AB 1028

This bill requires the Department of Public Instruction to establish and

implement a grant program under which DPI must awards grants to eligible school

districts for the purpose of reducing truancy. Under the bill, to be eligible for a grant,

a school district must have 1) a habitual truancy rate that ranks in the highest 10

percent of school districts in the state, 2) a plan for reducing truancy, and 3)

scheduled hours of normal school days that are consistent across the week. DPI may

award grants under the program to a school district for two sequential school years.

However, a school district must demonstrate that it has reduced truancy by at least

25 percent in the first school year to receive the grant in the second school year.

Under the bill, the amount of the grant for the first school year is two-thirds of the

costs associated with a full-time position dedicated to attendance and truancy, and

in the second year, the amount is one-third of the costs associated with that position.

The bill requires grant recipients to submit their habitual truancy rates to DPI each

year and requires DPI to compile that information and submit a report to the

legislature. Finally, under the bill, the truancy reduction grant program sunsets at

the end of the 2025-26 school year.