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Bill

SB 56

Relating to the inclusion of chronically absent students as students at risk of dropping out of school and the collection and reporting of data regarding those students.

89th Legislature (2025) Introduced by Judith Zaffirini

Texas bill designates chronically absent students as at-risk dropouts and requires schools to collect and report absence data to drive intervention efforts.

Referred to Education K-16
#dropouts&at-riskstudents(s0088) #educationagency #texas(v9941) #education--primary&secondary--admission&attendance(i0227) #minors--juvenilejustice(i0534)
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Bill Summary · SB 56

Legislative bill overview

SB 56 would officially designate chronically absent students as "students at risk of dropping out" in Texas and establish requirements for collecting and reporting data on this population. The bill aims to create a standardized framework for identifying and tracking students with severe attendance problems across the state's school systems.

Why is this important

Chronic absenteeism is strongly correlated with academic failure, disengagement, and dropout rates. By formally categorizing these students and mandating data collection, schools can better identify intervention needs and allocate resources to at-risk youth. This creates accountability metrics that could inform policy decisions about student support services and dropout prevention programs.

Potential points of contention

  • Definition and thresholds: Disagreement over what constitutes "chronic absence" (days missed per year) and whether the standard should be uniform or adjusted by grade level
  • Administrative burden: Schools may resist new data collection and reporting requirements as costly and time-consuming, particularly in under-resourced districts
  • Equity concerns: Chronically absent students often come from disadvantaged backgrounds; labeling them as "at risk" without sufficient intervention funding could stigmatize rather than support them

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

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