HB1700 • 2026

Local Education Agencies

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37, Chapter 1, Part 1; Title 49, Chapter 1; Title 49, Chapter 2 and Title 49, Chapter 6, relative to attendance.

Children Education

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: Raper, Lowe
Last action: 2026-01-22
Official status: Withdrawn.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill was withdrawn on January 22, 2026, which means it is no longer active or awaiting another formal step.

Changes to Student Attendance Rules

This bill requires local education agencies to report certain students who were previously truant and are now homeschooled to juvenile court and ensures that unexcused absences follow a student when they transfer between schools.

What This Bill Does

Requires the director of a local education agency (LEA) to report a student's absences to juvenile court if the student was formally truant while enrolled in an LEA and is now homeschooled.
Ensures that unexcused absences accumulated by a transfer student at their former school or LEA during the same school year follow the student to the new school for determining habitual truancy.

Who It Names or Affects

Local education agencies (LEAs) in Tennessee
Students who were formally truant and are now homeschooled, and students transferring between schools

Terms To Know

local education agency (LEA): a public organization that provides educational services and is responsible for the operation of one or more public elementary or secondary schools.
progressive truancy plan: a series of steps a school takes to address student absences, starting with less severe measures before moving to more serious actions.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill was withdrawn on January 22, 2026, and its status is uncertain.
It does not specify how the new rules will be enforced or what happens if a student moves between states.

Bill History

2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly
Withdrawn.
2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly
Assigned to s/c Education Administration Subcommittee
2026-01-22 Tennessee General Assembly
P2C, ref. to Education Committee
2026-01-21 Tennessee General Assembly
Intro., P1C.
2026-01-20 Tennessee General Assembly
Withdrawn.
2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction
2026-01-15 Tennessee General Assembly
Filed for introduction

Official Summary Text

Abstract summarizes the bill.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SENATE BILL 1705
By Lowe

HOUSE BILL 1700
By Raper
HB1700
010134
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37,
Chapter 1, Part 1; Title 49, Chapter 1; Title 49,
Chapter 2 and Title 49, Chapter 6, relative to
attendance.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-3001(c)(1)(B)(i), is amended by
adding "attendance," before "academic," wherever it appears.
SECTION 2. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-3009, is amended by adding
the following new subsections:
(o)
(1) If a student is enrolled in a home school operated pursuant to § 49-6-
3050(a)(1), but was previously enrolled in an LEA and receiving tier two or tier
three interventions pursuant to the LEA's progressive truancy plan, then the
director of schools shall report the student's absences to the judge with juvenile
jurisdiction in the county in which the student resides.
(2) Each case must be dealt with in such manner as the judge may
determine to be in the best interest of the student, consistent with §§ 37-1-132,
37-1-168, and 37-1-169. In the event a student in kindergarten through grade
twelve (K-12) is adjudicated to be unruly because the student has accumulated
five (5) days or more of unexcused absences during any school year, the judge
may assess a fine of up to fifty dollars ($50.00) or five (5) hours of community
service, in the discretion of the judge, against the parent or legal guardian of the
student.

- 2 - 010134

(3) A referral to juvenile court for conduct described in this subsection (o)
must be accompanied by a statement from the director of schools certifying that:
(A) The school applied the progressive truancy interventions of
the progressive truancy plan adopted under subsection (d) for the student
while the student was enrolled in the LEA; and
(B) The student is now enrolled in a home school operated
pursuant to § 49-6-3050(a)(1).
(p) If a student transfers during the school year, then the number of unexcused
absences accumulated in the school year by the student at the school or LEA from
which the student is transferring must be included in the number of unexcused absences
for the student at the receiving school or LEA for purposes of this section.
SECTION 3. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-3009(i), is amended by adding
"or subsection (o), if applicable" after "with subsection (h)".
SECTION 4. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-3007, is amended by adding
the following as a new subsection:
(i) If a student transfers during the school year, then the number of unexcused
absences accumulated in the school year by the student at the school or LEA from
which the student is transferring must be included in the number of unexcused absences
for the student at the receiving school or LEA for purposes of this section.
SECTION 5. This act takes effect July 1, 2026, the public welfare requiring it.