An Act to Reduce Chronic Student Absenteeism
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 1861
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs
Sponsors: ROBERTS, BRENNAN, CLOUTIER, MEYER, ROEDER, SALISBURY

Legislative Document
No. 1861
H.P. 1191
House of Representatives, May 2, 2023
An Act to Reduce Chronic Student Absenteeism
Reference to the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative ROBERTS of South Berwick.
Cosponsored by Representatives: BRENNAN of Portland, CLOUTIER of Lewiston, MEYER 
of Eliot, ROEDER of Bangor, SALISBURY of Westbrook.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  20-A MRSA c. 211, sub-c. 6 is enacted to read:
SUBCHAPTER 6
CHRONIC ABSENCE
§5171. Chronically absent students
1. Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms having the following meanings.
A. "Absence" means an excused absence, unexcused absence or disciplinary absence, 
as those terms are defined by the state board by rule.
B. "Chronically absent student" means a student who is enrolled in a school under the 
jurisdiction of a school administrative unit and whose total number of absences at any 
time during a school year is equal to or greater than 10% of the total number of days 
that that student has been enrolled at that school during that school year.
C. "School chronic absenteeism rate" means the total number of chronically absent 
students for a school in the previous school year divided by the total number of students 
enrolled in that school for that school year.
D. "Unit chronic absenteeism rate" means the total number of chronically absent 
students under the jurisdiction of a school administrative unit in the previous school 
year divided by the total number of students under the jurisdiction of that unit for that 
school year.
2. School administrative unit. A school administrative unit that:
A. Has a unit chronic absenteeism rate of 10% or higher shall establish an attendance 
review team under subsection 3 or establish a committee to review chronic absence for 
the school administrative unit;
B. Has under its jurisdiction a school with a school chronic absenteeism rate of 15% or 
higher shall establish an attendance review team under subsection 3 at that school;
C. Has under its jurisdiction more than one school with a school chronic absenteeism 
rate of 15% or higher shall establish an attendance review team under subsection 3 for 
the school administrative unit or at each such school; or
D. Has a unit chronic absenteeism rate of 10% or higher and has one or more schools 
under its jurisdiction with a school chronic absenteeism rate of 15% or higher shall 
establish an attendance review team under subsection 3 for the school administrative 
unit or at each such school.
3. Attendance review teams. An attendance review team established under this 
subsection may consist of school administrators, guidance counselors, school counselors, 
school social workers, teachers and representatives from community-based programs who 
address issues related to student attendance by providing programs and services to students 
who are truant and chronically absent students and their parents or guardians. An 
attendance review team is responsible for reviewing the cases of students who are truant 
and chronically absent students, discussing school interventions and community referrals 
for such students who are truant and chronically absent students and making any additional 
recommendations for such students who are truant and chronically absent students and their 
parents or guardians. An attendance review team shall meet at least monthly.
The attendance review teams established pursuant to this subsection must be established to 
address chronic absenteeism in the school administrative unit or at the school.
SUMMARY
This bill requires school administrative units to establish attendance review teams or 
committees to address chronic absenteeism if chronic absenteeism rates exceed certain 
levels. An attendance review team may consist of school administrators, guidance 
counselors, school counselors, school social workers, teachers and representatives from 
community-based programs who address issues related to student attendance by providing 
programs and services to students who are truant and chronically absent students and their 
parents or guardians.