The bill seeks to strengthen the collaboration between schools and juvenile probation services in enforcing the Attendance for Success Act, particularly for students who are chronically or excessively absent. It requires that a preliminary inquiry into a delinquency complaint includes a review of the child's school attendance and mandates juvenile probation services to initiate or review interventions for students with attendance issues. The bill also grants these services immediate access to students' attendance records and empowers children's court attorneys to initiate proceedings for chronically absent students, ensuring they receive necessary support.

Key amendments in the bill include an updated definition of "juvenile probation services" and the establishment of protocols for addressing chronic absenteeism. It specifies the responsibilities of local school boards and charter schools in reporting excessive absenteeism and emphasizes the importance of documenting intervention efforts and maintaining communication with parents. Additionally, the bill modifies existing laws regarding families in need of court-ordered services, requiring children's court attorneys to assess family qualifications based on chronic absenteeism and file petitions as necessary, accompanied by affidavits from school officials or juvenile probation officers.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 22-12A-2, 22-12A-6, 22-12A-12, 32A-2-7, 32A-3B-2, 30-52-1