This bill amends section 79-209 of the Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska to update the reporting requirements for school districts regarding student absences. It mandates that school boards develop and annually review a written attendance policy in collaboration with the county attorney, which must address how to handle excessive absences due to illness and outline the services provided to improve attendance after twenty days of absence. The bill specifies that schools must document their efforts to create a collaborative plan to address barriers to attendance before referring a case to the county attorney.

Additionally, the bill clarifies that a child must have accrued twenty days or more of unexcused absences for a referral to occur, and it lists specific circumstances that will not be considered unexcused, such as absences due to physical or mental illness, or those related to special education services. The school is required to notify the child's family in writing before making a referral to the county attorney, and failure to document the required efforts serves as a defense against prosecution for excessive absenteeism. The original section 79-209 is repealed as part of this amendment.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 79-209