SB1705 • 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: Lowe, Raper
Last action: 2026-01-20
Official status: Withdrawn.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text does not include provisions about fines or community service for parents, nor does it require schools to prove they helped truant students before referring them to juvenile court.

Changes to Student Attendance Rules

This bill requires schools to report previously truant students who are now in homeschool to juvenile court and includes unexcused absences from a previous school when calculating if a transferring student is habitually truant at their new school.

What This Bill Does

Requires the director of schools to report a student who was formally truant and is now enrolled in home schooling to juvenile court.
Adds unexcused absences from a previous school or LEA when calculating if a transferring student is habitually truant at their new school.

Who It Names or Affects

Students who were previously truant and are now in homeschool.
Schools when a student transfers from another school or LEA (Local Education Agency).

Terms To Know

LEA: Local Education Agency, which is the local government body responsible for public education in a specific area.
Habitual truancy: When a student misses school without permission too many times during one year.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill was withdrawn on January 20, 2026.
It is not clear if the bill will be reintroduced or what its future status will be.
The bill does not specify fines or community service for parents of students with unexcused absences.

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Withdrawn.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Withdrawn.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

HOUSE BILL 1700
By Raper

SENATE BILL 1705
By Lowe
SB1705
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.