frequent communication between the teacher and the family;
(2) Changes in the learning environment;
(3) Mentoring;
(4) Student counseling;
(5) Tutoring, including peer tutoring;
(6) Placement into different classes;
(7) Consideration of multiple pathways as described under section 4703;
(8) Attendance contracts;
(9) Referral to other agencies for family services; and
(10) Other interventions, including, but not limited to, referral to the school attendance coordinator, student assistance team or dropout prevention committee.

Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 20-A, § 5051-A
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 20-A, § 5051-A

Montana

Statutory Definition: truant or truancy means the persistent nonattendance without excuse for all or any part of a school day equivalent to the length of one class period of a child required to attend a school.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: potential parent prosecution.

Mont. Code Ann. § 20-5-106

Kentucky

Statutory Definition: students, age 6-17, who have 3 or more unexcused absences is truant. A student who has been reported truant 2 or more times is considered habitually truant.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: allows local boards of education to adopt policies that require compulsory attendance, require truants and habitual truants to make up unexcused absences, impose sanctions for noncompliance and collaborate with the justice system to implement early intervention and prevention programs.

Ky. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 159.150

North Dakota

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: the superintendent of public instruction shall disseminate to school districts and nonpublic schools information regarding truancy prevention and intervention programs and research pertaining to best practices in truancy prevention efforts.

N.D. Cent. Code Ann § 15.1-20-03.2

Arizona

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: the school must make a reasonable effort to notify the parent or other person with custody of a pupil if the pupil in a kindergarten program or grades one through eight is absent from school without excuse or without notice to the school in which the pupil is enrolled of authorization of the absence by the parent or other person who has custody of the pupil.

Parents must be notified of the attendance procedures on or before the enrollment of a pupil in a kindergarten program or grades one through eight.

Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 15-807

Texas

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: statute requires a school district to adopt truancy prevention measures, including imposing a behavior improvement plan on the student, school-based community service, or referrals to counseling, mediation, mentoring or other community-based services.

Regulations identify best practices for a school district to address and prevent truancy, including conducting a needs assessment and identifying a list, or map, of services and programs available within the school district and the community that a school, a student, or a student's parent or guardian may access to address the student's barriers to attendance and make the information available to staff, students, and parents.

19 Tex. Admin. Code § 129.1045
Texas Educ. Code Ann. §25.0915

Florida

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: requires the system of school improvement and education accountability to include an early warning system that a school that serves any student in K-8 must implement to identify students who need additional support to improve academic performance and stay engaged in school. One of the early warning indicators is attendance below 90%.

Fla. Stat. Ann. § 1001.42(18)

Massachusetts

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: requires the department of elementary and secondary education to adopt regulations establishing a truancy prevention program certification process, consistent with the behavioral health and public schools framework and requires that the truancy prevention program evaluate the level of out-of-school support for students and families and address conditions that make students more likely to become truant including, but not limited to, previously unidentified or inadequately addressed special needs, bullying and harassment.

Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. 69, § 1O

Ohio

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: requires the board of education of each city, exempted village, local, joint vocational, and cooperative education school district and the governing board of each educational service center to adopt a new or amended policy to guide employees of the school district or service center in addressing and ameliorating student absences. In developing the policy, the appropriate board shall consult with the parents, guardians, or other persons having care of the pupils attending school in the district, among others.

Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3321.191

Michigan

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: requires the attendance officer to investigate each case of nonattendance at school. If a child is repeatedly absent from school without valid excuse, or is failing in schoolwork or gives evidence of behavior problems, the superintendent of schools, or the intermediate superintendent may request the attendance officer to notify the parent or other person in parental relationship to come to the school or to a place designated at a time specified to discuss the child’s irregularity in attendance, failing work, or behavior problems with the proper school authorities.

Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 380.1586

Pennsylvania

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: parent notification and follow-up conference if absences continue.

14 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. § 1333

New York

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.

Alabama

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.

Arkansas

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.

Hawaii

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.

Kansas

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.

Mississippi

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.

South Dakota

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.

Wyoming

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.

Iowa

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: if a child is not in compliance with the attendance requirements and has not completed educational requirements through the sixth grade, and the school has used every means available to assure the child does attend, the school truancy officer shall contact the child’s parent, guardian, or legal or actual custodian to participate in an attendance cooperation meeting. The purpose of the attendance cooperation meeting is for the parties participating in the meeting to attempt to ascertain the cause of the child’s nonattendance, to cause the parties to arrive at an agreement relative to addressing the child’s attendance, and to initiate referrals to any services or counseling that the parties believe to be appropriate under the circumstances.

