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A 3824

Allows students attending agricultural learning events to be counted as in attendance at school

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Ken Blankenbush and 2 co-sponsors

Authorizes schools to count students at agricultural learning events as attendance, expanding attendance credit beyond classroom time and potentially affecting truancy and funding.

HELD FOR CONSIDERATION IN EDUCATION
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Bill Summary · A 3824

Summary: Assembly Bill A 3824

Overview

  • Official title: Allows students attending agricultural learning events to be counted as in attendance at school.
  • Bill number: A 3824
  • Status: HELD FOR CONSIDERATION IN EDUCATION (as of May 20, 2025)
  • Introduced: January 30, 2025
  • Classification: Assembly bill
  • Primary sponsor: Kenneth Blankenbush
  • Cosponsors: Scott Gray; Brian D. Miller
  • Related/companion legislation: A 8590 (prior-session), S 6655 (companion in Senate)

What the bill would do

  • The bill would authorize schools to count students who are attending agricultural learning events as “in attendance” for the purposes of attendance records.
  • In effect, participation in agricultural-focused educational activities would be recognized as attendance at school, rather than requiring students to be physically present in a traditional classroom setting for the entire instructional day.
  • The change would apply to attendance reporting, and potentially to related requirements tied to attendance (e.g., truancy determinations, attendance-based funding considerations, or other state/local compliance metrics tied to student presence).

Key provisions and changes (illustrative, based on the bill’s title)

  • Recognition of non-traditional instructional time: Attendance credit would be given for time spent at agricultural learning events (e.g., field visits, farm/station experiences, farm-education programs) as part of the school’s official attendance records.
  • Scope of “agricultural learning events”: The bill would define or authorize designation of events eligible for attendance credit. Specific definitions are not provided here, but the measure centers on agricultural education activities conducted outside the conventional classroom.
  • Administrative implications: School districts and districts’ attendance reporting systems would need to accommodate counting these events toward daily/period attendance, potentially requiring updates to policies, forms, and data collection processes.

Who would be affected

  • Students: Those participating in agricultural learning events would be eligible for attendance credit.
  • School districts and schools: Administrative and reporting systems would need to incorporate attendance for agricultural learning events.
  • Agricultural education programs: Programs that provide field-based or experiential learning may see greater alignment with attendance accounting.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduced January 30, 2025.
  • Referred to the Education committee on January 30, 2025 (listed twice in the official actions, likely duplicates in the record).
  • Held for Consideration in Education on May 20, 2025 (listed twice; indicates committee deliberation status but no advancement to the floor as of the latest record).
  • Current status suggests the bill has not yet moved to a floor vote or enacted into law.

Potential impact and considerations

  • Educational access: Could broaden opportunities for students to participate in agricultural experiences without penalizing attendance records.
  • Attendance policy alignment: School districts would need to align attendance accounting with the new provision, including any state mandates tied to attendance rates and funding.
  • Fiscal impact: Not specified; potential effects on attendance-based funding formulas or accountability metrics would require analysis.
  • Legislative trajectory: With the bill currently held in committee, future action would determine whether it becomes law. Companion bills in the Senate (S 6655) indicate parallel consideration across chambers.

If you’d like, I can compare A 3824 with its related bills (A 8590 and S 6655) to highlight any differing language or scope.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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