The Iowa Senate, on a 47-0 vote, passed a bill that would change some issues discovered in a statewide chronic absenteeism policy passed last year.
In the 2023-24 school year, almost 22 percent of students in public schools were chronically absent, which means missing 20 percent of a grading period.
The new bill passed in the Iowa Senate would require the Iowa Department of Education to consult with the Iowa County Attorneys Association to set a standard model policy that county attorneys can reference when filing truancy charges. It also adds exemptions to what is an excused attendance in school, including military programs, and travel to a wedding or a funeral.
The bill now heads to the Iowa House for consideration.
