Tennessee House Bill HB0455

Tennessee 2023-2024 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/25/23

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 37; Title 39 and Title 49, Chapter 6, relative to children.

Impact

The law stipulates that a parent or guardian may not withdraw their child unless certain conditions are met: the child's place of residency changes, the parent seeks a transfer to another school in the same school district or another district per local policies, or the child enrolls in a nonpublic school. By enforcing these conditions, the bill aims to hold parents accountable and foster a commitment to education, ultimately impacting truancy intervention strategies employed by local education authorities (LEAs).

Summary

House Bill 455, introduced in the Tennessee state legislature, modifies existing laws related to student attendance and parental control over enrollment decisions. Specifically, the bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated to impose restrictions on parents or guardians who wish to withdraw their child from school after accumulating five or more unexcused absences within a school year. This change is designed to encourage consistent attendance and reduce truancy rates among students.

Contention

This legislation has been a point of contention among stakeholders in education. Supporters argue that it is an essential step to combat truancy and improve educational outcomes by ensuring greater parental involvement and responsibility. However, opponents may view this as an infringement on parental rights and autonomy over educational decisions. The balance between encouraging school attendance and respecting families' rights to choose educational pathways remains a debated issue moving forward.