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Policy committee: state truancy changes extended to grade 12; FFA and 4‑H excused days clarified
Summary
The school district's policy committee reported changes required by the Indiana legislature expanding truancy prevention rules from K–6 to K–12 and adding FFA and 4‑H national activities to the list of excused educational experiences.
The Warwick County policy committee told the school board the Indiana legislature expanded a truancy prevention law that previously focused on kindergarten through sixth grade to now apply through 12th grade.
Doctor Walter Lambert reported the change and said the committee will bring a revised student attendance policy to the full board for a first reading on July 28. ‘‘The legislature has put that up to twelfth grade now,’’ Lambert said, explaining the state also added certain educational activities to the list of excused absences.
Under the statutory changes described by Lambert, students attending national FFA conferences or 4‑H events may receive excused absences for up to six days for those educational experiences. Lambert said the district already frequently treated some such events as excused field trips, and the statutory update simply codifies those categories in state law.
Lambert emphasized the district’s practice of working with families when attendance problems arise, describing the attendance‑sharing process that typically begins after ten days of unexcused or unverified absences and noting the district’s preference for improving attendance before referring cases to prosecutors. ‘‘We work with parents. We’ll try to do anything we can to help them,’’ he said.
The policy committee indicated the attendance policy changes are largely ministerial to align district rules with state law and that the committee will return the updated policy for formal board readings and possible adoption at a future meeting.
