(a) Not later than January 1, 2016, the Department of Education, in consultation with the Interagency Council for Ending the Achievement Gap established pursuant to section 10-16nn, shall develop a chronic absenteeism prevention and intervention plan for use by local and regional boards of education to reduce chronic absenteeism in the school district.
(b) (1) The chronic absenteeism prevention and intervention plan shall include, but need not be limited to, the following: (A) Information that describes (i) chronic absenteeism, including, but not limited to, the definition of a chronically absent child under section 10-198c, and the causes of chronic absenteeism, such as poverty, violence, poor health and lack of access to transportation, (ii) the effect of chronic absenteeism on a student's academic performance, and (iii) how family and school partnerships with community resources, including, but not limited to, family resource centers and youth service bureaus, can reduce chronic absenteeism and improve student attendance, and (B) a means of collecting and analyzing data relating to student attendance, truancy and chronic absenteeism for the purpose of (i) disaggregating such data by school district, school, grade and subgroups, such as race, ethnicity, gender, eligibility for free or reduced priced lunches, students whose primary language is not English and students with disabilities, and (ii) assisting local and regional boards of education in (I) tracking chronic absenteeism over multiple years and for the current school year, (II) developing indicators to identify students who are at risk of being chronically absent children, (III) monitoring students' attendance over time, and (IV) making adjustments to interventions as they are being implemented.
(2) The chronic absenteeism prevention and intervention plan may include, but need not be limited to, the following: (A) A research-based and data-driven mentorship model that addresses and attempts to reduce chronic absenteeism through the use of mentors, such as students, teachers, administrators, intramural and interscholastic athletic coaches, school resource officers and community partners, and (B) incentives and rewards that recognize schools and students that improve attendance and reduce the school chronic absenteeism rate.
(P.A. 15-225, S. 3; P.A. 18-182, S. 3.)
History: P.A. 15-225 effective July 1, 2015; P.A. 18-182 amended Subsec. (b)(1)(B)(i) by adding “and students with disabilities” and making conforming changes, effective July 1, 2018.
Structure Connecticut General Statutes
Title 10 - Education and Culture
Chapter 168 - School Attendance and Employment of Children
Section 10-184. - Duties of parents. School attendance age requirements.
Section 10-184b. - Waiver provisions not applicable to equivalent instruction authority of parents.
Section 10-187. - Appeal from finding of hearing board.
Section 10-188. - Private schools and instruction.
Section 10-193. - Certificate of age for minors in certain occupations.
Section 10-195. - Evidence of age.
Section 10-197. - Penalty for employment of child under fourteen.
Section 10-198. - False statement as to age.
Section 10-198a. - Policies and procedures concerning truants.
Section 10-198c. - Attendance review teams.
Section 10-198d. - Chronic absenteeism prevention and intervention plan.
Section 10-198e. - Truancy intervention models.
Section 10-198f. - Mental health wellness days.
Section 10-199. - Attendance officers. Duties.
Section 10-200. - Habitual truants.
Section 10-201. - Fees for arresting truants.
Section 10-202. - Warrant and hearing.