Students who miss too much school could be sent to juvenile detention under this new bill

Amy Russo, Providence Journal

A proposed bill could give authorities the power to investigate and send to juvenile detention Rhode Island public-school students who are chronically absent.

Why it matters: The state Department of Education has been cracking down on chronic absences from school with a media campaign urging kids to attend school and regular shout-outs to schools with the highest attendance rates by Gov. Dan McKee.

But state law doesn't currently define what it means to be chronically absent.

What's in the legislation?

The Attendance for Success Act would add those definitions to existing state law, including:

  • Absence (missing at least half a school day)

  • Chronic absence (missing 18 or more school days)

It would also:

  • Add requirements for tracking attendance and creating attendance improvement plans

  • Provide guidance on what to do when a student isn’t coming to school, and intervention isn’t working

The bill directs schools to start with notifying parents, scheduling meeting and using nonpunitive measures.

If that fails, the district “shall report the excessively absent student to its truant officer for an investigation as to whether the student should be considered to be a wayward child” or needing family services.

What is a 'wayward' child? State law allows them to be detained.

Under state law, “wayward” may apply to a variety of children:

  • Runaways

  • Those “leading an immoral or vicious life”

  • Those breaking the law

  • Those missing school

Wayward children may be sent to the Rhode Island Training School, a juvenile correctional facility, until they turn 19.

Reached for comment on the potentially severe consequences of the bill, state Department of Education spokesman Victor Morente said "the goal is to create supportive learning environments that promote good attendance."

Morente added that the bill contains "extensive steps aimed to prevent and intervene" in absences before a truancy officer is involved.

The bill is sponsored by Rep. Joseph McNamara and seven other lawmakers. It will be considered by the House Education Committee on Wednesday night.

How widespread is chronic absenteeism this year?

According to the latest data from the Department of Education, 28,653 students have been marked chronically absent for the 2023-2024 school year.

That's 20% of public school students, and most of them were also chronically absent last year, showing that missing school becomes a habit.

Providence has the highest chronic absenteeism rate by far, followed by Pawtucket, Woonsocket, Warwick and Cranston, all of which are far lower in chronic absences compared with the capital city.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: New bill would send kids who miss too much school to juvenile detention

Advertisement