FL S0938

Requires a student's primary teacher to report to the school principal or designee when a student is absent for 10 percent of school days within the first 45 days of the school year, regardless of whether absences are excused or unexcused, flagging the student as chronically absent

Retains the existing requirement that teachers report to the principal when a student accumulates at least 5 unexcused absences in a calendar month or 10 unexcused absences within a 90-calendar-day period as a potential pattern of nonattendance

Directs the State Board of Education to create guidelines for school districts to follow when developing policies on student absences, including policies for determining and accounting for excused and unexcused absences

Amends Section 1003.26, Florida Statutes, governing enforcement of school attendance, with an effective date of July 1, 2025

Sponsored by Senator McClain in the Florida Senate for the 2025 legislative session