States try new measures to get chronically absent students back to class

Six states, including Utah, Oregon, Vermont, Tennessee, Mississippi, and New Jersey, enacted new laws this year to combat chronic absenteeism by implementing measures such as attendance monitoring, public data reporting, parental penalties, and task forces. Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more school days, with specific state laws addressing truancy, community service limits, and attendance officer funding.