Bill To Required Attendance Officers In Schools

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(STATEHOUSE) - Schools with the worst chronic absenteeism would have to hire an attendance officer, under a bill being considered in the Senate.

The bill authored by Representative Earl Harris would require a quarter of Indiana school systems, those with the worst truancy rates, to hire an attendance officer for each school with more than 500 students.

The House approved the bill 85-8. Senate Education Chairman Teresa Lubbers applauds the goals, saying truancy is a stepping-stone toward dropping out entirely.

But Lubbers and other committee members question estimates that there would be no additional cost. And the Superintendents' Association notes superintendents are already considered the system's attendance officer, unless they delegate the job.

The committee will take a week to try to smooth out the wording. Indiana law says any student with more than ten unexcused absences in a school year is considered truant, but allows individual school systems to set stricter definitions.

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