HB 1566 Summary

• Department of Education must make reducing school absenteeism a policy priority and direct school corporations to identify contributing factors and develop chronic absence reduction plans.

• Education Roundtable must study and provide recommendations on early childhood education to the governor, state superintendent, general assembly, and state board.

• Department of Education shall focus on implementing early childhood pilot programs (parental information, latch key, preschool) that mirror proven programs and address health/learning disability screening.

• School corporations must share data on schools with high chronic student absences with the Department of Education and Family and Social Services to target resource allocation and develop attendance improvement programs.

• School corporations may contract with public or private entities for professional development on chronic absenteeism factors and may contract with nonprofit organizations to provide preventive and primary health care services in school-based clinics.