INDIANAPOLIS — Roughly 30% of Indiana high school seniors missed over a month of school last year, according to the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE). That’s why lawmakers are considering a new move to keep more kids in school.
As lawmakers prepare to tackle the ongoing issue of chronic absenteeism next session, the Interim Study Committee on Education approved a recommendation to have the Indiana General Assembly, the IDOE and the State Board of Education (SBOE) consider a ban on suspending and expelling chronically absent kids.
”I am absolutely for working together to figure out a solution there, as are many of our school leaders,” Indiana Secretary of Education Katie Jenner said.
”We found that one of the reasons students were being suspended or expelled was because they were chronically absent,” House Education Chair Robert Behning (R-Indianapolis) said. “It’s almost like rewarding you for the activity that, the bad behavior that you’re doing.”
According to State Rep. Behning, the recommendation only calls for a review of the use of suspensions and expulsions but added that could be subject to change.