Linn-Mar’s Implementation of the State’s New Attendance Law
Iowa’s new law on school attendance and student absenteeism introduces several key changes aimed at improving attendance and addressing chronic absenteeism. These changes will impact all children from preschool through age 16.
Changes to Absence Categorization
Parents and guardians will still contact their child’s building to notify them of any absence, but in alignment with the state’s new law, the state has changed how our buildings will record absences and how the district can categorize those absences. The new legislation, for the most part, does not differentiate between excused and unexcused absences in most situations. For example, Iowa law now states that college visits, vacations, funerals, family emergencies, car trouble, or other similar events that are excused by a parent will count as an absence and are not exempt from truancy laws. There are some exceptions that include:
- Attendance at a school-related event like a field trip or participating in an extracurricular activity.
- Completion of graduation requirements or high school equivalency diploma.
- Excusal for sufficient training reason by a court or judge.
- Attendance at religious services or religious instruction.
- Inability to attend due to legitimate medical reasons.
- An individualized education program (IEP) affecting attendance.
- A plan under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act affecting attendance.
- Attendance at other approved institutions (college prep, accredited nonpublic school, homeschooling, etc.)
For more information on what this looks like for Linn-Mar students, and to review a list of frequently asked questions, visit https://www.linnmar.k12.ia.us/parents/attendance-legistive-requirements/