AI-generated summary, not yet reviewed by Better Utah staff. Please consult the bill text.

Public school attendance policies in Utah would see significant changes under this bill, which creates new definitions distinguishing between traditional "attendance validated" programs (where students physically or virtually attend scheduled class periods) and "learner validated" programs designed for self-paced or competency-based learning, with separate rules for tracking absences, truancy, and instructional time in each. Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, school districts and charter schools would be required to notify parents within two instructional days of any unexcused absence, regularly review attendance data to identify students at risk of chronic absenteeism (defined as missing at least 10% of school days), provide tiered interventions for struggling attenders, maintain accurate records in their student information systems, and train staff annually on attendance policies; school boards would also need to publicly approve attendance policy changes and evaluate intervention effectiveness each year. The bill gives the State Board of Education new authority to set data quality standards, audit school attendance records, and require corrective action plans—including potentially withholding state funding—from districts that fail to meet those standards, though funding cannot be withheld solely for problems tracking excused absences. Separately, the bill directs the State Board to create rules requiring students to demonstrate "personal care independence" (being toilet trained) before enrolling in public school starting in the 2026-2027 school year, with exemptions for students whose disabilities are covered under federal special education law, an IEP, or a Section 504 plan.