House Bill 1823, also known as Senate Bill 1968, amends various sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated related to student attendance. The bill introduces new provisions that require the director of schools to report a student's absences to the juvenile court if the student withdraws from a local education agency (LEA) after receiving tier two or tier three interventions and does not transfer to another LEA. Additionally, it allows judges to impose fines or community service on parents of students adjudicated as unruly due to excessive unexcused absences. The bill also mandates that unexcused absences from a transferring school be counted at the new school for attendance purposes.

The bill further clarifies the responsibilities of schools regarding attendance records. It requires that attendance records for students who transfer or withdraw from any LEA, public school, or private school after the school year has started must be maintained by the original institution for the remainder of the school year. Schools enrolling a student must request attendance records from previous schools and include any unexcused absences in the new school's records. The amendments also specify that the term "private school" includes participating schools and those that enroll recipients, ensuring comprehensive coverage of attendance policies across different types of educational institutions.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 49-6-3001(c)(1)(B)(i), 49-6-3001, 49-6-3009, 49-6-3009(i), 49-6-3009(g), 49-6-3007
Amended with SA0542 -- 03/02/2026: 49-6-3001(c)(1)(B)(i), 49-6-3001, 49-6-3009, 49-6-3009(i), 49-6-3009(g), 49-6-3007
Amended with SA0542, HA1129 -- 04/15/2026: 49-6-3001(c)(1)(B)(i), 49-6-3001, 49-6-3009, 49-6-3009(i), 49-6-3009(g), 49-6-3007