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Committee advances bill to allow continued discipline investigations when students disenroll midyear
Summary
HB 2149 lets LEAs continue disciplinary investigations when a student withdraws and requires follow-up when they reenroll; Unicoi County Director of Schools testified that 72 students disenrolled this year after discipline or truancy actions, and the bill moved forward 19–0.
The committee advanced House Bill 2149 after hearing testimony from Unicoi County Director of Schools Mr. English, who told the Education Committee that school districts are seeing students withdraw after the school year begins in order to avoid discipline or truancy consequences.
Representative Jones introduced the bill, which allows a local education agency or public charter school to continue a disciplinary investigation of a student who withdraws during an investigation; when that student later reenrolls, the investigation may continue. Mr. English told the panel he has seen the pattern locally: “This year…we had 72 students withdraw, disenroll after the start of the school year. All 72 were escaping either discipline or truancy.” He said many return later “further behind” than when they left and urged accountability measures that keep children receiving education while addressing discipline and attendance issues.
Members discussed legal constraints and potential dates to limit midyear withdrawals; the chair noted drafting issues around imposing an August 1 deadline for declaring homeschool intent due to legal challenges. Representative Johnson and others urged continued work to balance parental choice with accountability mechanisms.
The clerk reported a committee vote of 19 ayes, 0 nays; HB 2149 moves on to Calendar and Rules. Committee members asked staff and representatives to continue refining accountability approaches that comply with legal constraints.
