Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Minnesota Senate Bill SF1781 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1.1 A bill for an act
2	2	1.2 relating to education; providing references to statutes governing student attendance;
3	3	1.3 proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 120A.
4	4	1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
5	5	1.5 Section 1. [120A.37] ATTENDANCE PROVISIONS CODED ELSEWHERE.
6	6	1.6 Subdivision 1.Scope.The sections referred to in subdivisions 2 to 11 are codified outside
7	7	1.7this section. Those sections include many but not all the sections governing student
8	8	1.8attendance.
9	9	1.9 Subd. 2.Age of instruction.(a) Compulsory instruction requirements based on age are
10	10	1.10governed by section 120A.22, subdivision 5.
11	11	1.11 (b) Limitation on admission to a public school based on age is governed by section
12	12	1.12120A.20.
13	13	1.13 Subd. 3.District of residence.(a) Admission to a public school operated by a district
14	14	1.14is free to a child who resides within the district in accordance with section 120A.20.
15	15	1.15 (b) A student may attend a school operated by a district in which the student does not
16	16	1.16reside in accordance with section 124D.03. A nonresident district may terminate the
17	17	1.17enrollment of a nonresident student if the student is a habitual truant or has been absent
18	18	1.18without lawful excuse in accordance with section 124D.03, subdivision 12.
19	19	1.19 Subd. 4.Nonpublic school student reporting.The person or nonpublic school in charge
20	20	1.20of providing instruction to a child must submit a report to the superintendent of the district
21	21	1.21in which the child resides, and maintain documentation in accordance with section 120A.24.
22	22	1Section 1.
23	23	25-01683 as introduced01/29/25 REVISOR CR/AD
24	24	SENATE
25	25	STATE OF MINNESOTA
26	26	S.F. No. 1781NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
27	27	(SENATE AUTHORS: CWODZINSKI and Kunesh)
28	28	OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE
29	29	Introduction and first reading02/24/2025
30	30	Referred to Education Policy 2.1 Subd. 5.Transportation.(a) A school board must provide transportation for enrolled
31	31	2.2students residing within the district in accordance with section 123B.88. A district may
32	32	2.3provide bus transportation between buildings along school routes for students attending
33	33	2.4programs at an area learning center in accordance with section 123B.88, subdivision 13.
34	34	2.5 (b) A school district may revoke a student's bus riding privileges in accordance with
35	35	2.6sections 121A.59 and 123B.91.
36	36	2.7 (c) A school district transporting students must do so using a school bus, including a
37	37	2.8multifunction school activity bus or a type III vehicle, in accordance with chapters 169 and
38	38	2.9171. A district may use a vehicle that otherwise qualifies as a type III vehicle where the
39	39	2.10operator does not meet the requirements of section 171.321 to transport students in a
40	40	2.11nonscheduled situation in accordance with section 169.454, subdivision 13.
41	41	2.12 Subd. 6.Students with disabilities.(a) A school board must provide transportation for
42	42	2.13a student with a disability in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education
43	43	2.14Act, section 123B.88, and chapter 125A.
44	44	2.15 (b) A district must provide a student with disabilities a free appropriate public education
45	45	2.16in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and special instruction
46	46	2.17and services under chapter 125A.
47	47	2.18 Subd. 7.Funding.A school district may use its unrestricted general fund money or its
48	48	2.19reserved basic skills revenue for programs to reduce truancy in accordance with section
49	49	2.20126C.15.
50	50	2.21 Subd. 8.Absences.(a) A parent or guardian may apply to a district to have a child
51	51	2.22excused from attendance, and the district may approve the application in accordance with
52	52	2.23section 120A.22, subdivision 12. An excused absence may include absence so that the child
53	53	2.24may attend, for up to three hours a week, instruction by a Tribal spiritual or cultural adviser,
54	54	2.25or a school for religious instruction. Section 120A.22, subdivision 12, identifies the persons
55	55	2.26to whom a parent may apply for an excused absence.
56	56	2.27 (b) A district must make reasonable efforts to accommodate a student who wishes to be
57	57	2.28excused from a curricular activity for a religious observance or American Indian cultural
58	58	2.29practice, observance, or ceremony, in accordance with section 120A.35.
59	59	2.30 Subd. 9.Removal from attendance roll.A student who has been absent from school
60	60	2.31for 15 consecutive school days during the regular school year is dropped from the roll and
61	61	2.32classified as withdrawn in accordance with section 126C.05.
62	62	2.33 Subd. 10.Truancy.(a) Truancy programs are governed by chapter 260A.
63	63	2Section 1.
64	64	25-01683 as introduced01/29/25 REVISOR CR/AD 3.1 (b) A student who is absent from school without valid excuse within a single school
65	65	3.2year for three days if the child is in elementary school, or three or more class periods if the
66	66	3.3child is in middle school, junior high school, or high school, is a continuing truant in
67	67	3.4accordance with section 260A.02, subdivision 3.
68	68	3.5 (c) A district must notify the child's parent or guardian that the child is a truant in
69	69	3.6accordance with section 260A.03.
70	70	3.7 (d) Truancy programs may include community-based projects, truancy service centers,
71	71	3.8and school attendance review boards, in accordance with section 260A.04.
72	72	3.9 (e) A county attorney may establish a truancy mediation program under section 260A.07.
73	73	3.10A school district may refer a student who is a truant to the county attorney if the student
74	74	3.11continues to be a truant after the district has notified the parent or guardian that the child is
75	75	3.12a truant under section 260A.03. Disclosure of student data to the county attorney for purposes
76	76	3.13of addressing truancy is governed by section 13.32, subdivision 3, paragraph (c); section
77	77	3.14260A.07; and chapter 260E.
78	78	3.15 Subd. 11.Maltreatment.(a) The definition of "child in need of protection or services,"
79	79	3.16which includes a habitual truant, is governed by section 260C.007, subdivision 6. The
80	80	3.17definition of "habitual truant" is governed by section 260C.007, subdivision 19.
81	81	3.18 (b) Presumptions regarding the intent of the parent when a child is absent from school
82	82	3.19for purposes of determining compliance with compulsory instruction laws are governed by
83	83	3.20section 260C.163, subdivision 11.
84	84	3.21 (c) Habitual truancy may also be considered reportable maltreatment of a minor under
85	85	3.22chapter 260E. Maltreatment under section 260E.03, subdivision 12, includes neglect under
86	86	3.23section 260E.03, subdivision 15. Neglect includes failure to ensure that the child is educated
87	87	3.24as defined in sections 120A.22 and 260C.163, subdivision 11.
88	88	3.25 Subd. 10.Criminal penalties.(a) A person who fails or refuses to provide for instruction
89	89	3.26of a child who is required to receive instruction when notified to do so by a truant officer
90	90	3.27or other official, or who meets other conditions, is guilty of a petty misdemeanor in
91	91	3.28accordance with section 120A.34.
92	92	3.29 (b) A person who causes or contributes to a child being a habitual truant may be charged
93	93	3.30with a felony in accordance with section 609.26.
94	94	3Section 1.
95	95	25-01683 as introduced01/29/25 REVISOR CR/AD