Bill would require quarterly public reporting of school attendance data, sponsors say it enables earlier interventions

House Bill 4154, as amended, would require school districts to report attendance data in a format that allows the Oregon Department of Education to calculate and publicly report the number and percentage of regular attenders and chronically absent students four times a year beginning in the 2026‑27 school year. Sponsors and stakeholder witnesses told the House Committee on Education on Feb. 9 that the bill uses existing ADM data and includes a 15‑business‑day district validation period to avoid creating new reporting burdens.

Representative Lamar Wise, sponsor of HB 4154, said chronic absenteeism is a major challenge in Oregon and that quarterly reporting will allow districts, families and the state to intervene earlier. "With more timely information, districts can deploy supports sooner, communities can respond faster, and the state can better understand where resources are most urgently needed," Wise said.

Witnesses from COSA, OSBA, OSEA and AFT Oregon supported the bill with the dash‑2 amendment, emphasizing practical implementation features: counting students once enrolled for 10 days rather than the current 75‑day threshold, disaggregating data by student groups (including students with disabilities), offering a minimum review period for districts, and publishing guidance alongside the data to prevent misinterpretation. Parsa Chanrami (COSA) and Adrienne Anderson (OSBA) noted the bill is designed to avoid new district data collection while improving statewide timeliness and transparency.

Student and nonprofit witnesses described how timely, visible attendance data can prompt local interventions and foster student‑led efforts to address absentee culture. The committee closed the public hearing and will hold follow‑up work sessions.