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LD 322

An Act To Promote Student Attendance In Schools By Requiring The Commissioner Of Education To Implement School Attendance Best Practices

132nd Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Michael Brennan and 9 co-sponsors

LD 322 - An Act To Promote Student Attendance In Schools By Requiring The Commissioner Of Education To Implement School Attendance Best Practices SummaryThis bill aims to address s

Pursuant to Joint Rule 310.3 Placed in Legislative Files (DEAD)
#attendance #bestpractices #schoolpolicies
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Bill Summary · LD 322

LD 322 - An Act To Promote Student Attendance In Schools By Requiring The Commissioner Of Education To Implement School Attendance Best Practices

Summary

This bill aims to address student absenteeism in Maine schools by requiring the Commissioner of Education to implement and promote best practices for improving school attendance.

Key Provisions

  • Attendance Best Practices: The bill directs the Commissioner of Education to research, identify, and disseminate best practices for improving student attendance in Maine's K-12 public schools. This includes strategies for engaging students and families, early intervention for chronically absent students, and coordinating community resources.

  • Attendance Policies: Schools would be required to review and update their student attendance policies to align with the attendance best practices developed by the Commissioner. This could include policies around excused/unexcused absences, truancy protocols, and incentives for good attendance.

  • Technical Assistance: The Commissioner must provide technical assistance and training to help school districts implement the new attendance best practices and policies.

  • Reporting: School districts would be required to report student attendance data to the Department of Education on an annual basis. The Department must then analyze the data and publish findings on statewide attendance trends and effective strategies.

Impact

The bill is intended to help address chronic absenteeism, which can negatively impact a student's academic achievement and development. By implementing research-based best practices, the goal is to improve overall school attendance rates, particularly for at-risk student populations.

The new attendance policies, technical support, and data reporting requirements are expected to create more consistent, effective attendance programming across Maine's public school system. However, the bill does not provide any additional funding, so the implementation and impact may vary depending on each district's resources.

Status

The bill was introduced in the Maine Legislature on January 30, 2025, but failed to advance and is now considered "dead" under Joint Rule 310.3.

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

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