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SF0084 • 2023

Education-model student attendance policies.

AN ACT relating to education; requiring the state superintendent of public instruction to develop model rules and policies for student attendance; requiring rulemaking; requiring reporting; and providing for an effective date.

Education Parental Rights
Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Senator Ellis
Last action
2023-02-21
Official status
inactive
Effective date
3/1/2023

Plain English Breakdown

The bill did not pass and was not signed into law, leaving the exact implementation details unknown.

Education-model student attendance policies

This act requires the state superintendent of public instruction to develop model rules and policies for student attendance by December 1, 2023.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the state superintendent to develop model rules and policies for student attendance by December 1, 2023.
  • Includes definitions for 'unexcused absence', 'habitual truant', and 'willful absenteeism'.
  • Reports on the model rules and policies by December 1, 2023.

Who It Names or Affects

  • State Superintendent of Public Instruction

Terms To Know

Unexcused absence
A student's absence from school that is not considered excused, such as for illness or family emergencies.
Habitual truant
A student who frequently misses school without a valid reason.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass and was not signed into law.
  • It does not specify how the model rules will be used or enforced by individual schools.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

SF0084H2001

2nd reading • Representative Penn

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment removes the phrase 'educational opportunities and' from a specific section of the bill.

  • Removes the words 'educational opportunities and' after the phrase 'consideration of'.
  • This change does not provide context about why these words are being removed or what impact it will have on the rest of the bill.
SF0084H2002

2nd reading • Representative Obermueller

Failed

Plain English: The amendment removes specific lines and sections from the bill that were previously added by other amendments.

  • Removes a section of text on page 1 that was previously modified by another amendment.
  • Deletes certain language on page 1 related to specific legal references.
  • Eliminates an entire paragraph on page 2 that was also amended earlier.
  • Strikes out several lines from page 3 that were altered in previous amendments.
  • The exact content and implications of the removed sections are not provided, making it difficult to explain their specific effects.
SF0084H3001

3rd reading • Representative Northrup

Withdrawn

Plain English: The amendment removes a specific line from the bill's text, which originally required the state superintendent of public instruction to develop model rules and policies for student attendance.

  • Removes the requirement for the state superintendent of public instruction to create model rules and policies for student attendance.
  • The amendment does not provide details about what will replace or happen after removing this line, so it's unclear how this change affects the overall purpose of the bill.
  • Without additional context, it is difficult to explain the full implications of deleting a specific line from the bill.
SF0084H3002

3rd reading • Representative Andrew

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment adds a new requirement for schools to allow parents to request pre-approved excused absences, which can include input from teachers and consideration of academic performance.

  • Schools must adopt a policy allowing parents to request pre-approved excused absences.
  • Pre-approval may involve teacher input and requirements like advanced coursework or testing.
  • Districts are not required to approve all absence requests.
  • The amendment does not specify how schools should handle the approval process for these absences.
SF0084HS001

Standing Committee • House Education Committee

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment modifies the definition of unexcused absences in student attendance policies to include parent or guardian requested mental health absences and requires schools to notify relevant staff when a student has five or more absences due to mental health issues.

  • Modifies the definition of unexcused absence to include 'parent or guardian requested absences, including for mental health'.
  • Requires schools to notify the principal and guidance counselor if a student has five or more absences due to mental health in one school year.
  • Adds a new paragraph allowing parents to request pre-approved excused absences from teachers.
  • The amendment text does not specify all details about how schools will implement these changes, such as the exact process for requesting and approving pre-approved absences.
SF0084SS001

Standing Committee • Senate Education Committee

Adopted

Plain English: The amendment changes the deadline for certain actions related to student attendance policies from July 1, 2023, to December 1, 2023.

  • Changes the effective date of specific provisions in the bill from July 1, 2023, to December 1, 2023.
  • The amendment only specifies changes to dates and does not provide details about what actions are delayed until December 1, 2023.

Bill History

  1. 2023-02-21 House

    H 3rd Reading:Failed 20-38-4-0-0

  2. 2023-02-17 House

    H 3rd Reading:Laid Back

  3. 2023-02-16 House

    H 2nd Reading:Passed

  4. 2023-02-15 House

    H COW:Passed

  5. 2023-02-14 House

    H Placed on General File

  6. 2023-02-14 House

    H04 - Education:Recommend Amend and Do Pass 9-0-0-0-0

  7. 2023-02-07 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H04 - Education

  8. 2023-01-19 House

    H Received for Introduction

  9. 2023-01-19 Senate

    S 3rd Reading:Passed 31-0-0-0-0

  10. 2023-01-18 Senate

    S 2nd Reading:Passed

  11. 2023-01-17 Senate

    S COW:Passed

  12. 2023-01-16 Senate

    S Placed on General File

  13. 2023-01-16 Senate

    S04 - Education:Recommend Do Pass 5-0-0-0-0

  14. 2023-01-11 Senate

    S Introduced and Referred to S04 - Education

  15. 2023-01-10 Senate

    S Received for Introduction

  16. 2023-01-09 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
23LSO-0375
2023
STATE OF WYOMING
23LSO-0375
ENGROSSED
3.0

SENATE FILE NO. SF0084

Education-model student attendance policies.

Sponsored by: Senator(s) Ellis, Biteman, Brennan and Landen and Representative(s) Andrew, Brown and Haroldson

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to education; requiring the state superintendent of public instruction to develop model rules and policies for student attendance; requiring rulemaking; requiring reporting; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 21
‑
2
‑
202(a) by creating a new paragraph (xli) and 21
‑
3
‑
110(a)(xxxix) are amended to read:

21
‑
2
‑
202.

Duties of the state superintendent.

(a)

In addition to any other duties assigned by law, the state superintendent shall:

(xli)

Develop model rules and policies for student attendance to include definitions of "unexcused absence", "habitual truant" and "willful absenteeism" for all students who are attending public schools as required by W.S. 21
‑
3
‑
110(a)(xxxix). No school district shall be required to adopt any part of

the

model rules or policies developed by the state superintendent under this paragraph.

21
‑
3
‑
110.

Duties of boards of trustees.

(a)

The board of trustees in each school district shall:

(xxxix)

Define "unexcused absence", "habitual truant" and "willful absenteeism" for all students who are attending public schools and establish rules regarding student attendance. For purposes of this paragraph, an absence preapproved by the district
,

or
an absence due to an illness, injury or the health care needs of the student or a death or serious illness in the student's family
,

absences requested by the student's parent, guardian, or custodian in writing that do not significantly affect the student's academic performance or an absence for a student's mental health
shall not constitute an unexcused absence.

Students participating in the annual state fair held under W.S. 11
‑
10
‑
101 as an exhibitor shall be considered as participating in a district cocurricular activity program and the student's absence shall be defined by the board as an excused absence. Nothing in this paragraph shall prohibit a school district from requesting verification of the reasons for an absence.

Section 2
.

(a)

Not later than December 1, 2023, the state superintendent of public instruction shall develop the model rules and policies required under W.S. 21
‑
2
‑
202(a)(xli) as created by Section 1 this act.

(b)

Not later than December 1, 2023, the state superintendent of public instruction shall report to the joint education interim committee on the model rules and policies required under W.S. 21
‑
2
‑
202(a)(xli) as created by section 1 this act.

Section 3
.

This act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(END)

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SF0084