B 26-0430 Legislature · 26th Council Period (2025-2026)

Education Code Adjustments Amendment Act of 2025

This bill updates District of Columbia education laws to focus on overall attendance patterns rather than just unexcused absences. It requires schools to track and report chronic absenteeism (frequent missed days) and attendance improvements after student support team referrals, replacing previous "unexcused absence" language. Key changes include moving school census deadlines from November 1 to December 15, adding chronic absenteeism metrics to reporting, and updating school enrollment and charter school references. These adjustments directly affect DC Public Schools (DCPS), public charter schools, and education research partnerships that collect attendance data.

Issues: ✓ Education

Sub-Topics: Student Health School Choice

Bill status signed all 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Oct 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2026

Council Passage

Jun 2026

Signed into Law

Aug 2026

Introduced Oct 14, 2025 Signed Aug 3, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Engrossment → Enrollment · 6 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates several D.C. education laws to modernize reporting requirements and shift focus toward chronic absenteeism. It repeals outdated annual reporting mandates in favor of biennial reporting for certain offices and updates the Public School Enrollment Census Act to specifically track and report on students who are chronically absent. The bill also expands the scope of a public attendance dashboard to include public charter schools and adjusts various effective dates and deadlines for compliance.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of the public attendance dashboard to include public charter schools and modifies the reporting frequency for several agencies from annual to biennial.

REQUIREMENT

Changed reporting frequency from annual to biennial for the Office of Out of School Time Grants and Youth Outcomes and other sections.

Added specific reporting requirements to track the number of minors who were chronically absent.

Repealed the requirement to report on the work of school-based student support teams in reducing unexcused absences.

TIMELINE

Updated various reporting deadlines and effective dates, including changing a reporting deadline from November 1 to December 15.

ENFORCEMENT

Expanded the public attendance dashboard requirement to include data for public charter schools in addition to DC Public Schools.

DEFINITION

Added a specific definition for 'chronically absent' students in the reporting data requirements.

Floor votes · Council Jun 30, 2026

How they voted

12–0

Passed · 1 other

Total votes 13

Jun 30, 2026

D Democratic11

10 Yea 1

90% Yea

I Independent2

2 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jun 30, 2026

Council · Passed

Council Vote: pass (12-0-1)

council

Apr 21, 2026

Legislature · Passed

Committee Mark-up of B26-0430 by the Committee of the Whole

legislature

Oct 21, 2025

Committee

Referred to Committee of the Whole

legislature

Oct 14, 2025

Introduced

B26-0430 Introduced by Chairman Mendelson at Office of the Secretary

legislature

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors