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Sponsor proposes three‑year My529 attendance pilot to test financial incentives for improved attendance; committee moves bill to later consideration
Summary
Representative Hayes presented HB 206 to create a three‑year attendance incentive pilot that would deposit up to $400 into a student My529 account per school year for cohorts with 90%+ attendance. The committee did not advance the bill; members discussed pilot design, equity, and implementation logistics.
Representative Sahara Hayes introduced HB 206, an attendance‑incentive pilot that would test whether modest financial investments in a student’s future education encourage regular school attendance. Under the draft the committee reviewed, up to five participating schools (cohorts of up to 100 students each) could receive a pilot allocation that would deposit up to $400 per student into a My529 account (up to $100 per quarter) for students who meet a 90% or greater attendance threshold.
Hayes said the design is modeled on an Ohio program but modified to direct funds into 529 educational accounts rather than direct cash payouts to students. “We wanted to be cognizant of taxpayer dollars and invest in their future education,” Hayes said, describing the deposit as usable for higher education, trade schools, textbooks, and other education‑related expenses.
Committee members asked questions about equity, selection criteria, whether students with disabilities or IEP‑related absences would be able to participate, and whether the program could be scaled if pilot results were positive. Representative Brett McPherson raised concerns about selection and potential unintended exclusion of students who cannot meet attendance thresholds for medical or other reasons. Hayes said the substitute included a rulemaking and study component administered by the State Board of Education and that the pilot included administrative funding for oversight.
Public commenters included Granite School District and representatives from the state board, who said the board’s staff would work with participating LEAs if a pilot moves forward and that school districts already use multiple attendance‑improvement strategies. Stakeholders who support the pilot argued it is a researchable tool the state could test to see whether incentives move the needle on chronic absenteeism.
After discussion, committee members chose not to advance the bill immediately. A procedural motion to move to the next agenda item passed; the chair indicated the bill should remain on the committee’s radar for further stakeholder work and possible future consideration.
