Obion County Board of Education
August 12, 2013

Background Information:

During the latest legislative session, Public Chapter No. 304 and Public Chapter 155 were signed into law effective July 1, 2013. Public Chapter 304 requires attendance of students to remedial programs so long as the programs are offered at no charge and transportation is provided. If a student is absent from these programs, the laws relative to truancy will apply. Public Chapter 155 creates consistency for the absences of students who are visiting a parent who is deployed on a military assignment. This law provides ten (10) cumulative absences per year regardless if the parent is assigned abroad or domestically. To this end, TSBA has developed a sample policy for the Board’s consideration. To bring the Board’s current policy into compliance with law, the second paragraph under the heading “Truancy” should be struck and replaced with the second paragraph from TSBA’s policy under the heading “Truancy.” After the section on “Truancy,” a new section heading “Military Service of Parent/Guardian,” should be created along with the paragraph from TSBA’s sample policy.

Staff Recommendation:

Due to the amendment reflecting current state law, I recommend approval of the above-noted amendment to Board Policy #6.200 – Attendance, on first and final reading.