The Showing Up for Students Amendment Act of 2024

The Showing Up for Students Amendment Act of 2024 aims to reduce student absenteeism and truancy in the District of Columbia by shifting the initial responsibility for addressing unexcused absences from schools to the Office of the State Superintendent of Education. This change would automatically refer students with seven or more unexcused absences within a 120-day period to the Department of Human Services for support, rather than immediately involving adversarial agencies like the Child and Family Services Agency. The bill also expands valid excuses for absence to include threats of violence, serious family illness, housing displacement, and immigration court proceedings, while requiring schools to provide more analysis and incentives to combat chronic absenteeism. Additionally, it clarifies the legal definition of educational neglect, ensuring that children are not held accountable for parental failures unless specific support services have already been provided by the District.