Iowa Code Ann. § 299.12

Nebraska

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: each school board must have a written attendance policy that includes the circumstances under which the school must render services to address barriers to attendance. These services may include parent notification and meetings between the parents and school personnel which must result in the development of a collaborative plan to reduce barriers identified to improve regular attendance.

Neb. Rev. Stat. § 79-209

Tennessee

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: as an alternative to the filing of a truancy petition or for criminal prosecution for educational neglect, a director of schools or attendance supervisor shall devise and recommend, and the school board shall adopt, progressive truancy interventions for students who violate compulsory attendance requirements. These interventions must be designed to address student conduct related to truancy in the school setting and minimize the need for referrals to juvenile court.

Attendance policies should include remedies to address excessive absences that account for a student's social and emotional development and family support. Early intervention is a key aspect of a policy that effectively improves attendance. Efforts to improve attendance should include supports and interventions in elementary, middle, and high school levels to address and prevent chronic absenteeism.

Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-3009
Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0520-01-02-.17

New Jersey

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: any attendance officer who shall find any child between six and 16 years of age who is a truant from school, shall take the child and deliver him to the parent, guardian or other person having charge and control of the child, or to the teacher of the school which such child is lawfully required to attend.

N.J. Stat. Ann. § 18A:38-28

Missouri

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.

New Hampshire

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: school boards must appoint truant officers for their districts and adopt policies which must define excused absence, the process for considering exceptions to unexcused absences, and a process for intervention designed to address individual cases of truancy as quickly as possible and to reduce the number of habitual truants in the school district. The process shall consider whether school record keeping practices and notification provided to parents or guardians of the child’s absences have an effect on the child’s attendance. The board shall provide for the participation of parents in the development of the policy. The policy shall include early parental involvement in the intervention process.

N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 189:34

Georgia

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: requires the local board of education to provide School Social Work/Visiting Teacher Services by promoting home, school, and community cooperation to address the needs of the at-risk student population characterized by poverty, high absenteeism, academic failure, pregnancy, disruptive behavior or other student dysfunctions.

Establishes student attendance protocol committees which are required to adopt a written student attendance protocol. The protocol must address mandatory school attendance violations and outline methods for addressing the causes of those violations with children and their parents.

Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. 160-4-8-.01
Ga. Code Ann. § 20-2-260.2

Utah

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: requires a local school board, local charter board, or school district to make efforts to resolve the school attendance problems of each school-age minor who is, or should be, enrolled in the school district. These efforts may include:

counseling of the minor by school authorities;
issuing a notice of truancy to a school-age minor who is at least 12 years old, in accordance with Section 53-6-203;
issuing a notice of compulsory education violation to a parent of a school-age child, in accordance with Section 53-6-202;
making any necessary adjustment to the curriculum and schedule to meet special needs of the minor;
considering alternatives proposed by a parent;
monitoring school attendance of the minor;
voluntary participation in truancy mediation, if available; and
providing a school-age minor's parent, upon request, with a list of resources available to assist the parent in resolving the school-age minor's attendance problems.

Utah Code Ann. § 53G-6-206

Utah Code Ann. § 53G-6-209

Alaska

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.

Delaware

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.

Minnesota

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.

Vermont

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.

West Virginia

Statutory Definition: not specified in statute or regulation.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.

Washington

Statutory Definition: interventions begin when a child in elementary school who is required to attend school and has five or more excused absences in a single month during the current school year, or ten or more excused absences in the current school year.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: requires the school district to schedule a conference or conferences with the parent and child at a time reasonably convenient for all persons included for the purpose of identifying the barriers to the child’s regular attendance, and the supports and resources that may be made available to the family so that the child is able to regularly attend school

Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 28A.225.018
Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 28A.225.018

South Carolina

Statutory Definition: Intervention required when the student has three consecutive unlawful absences or a total of 5 unlawful absences.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: the state board of education is required to establish regulations which require school officials to immediately intervene to encourage a student’s future attendance. Defines the term intervene to mean identify the reasons for the child’s continued absence and to develop a plan in conjunction with the student and his parent or guardian to improve his future attendance.

