Relating to the inclusion of chronically absent students as students at risk of dropping out of school and the collection and reporting of data regarding those students.
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Overview
This bill requires public schools to track and report data on chronically absent students and treat them as at-risk for dropout. While it focuses on public school attendance and data collection, it relates to compulsory attendance laws that affect homeschoolers' obligations and exemptions.
Why it matters: Homeschooling families need to understand how Texas defines chronic absence and at-risk status, since state education rules treat homeschoolers and their attendance/enrollment differently. Changes to how the state tracks and responds to non-attendance could indirectly influence truancy enforcement or exemption interpretations.
Topic: compulsory_attendance · classifier confidence 60%
What this changes
Amends existing law
Law today: Texas Education Code Section 29.081 defines "students at risk of dropping out of school" for intervention purposes. Section 48.009 requires school districts and charter schools to report certain data through the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS), including information on dyslexia, school counselors, and students receiving intervention strategies or Section 504 accommodations.
If passed: This bill adds chronically absent students (those absent more than 10 percent of instructional minutes in a school year or six-week period) to the official definition of "at-risk" students, which triggers state accountability and intervention requirements. It also requires districts to report detailed data on chronic absenteeism disaggregated by race, ethnicity, special education status, dyslexia identification, disadvantaged status, and emergent bilingual status, with the state publishing this data publicly by campus and district.
AI-generated from the bill text — verify against the official text.
Likely supporters & opponents
Likely support
- Public education advocates and school administrators — Identifying chronically absent students as at-risk allows schools to intervene earlier with support services to improve attendance and prevent dropouts.
- Data transparency advocates — Public reporting of absenteeism data helps communities understand disparities and hold schools accountable for supporting all students equitably.
Likely opposition
- Homeschool advocacy organizations — The bill may create pressure on states to track or regulate homeschooling families if chronically absent thresholds or reporting requirements eventually extend to homeschoolers or affect definitions of compulsory education.
AI-inferred typical positions based on the bill’s substance — general stakeholder categories, not confirmed endorsements.
Should I support this?
Little direct impact
This bill focuses on data collection and intervention for students enrolled in traditional public schools and charter schools. It does not directly regulate homeschooling, impose new testing or registration requirements on homeschoolers, or restrict homeschooling freedom, so it has minimal direct impact on homeschooling families.
An AI assessment from a Christian-family perspective — religious freedom, parental rights, and freedom in education — not legal or voting advice.
Official summary
Relating to the inclusion of chronically absent students as students at risk of dropping out of school and the collection and reporting of data regarding those students.
Sponsors
- Judith Zaffirini (D)
Status timeline
- 2025-02-03Referred to Education K-16S
- 2025-02-03Read first timeS
- 2024-11-12FiledS
- 2024-11-12Received by the Secretary of the SenateS
H = House · S = Senate · A = Assembly