CT SB00278

Defines a "truant" child as one age 5-18 enrolled in public or private school with four unexcused absences in any one month or ten unexcused absences in any school year.

Requires local and regional school boards to adopt policies including meetings with parents within ten school days of truancy thresholds, coordination with community agencies, and notification of attendance obligations.

Mandates school personnel make reasonable telephone efforts to notify parents of unexcused absences for kindergarten through eighth grade students on regularly scheduled school days.

Requires superintendents to file a written complaint with Superior Court within 30 calendar days if parents fail to attend required truancy meetings or fail to cooperate with school truancy interventions.

Directs the State Board of Education to define "excused absence" and "unexcused absence" by July 1, 2011, and report annually on truancy data and programs beginning July 1, 2012.