S.C. Code Ann. § 59-65-90
S.C. Code Ann. § 59-65-90

New Mexico

Statutory Definition: in accountability statutes: “chronic absenteeism” means the percentage of students missing ten percent or more of the school year for any reason, including excused absences, unexcused absences and out-of-school suspensions.

Attendance statutes: “chronically absent” or “chronic absenteeism” means that a student has been absent for ten percent or more of classes or school days for any reason, whether excused or not, when enrolled for more than ten days.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: requires public schools to develop an attendance policy that establishes an early warning system that includes evidence-based metrics to identify students at risk of chronic absenteeism or excessive absenteeism, provides for early identification of chronically absent students and employs an attendance improvement plan. This plan should focus on (a) keeping students in an educational setting; (b) prohibiting out-of-school suspension or expulsion as the punishment for absences; (c) assisting a student's family to remove barriers to the student's regular school attendance or attendance in another educational setting; and (d) providing additional educational opportunities to students who are struggling with attendance.

N.M. Stat. Ann. § 22-2F-2
N.M. Stat. Ann. § 22-12A-2
N.M. Stat. Ann. § 22-12A-6

Idaho

Statutory Definition: habitually truant means the pupil is in violation of the school attendance regulations or the child’s parent or guardians have failed or refused to require the child to be instructed.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: prosecution of parent is possible.

Idaho Code Ann. § 33-206
Idaho Code Ann. § 33-207

Louisiana

Statutory Definition: habitually absent meant 5 unexcused absences in any school semester.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: parents and guardians must be notified when there is no valid reason found for a student’s non-enrollment or unexcused absence from school.

28 La. Admin. Code Pt CXV, 1117

Rhode Island

Statutory Definition: habitual truant, that is, every child who is required under § 16-19-1 to attend school and who willfully and habitually absents himself or herself from attending school.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.

R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 16-19-6

California

Statutory Definition: for purposes of the SLDS, “chronic absentee” means a pupil who is absent on 10 percent or more of the schooldays in the school year when the total number of days a pupil is absent is divided by the total number of days the pupil is enrolled and school was actually taught in the regular day schools of the district, exclusive of Saturdays and Sundays.

Chronic Truant: Any pupil subject to compulsory full-time education or to compulsory continuation education who is absent from school without a valid excuse for 10 percent or more of the schooldays in one school year, from the date of enrollment to the current date, is deemed a chronic truant.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: local education agencies that receive Learning Communities for School Success Program grants may use those funds to implement activities or programs to improve attendance and reduce chronic absenteeism, including, but not limited to, early warning systems or early intervention.

Declares the legislative intent that supervisors of attendance promote a culture of attendance and establish a system to accurately track pupil attendance in order to address various aspects of chronic absenteeism.

Cal. Educ. Code § 48263.6
Cal. Educ. Code § 60901
Cal. Educ. Code § 33432
Cal. Educ. Code § 48240

Indiana

Statutory Definition: Chronic absenteeism: students who have been absent from school for ten percent (10%) or more of a school year for any reason.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: requires the department to make reduction of absenteeism in schools a policy priority and provide assistance and guidance to school corporations and schools in (1) identifying contributing factors of absenteeism; and (2) developing chronic absence reduction plans that school corporations may elect to include as a component of the school improvement plans. Requires the department to provide resources and guidance to school corporations concerning evidence-based practices and effective strategies that reduce absenteeism in schools. However, the department may not mandate a particular policy within a chronic absence reduction plan adopted by a school corporation or school.

Ind. Code Ann. § 20-20-8-8
Ind. Code Ann. § 20-19-3-12.2

Illinois

Statutory Definition: chronic absence means absences totaling 10% or more of school days, with or without a valid cause. It applies to all student subject to compulsory attendance.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: every school district, charter school, or alternative school or any school receiving public funds is required to collect and review its chronic absence data and determine what systems of support and resources are needed to engage chronically absent students and their families to encourage the habit of daily attendance and promote success. These schools are then encouraged to provide a system of support to students at risk of being found chronically absent, through the Illinois Multi-tiered Systems of Support Network.

