Everyday Counts Act cleared by committee after sponsors add implementation time, carve-outs for completion schools

Sen. Feine presented SB513 (LC492845S), the Everyday Counts Act, describing a multi-tiered approach to chronic absenteeism that emphasizes intervention and supports before punitive steps. "This legislation requires that every local school district has at least one attendance review team," the sponsor told the committee, and added the bill defines extracurricular and interscholastic activities and asks the State Board of Education to provide model policies by 07/01/2027.

What the bill does: Local districts and schools that reach a chronic absenteeism threshold (15% or higher, using a rolling snapshot) would be required to convene attendance review teams, adopt individualized attendance intervention plans and offer supports designed to remove barriers. If students and parents refuse to engage with the plan in a prescribed, multi-tiered process, consequences could include ineligibility for extracurricular or interscholastic activities and — for 15– to 17-year-olds who remain noncompliant — a temporary bar on obtaining a driver's license or permit (the bill does not suspend active licenses).

Sponsor and committee changes: In response to members’ concerns about unintended consequences, the sponsor and legislative council moved the effective date to 07/01/2027 to give districts time to implement guidance, clarified how DDS/DDS-1 (school enrollment certificate) interactions would work, and added an exception so the statutory restriction would not apply to students enrolled in a state-authorized "completion school" (enrolled students only) — an accommodation intended to avoid penalizing students who need alternative pathways to finish high school.

Committee action: After discussion, modification and a narrowly scoped carve-out for completion-school enrolled students, the committee passed SB513 as amended.