Committee advances HF 2067 'attendance minibus' after amendments and testimony

Members of the Minnesota House Education Committee advanced House File 2067, an "attendance minibus," adopting the DE2 and A1 amendments, then approving additional oral amendments and placing the bill on the general register after testimony and discussion about county reporting, re-enrollment and the 15-day unenrollment rule.

The bill, presented by Representative Anne Keeler and co-author Representative Baekeberg, assembles policy changes from a nine-month task force on attendance. "This bill is our best attempt to create what we're calling, attendance minibus," Representative Anne Keeler said as she opened the bill presentation.

Committee members focused on three central changes in the DE2/A1 package: (1) updating who schools list as the reporting contact for parent or adult absence notifications so districts may identify principals or principal designees rather than school board members; (2) clarifying that a student who is with a full-time school employee (for example, a counselor, behavior coach or coach) during school time may be counted as in attendance; and (3) requiring school districts to notify county authorities when a student is dropped from enrollment for 15 consecutive unexcused days so counties can try to determine whether the student transferred or needs wraparound services.

Representative Baekeberg said the reporting-contact change "is just putting things in line with how things actually work in a school," noting that calls are…