Regulations require each school district to develop an absenteeism and truancy policy including (1) A definition of a valid cause for absence in accordance with Section 26-2a of the School Code; (2) A description of diagnostic procedures to be used for identifying the causes of unexcused student absenteeism, which shall, at a minimum, include interviews with the student, his or her parents or guardians, and any school officials or other parties who may have information about the reasons for the student's attendance problem; and (3) The identification of supportive services to be made available to truant or chronically truant students. These services shall include, but need not be limited to, parent conferences, student counseling, family counseling, and information about existing community services which are available to truant and chronically truant students and relevant to their needs.

105 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. 5/26-18
Illinois Admin. Code tit. 23, §1.290

Virginia

Statutory Definition: any child permitted by any parent, guardian, or other person having control thereof to be habitually absent from school contrary to the provisions of this article may be proceeded against as a child in need of supervision.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.

Va. Stat. Ann. § 22.1-267

Nevada

Statutory Definition: [not habitual] a pupil shall be deemed a truant who is absent from school without the written approval of the pupil’s teacher or the principal of the school for at least one period of a school day, unless the pupil is physically or mentally unable to attend school.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: there is at least one advisory board to review school attendance in each county. Each advisory board must (a) Review the records of the attendance and truancy of pupils submitted to the advisory board; (b) Identify factors that contribute to the truancy of pupils in the school district; (c) Establish programs to reduce the truancy of pupils in the school district, including, without limitation, the coordination of services available in the community to assist with the intervention, diversion and discipline of pupils who are truant; (d) At least annually, evaluate the effectiveness of those programs; (e) Establish a procedure for schools and school districts for the reporting of the status of pupils as habitual truants; and(f) Inform the parents and legal guardians of the pupils who are enrolled in the schools within the district of the policies and procedures adopted pursuant to the provisions of this section. The advisory board may work with a family resource center or other provider of community services to provide assistance to pupils who are truant.

Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 392.130
Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 392.128

North Carolina

Statutory Definition: “Student Chronic Absentee” is a student who is enrolled in a North Carolina public school for at least 10 school days at any time during the school year, and whose total number of absences is equal to or greater than 10 percent of the total number of days that such student has been enrolled at such school during such school year;
This definition applies to all students enrolled in a school, including those who have not reached the compulsory attendance age, as well as those who have reached or exceeded the compulsory attendance age.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.

16 N.C. Admin. Code 6E.0106

Wisconsin

Statutory Definition: “habitual truant” means a pupil who is absent from school without an acceptable excuse under sub. (4) and s. 118.15 for part or all of 5 or more days on which school is held during a school semester.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.

Wis. Stat. Ann. § 118.16

Connecticut

Statutory Definition: “chronically absent child” means a child who is enrolled in a school and whose total number of absences at any time during a school year is equal to or greater than ten per cent of the total number of days that such student has been enrolled at such school during such school year.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: required the Department of Education, in consultation with the Interagency Council for Ending the Achievement Gap, to develop a chronic absenteeism prevention and intervention plan for use by local and regional boards of education to reduce chronic absenteeism in the school district.

Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 10-198c
Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 10-198d

District of Columbia

Statutory Definition: “chronic absenteeism” means the incidence of students missing more than 10% of school days, including excused and unexcused absences.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.

D.C. Code § 38-201

Oklahoma

Statutory Definition: “Chronic absenteeism” means absence from school at least ten percent (10%) of the time that school is in session and the student is included in membership, eighteen (18) or more days on a 180 day school calendar or ten percent (10%) or more of school days on a 1,080 hours school calendar.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.

Okla. Admin. Code 210:10-13-25

Oregon

Statutory Definition: “chronic absenteeism” means a student has missed 10 percent or more of school days, including excused, nonexcused and disciplinary exclusion, within a school year.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: a Chronic Absenteeism Support Program is established to support schools and school districts address chronic absenteeism. School districts must work with Chronic Absenteeism Coaches who must be able to identify students at risk of being chronically absent, identify student populations disproportionately affected by chronic absenteeism and propose solutions to chronic absenteeism that target the causes of chronic absenteeism, are equitable and inclusive, culturally responsive and trauma sensitive.

Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 327.853
Or. Admin. R. 581-020-0634
Or. Admin. R. 581-020-0649

Colorado

Statutory Definition: "child who is habitually truant" means a child, age 6-17, who has four unexcused absences from public school in any one month or ten unexcused absences from public school during any school year.

Policies to Address Chronic Absenteeism: not specified in statute or regulation.

Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 22-33-107