A bill to establish a grant program to prevent truancy, and for other purposes.

Summary: Student Attendance Success Act of 2009 - Authorizes the Secretary of Education to award grants to states and, through them, competitive, renewable, three-year grants to local educational agencies (LEAs) for programmatic initiatives aimed at improving academic achievement by keeping students in school.

Requires subgrant applicants to demonstrate that their schools have a history of significant truancy in grades five through nine.

Requires subgrantees to use their subgrant, to the extent practicable, to partner with a community-based organization to create such programmatic initiatives.

Directs the Secretary to award a grant to an nonprofit organization to establish and operate a National Resource Center on Positive Youth Development and School Success to serve as a font of information, training, and research aimed at thwarting students' risky behavior and enhancing their academic performance.

Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to define truancy, for purposes of this Act and the requirement that states collect truancy data under the Safe and Drug-Free Schools program, as the unexcused absence: (1) for three consecutive school days of a child required to attend elementary school; and (2) for three or more class periods on each of three consecutive school days of a child required to attend middle or secondary school.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Student Attendance Success Act of 
2009''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

    In this Act:
            (1) Local educational agency.--The term ``local educational 
        agency'' has the meaning given the term in section 9101 of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        7801).
            (2) Secretary.--The term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary 
        of Education.
            (3) State educational agency.--The term ``State educational 
        agency'' has the meaning given the term in section 9101 of the 
        Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 
        7801).
            (4) Truancy.--The term ``truancy'' has the meaning given 
        the term in section 4112(c)(3)(E) of the Elementary and 
        Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7112(c)(3)(E)).

SEC. 3. TRUANCY PREVENTION DISCRETIONARY GRANT PROGRAM.

    (a) Grants Authorized.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary is authorized to award 
        grants to State educational agencies to enable the State 
        educational agencies to award subgrants to local educational 
        agencies within the State to enable the local educational 
        agencies to create programmatic initiatives aimed at keeping 
        students in school, in order to improve academic achievement.
            (2) Duration.--
                    (A) In general.--A State educational agency shall 
                award subgrants under this section for a period of 3 
                years.
                    (B) Renewal.--A State educational agency may award 
                a subgrant to a local educational agency under this 
                section for an additional 3 year period if the report 
                submitted by the local educational agency under 
                subsection (d) for the preceding 3-year subgrant period 
                demonstrates documented improvement in keeping students 
                in school.
            (3) Award basis.--A State educational agency shall award 
        subgrants under this section on a competitive basis, taking 
        into consideration the needs of local educational agencies 
        serving schools with a history of high levels of truancy among 
        students in grades 5 through 9.
    (b) Application.--
            (1) State application.--Each State educational agency 
        desiring a grant under this section shall submit an application 
        to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied 
        by such information as the Secretary may reasonably require.
            (2) Local application.--Each local educational agency 
        desiring a subgrant under this section shall submit an 
        application to the State educational agency at such time, in 
        such manner, and accompanied by such information as the State 
        educational agency may reasonably require.
            (3) Local application contents.--Each application submitted 
        under paragraph (2) shall--
                    (A) demonstrate a documented history of significant 
                truancy in grades 5 through 9 in the schools served by 
                the local educational agency;
                    (B) describe the activities for which assistance 
                under this section is sought; and
                    (C) provide such additional assurances and 
                information as the State educational agency determines 
                to be essential to ensure compliance with the 
                requirements of this section, including strategies that 
                the local educational agency will use to address issues 
                such as a supportive school climate and the extent to 
                which students feel connected to the school and 
                attached to not less than 1 caring adult at the school.
    (c) Use of Funds.--A local educational agency receiving a subgrant 
under this section shall, to the extent practicable, use the subgrant 
funds to partner with a community-based organization to create 
programmatic initiatives aimed at keeping students in school.
    (d) Reporting Requirement.--Each local educational agency receiving 
subgrant funds under this section shall submit a report to the State 
educational agency on the local educational agency's performance of the 
activities described in subsection (c).
    (e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary 
for fiscal year 2010 and each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.

SEC. 4. NATIONAL RESOURCE CENTER FOR POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT AND 
              SCHOOL SUCCESS.

    (a) Center.--From amounts appropriated under subsection (d), the 
Secretary shall award a grant to an eligible nonprofit organization to 
provide for the establishment and operation of a National Resource 
Center on Positive Youth Development and School Success (referred to in 
this section as the ``Center'').
    (b) Eligible Organization.--In order to be eligible to receive a 
grant under this section, an organization shall have a history of, and 
expertise in, carrying out the functions described in subsection (c).
    (c) Functions.--The Center established under subsection (a) shall--
            (1) provide evidence-based resources, publications, and 
        training to State educational agencies and local educational 
        agencies on the positive relationships, opportunities, and 
        skills that students need to succeed in school and avoid risky 
        behavior, such as truancy;
            (2) provide a free information service, using print, 
        electronic media, and the Internet, for schools, principals, 
        school officers, parent-teacher associations, and community 
        groups, relating to incorporating developmental assets, 
        supports and strengths into existing school curriculum, 
        programs, and services; and
            (3) conduct and publish research on the relationship 
        between a whole child approach to youth development and school 
        success, including academic achievement and retention of the 
        teaching force.
    (d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section such sums as may be necessary 
for fiscal year 2010 and each of the 5 succeeding fiscal years.

SEC. 5. NATIONAL DEFINITION OF TRUANCY.

    Section 4112(c)(3) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 7112(c)(3)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph (F); 
        and
            (2) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following:
                    ``(E) Truancy rate data collection.--
                            ``(i) In general.--For the purposes of 
                        collecting the information described in 
                        subparagraph (B)(i), the term `truancy' means 
                        each absence of a student who is required by 
                        State law to attend elementary school or 
                        secondary school from such school for the time 
                        period described in clause (ii) without an 
                        excuse described in clause (iii).
                            ``(ii) Time period.--The time period 
                        referred to in clause (i) is--
                                    ``(I) 3 consecutive school days in 
                                the case of a child enrolled in 
                                elementary school; and
                                    ``(II) 3 or more class periods on 
                                each of 3 consecutive school days in 
                                the case of a child enrolled in middle 
                                or secondary school.
                            ``(iii) Excused absences.--An excuse 
                        referred to in clause (i) is--
                                    ``(I) an excuse by a parent of the 
                                student that is approved by the school 
                                administrator in charge; or
                                    ``(II) permission from a teacher or 
                                administrator in charge.
                            ``(iv) Limitations.--An absence described 
                        in clause (i) shall not be considered truancy--
                                    ``(I) unless the absence was 
                                reviewed by a school official and 
                                determined to be unexcused; or
                                    ``(II) if the absence is caused by 
                                a school decision to remove a student 
                                from the school and deny the student 
                                attendance for any length of time.''.