This bill amends several sections of the Minnesota Statutes related to education, specifically focusing on attendance definitions, student reenrollment, and the handling of educational neglect cases. Key changes include the clarification of legitimate exemptions for school attendance, allowing parents to withdraw children from all-day kindergarten programs without being considered truant, and establishing that a student is counted as in attendance when a school employee supervises them. Additionally, the bill mandates that school districts report to local welfare agencies when a student is dropped from the roll due to unexcused absences, and it requires the Department of Education to assist in the reenrollment of students who have been unenrolled.

Significant amendments include raising the age for presumptions regarding truancy or educational neglect from 12 to 16 years, which allows for a rebuttal of this presumption if the school has made efforts to address attendance issues. The bill also introduces new reporting requirements for school principals regarding students who are not enrolled in the current term and establishes that individual student reports of state assessment results must include attendance data from the previous year. These changes aim to enhance student attendance tracking and support, while also addressing the needs of students who may be at risk of educational neglect.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 120A.22
1st Engrossment: 120A.22, 120A.24, 120B.305, 126C.05, 260C.163