My name is Mandi Kimball, Vice President of Children at Risk, and I am testifying in support of SB 570 and SB 991. Thank you, Chair Creighton, members of the K-16 Committee, and Chair Bettencourt for focusing on student attendance and communication with families. 

I am honored to speak today on the critical importance of having clear and consistent policies regarding student attendance and maintaining strong communication with parents. Ensuring that students attend school regularly is not just about compliance; it is about fostering academic success, personal growth, and long-term opportunities for our children. 

Scope of the Problem 

In 2024 Children at Risk analyzed data obtained from the Texas Education Agency. Chronic absenteeism rates increased in Texas from 11% in 2018-2019 to 20% in 2022-2023.   

• More than 936,201 students missed at least one-tenth of their instruction in 2022-2023.  

• Chronic absenteeism rates vary across regions. Within this committee alone, your districts range from 11% to 30% of students identified as chronically absent. 

• The rate of chronic absenteeism for special education students is 25%.  

• Students who are chronically absent in Pre-K, kindergarten, or first grade are less likely to meet the appropriate third grade reading levels.   

• A student who is chronically absent in any year between eighth and twelfth grade is seven times more likely to drop out of school.  

First and foremost, attendance is directly linked to student achievement. Studies consistently show that students who attend school regularly perform better academically and are more likely to graduate. When students miss school frequently, they fall behind in coursework, struggle to keep up with lessons, and face greater challenges in developing essential skills. A well-defined attendance policy helps set clear expectations, holds students accountable, and encourages families to prioritize education. 

How is chronic absenteeism and truancy connected? 

In our conversations with legislative offices, we are quite often asked to explain the difference between truancy and chronic absenteeism. Students who are truant are indeed chronically absent in many cases.  However, there are many reasons behind chronic absenteeism that are beyond students’ control, such as: Illness of student or relative , Lack of engagement in school, Lack of transportation to and from school, Involvement with child welfare or juvenile justice, Bullying, Homelessness, Health and dental issues, or Frequent changes in living situations.

Equally important is the role of parent communication in reinforcing attendance expectations. Parents and guardians are vital partners in a child’s education, and when schools maintain open and frequent communication, families are more engaged and informed. Whether through phone calls, emails, or meetings, proactive communication helps parents understand the impact of absences, encourages them to support their child’s attendance, and creates a collaborative environment where solutions can be developed for students facing challenges. 

So What Are We Going To Do About It? 

By implementing strong attendance policies and prioritizing communication with parents, schools create a culture of accountability, consistency, and support. These efforts not only improve academic outcomes but also contribute to the overall success and well-being of students. SB 991 is a bill about support, transparency, and accountability.

The bill does three things: 

• Creates a definition for chronic absenteeism in the Texas Education Code as a student who misses 10% or more of instructional time within an academic year for any reason. Texas cannot effectively implement strategies and assist chronically absent students without a statewide definition of the problem it is trying to fix. 

• Adds chronic absenteeism to the “at risk” category to better support students who are chronically absent and therefore at risk of dropping out. This change ensures that existing funding can be used to fight chronic absenteeism. 

• Requires TEA to report to the Texas Legislature and the general public the rates of chronic absenteeism and truancy as well as district and state efforts to reduce it. Transparency increases effectiveness. 

  With a statewide chronic absenteeism definition and robust data, we can address causes of chronic absenteeism and adequately support at-risk students.