Amends TCA Title 49.
Present law temporarily excuses from compulsory attendance requirements certain classes of children between six and 17, both inclusive. As of January 1, 2025, this bill adds to present law by authorizing a student enrolled in a public school in any of the grades 9-12 to be temporarily excused from school attendance for up to one school day per school year, in order for the student to be given the opportunity to do the following:<br /> <br /> (1) Visit a site of significant civic or historical importance;<br /> <br /> (2) Attend a meeting of a local or state legislative body of this state; or<br /> <br /> (3) Participate in a civic engagement activity.<br /> <br /> This bill requires a student's parent or guardian to provide written permission to the principal or principal's designee authorizing the student to be absent from school as authorized under this bill no later than one school day prior to the student's absence. If a student has reached 18, then the student must comply with the assignment requirements below in order to be excused from school attendance. Each school, in its discretion, must determine what constitutes acceptable written permission for the purposes of excusing a student from school attendance as provided in this bill.<br /> <br /> Following a student's return to school from a place or activity under (1)-(3) above, this bill provides that the school must require the student to complete and submit a one page summary explaining what the student personally gained from the civic engagement activity. The assignment must be submitted to the students social studies or government teacher, or the student's teacher in a comparable subject, within two school days following the student's absence. Additional assignment requirements, if any, must be decided upon by each school's administration.<br /> <br /> This bill clarifies that the department of education is not responsible for monitoring, tracking, or gathering information pertaining to the absences of students taken to participate in a civic engagement activity, as provided in this bill.<br />
Present law temporarily excuses from compulsory attendance requirements certain classes of children between six and 17, both inclusive. As of January 1, 2025, this bill adds to present law by authorizing a student enrolled in a public school in any of the grades 9-12 to be temporarily excused from school attendance for up to one school day per school year, in order for the student to be given the opportunity to do the following:<br /> <br /> (1) Visit a site of significant civic or historical importance;<br /> <br /> (2) Attend a meeting of a local or state legislative body of this state; or<br /> <br /> (3) Participate in a civic engagement activity.<br /> <br /> This bill requires a student's parent or guardian to provide written permission to the principal or principal's designee authorizing the student to be absent from school as authorized under this bill no later than one school day prior to the student's absence. If a student has reached 18, then the student must comply with the assignment requirements below in order to be excused from school attendance. Each school, in its discretion, must determine what constitutes acceptable written permission for the purposes of excusing a student from school attendance as provided in this bill.<br /> <br /> Following a student's return to school from a place or activity under (1)-(3) above, this bill provides that the school must require the student to complete and submit a one page summary explaining what the student personally gained from the civic engagement activity. The assignment must be submitted to the students social studies or government teacher, or the student's teacher in a comparable subject, within two school days following the student's absence. Additional assignment requirements, if any, must be decided upon by each school's administration.<br /> <br /> This bill clarifies that the department of education is not responsible for monitoring, tracking, or gathering information pertaining to the absences of students taken to participate in a civic engagement activity, as provided in this bill.<br />
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