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STATE OF IOWA
KIM REYNOLDS
GOVERNOR
May 6, 2025
The Honorable Paul Pate
Secretary of State of Iowa
State Capitol
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
Dear Mr. Secretary,
I hereby transmit:
Senate File 277, an Act modifying provisions related to compulsory education, truancy,
and chronic absenteeism.
The above Senate File is hereby approved on this date.
Silice - el
I
Kim olds
Governor of Iowa
cc: Secretary of the Senate
Clerk of the House
STATE CAPITOL DES MOINES, IOWA 50319 515.281.5211 FAX 515.725.3527 WWW.GOVERNOR.IOWA.GOV
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Senate File 277
AN ACT
MODIFYING PROVISIONS RELATED TO COMPULSORY EDUCATION, TRUANCY,
AND CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
Section 1. Section 256.9, Code 2025, is amended by adding
the following new subsection:
NEW SUBSECTION. 69. In consultation with the Iowa
county attorneys association, develop and distribute to
county attorneys, school districts, and accredited nonpublic
schools a model policy that county attorneys may reference
when determining whether and to what extent to enforce the
provisions of chapter 299.
Sec. 2. Section 299.1, subsection 4, paragraph b, Code 2025,
is amended by adding the following new subparagraphs:
NEW SUBPARAGRAPH. ( 7) Who is a military applicant
undergoing military entrance processing.
NEW SUBPARAGRAPH. ( 8) Who is engaged in military service.
NEW SUBPARAGRAPH. ( 9) Who is traveling to attend a funeral.
Senate File 277, p. 2
NEW SUBPARAGRAPH. ( 10) Who is traveling to attend a
wedding.
Sec. 3. Section 299.1, subsection 4, Code 2025, is amended
by adding the following new paragraph:
NEW PARAGRAPH. c. The policy or rules adopted by the board
of directors of a public school district pursuant to paragraph
à - must describe how the exceptions described in paragraph " b
may be met by a child and must give reasonable consideration
to travel time.
Sec. 4. Section 299.12, subsection 2, paragraph a, Code
2025, is amended to read as follows:
a. When a child becomes chronically absent, a school
official shall send a notice by ordinary mail or electronic
mail to the county attorney of the county in which the public
school's central administrative office is located, and a
notice by ccrtificd mail to the child's parent, guardian, or
legal or actual custodian of the child, if the child is not
an emancipated minor, or to the child, if the child is an
emancipated minor, that includes information related to the
child's absences from school and the policies and disciplinary
processes associated with additional absences. The notice
the school official sends to the child's parent, guardian,
or legal or actual custodian of the child, if the child is
not an emancipated minor, or to the child, if the child is an
emancipated minor, may be sent by ordinary mail, electronic
mail, or electronic message, or may be delivered in person.
The school shall maintain a copy of the notice until the child
graduates, turns twenty-one years of age, or is no longer
enrolled in the school, whichever occurs first.
Sec. 5. Section 299.12, subsection 3, paragraph a,
subparagraph ( 1), Code 2025, is amended to read as follows:
( 1) If a child is absent from school for greater than or
equal to fifteen percent of the days or hours in the grading
period, a school official shall attempt to find the cause for
the child's absences a- ti- d. If the school official determines
that the child's absences are negatively affecting the child's
academic progress, the school official shall initiate and
participate in a school engagement meeting. The purpose of the
school engagement meeting is to identify the child's barriers
Senate File 277, p. 3
to attendance and the interventions that may be used to improve
the child's attendance.
AMY SINC t' IR
President of the Senate
PAT GRASSLEY
Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that this bill originated in the Senate and
is known as Senate File 277, Ninety-first General Assembly.
Approved , 2025
-1 iP •.••• 1ï1 • W. CHARLES SMITHSON
Secre : ry of t e Senate
it
KIM R: OLDS
Governor