HARRISBURG – Legislation has been introduced to address the rise in school truancy and chronic absenteeism across PA. Truancy continues to be a statewide problem plaguing PA schools with attendance dropping from 85% in 2018-19 to just 78.1% in 2023-24. Bill sponsor, Sen. Tracy Pennycuick of Berks & Montgomery Counties said to emphasize the responsibility for regular school attendance to parents and students, her legislation will reform the mid-year transfers for truant students from school districts to cyber schools. In addition, it will require cyber charter schools to share real-time attendance and academic data with the sending school district. All students will follow the same uniform truancy process, regardless of whether they attend school in person or virtually. The PA Department of Education will be required to track and publicly report truancy rates while promoting early intervention services that connect families with local resources. Senate Bill 984 also improves support for at-risk students. The Departments of Education and Human Services will develop protocols to help identify students at risk of falling behind before they fall into chronic absenteeism. The bill is before the PA Senate Education Committee.
SEN. TRACY PENNYCUICK