New Indiana attendance law implemented this year aims to curb habitual truancy

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- A new Indiana school attendance law, signed by Governor Eric Holcomb back in March, is set to have an impact on the upcoming school year.

The law, which took effect on July 1 of this year, will impact children and parents of children attending Kindergarten through Sixth Grade and states that once a student has reached five unexcused absences, the school can intervene.

The new law, S.B. 282:

• Amends the duties of an attendance officer and the state attendance officer, including reporting to the prosecuting attorney that a child is a habitual truant.
• Provides that a prosecuting attorney shall notify each parent of a child when an affidavit is filed regarding the child’s compulsory attendance violations or if the child is a habitual truant.
• Requires each governing authority of a school corporation and charter school to establish a truancy prevention policy regarding certain students in kindergarten through grade 6. The policy includes that if the student meets the requirements of a habitual truant, the superintendent or attendance officer is required to report the student to the intake officer of the juvenile court and the juvenile court may determine that the student is committing a delinquent act.
• Requires the attendance officer to meet at least one time each year with the Department of Child Services and the intake officer for the juvenile court to discuss the effectiveness of truancy prevention measures adopted in the attendance officer’s jurisdiction.

You can read more about the bill on the Indiana General Assembly website.