Pittsburgh SD committee reviews attendance changes that limit cyber-charter transfers for habitually truant students

The Pittsburgh School District policy committee on March 10 reviewed proposed changes to Policy 204 that tighten attendance enforcement and restrict transfers for students judged "habitually truant." Elizabeth Satler, an attorney with WBK Legal who led the workshop, said the draft sets a student as truant after three unexcused days and defines "habitually truant" as six or more unexcused absences.

Satler said the revised policy requires the district to notify the parent or person in parental relation within 10 days of the third unexcused absence and to include information about resources and academic-recovery options. She said the change reflects a November 2025 update to the school code and a related statutory change, cited in the meeting as Act 47 of 2025. Under the language described by Satler, effective January 2026 a habitually truant student may not transfer during the school year to a private cyber charter program unless a judge determines that the transfer is in the student's best interest; transfers to the district's own cyber program remain allowed.

During Q&A, board members sought clarity about how the 10-day notice is calculated when absences are nonconsecutive across the school year; Satler said the provision contemplates nonconsecutive absences and that administration would supply operational details. Board members also asked how often families use existing opt-out or exemption procedures; Satler said she did not have district-level counts on hand and that those figures are "not specified" in the workshop materials but could be provided by administration.

The committee did not take a vote at the workshop. Satler said the policies discussed during the meeting will be posted for a 30-day public review and, if moved forward, could be scheduled for a board vote at the April legislative meeting.