Schools must excuse student absences for civic and career events

Public and charter schools must excuse two school days per academic year for covered civic or career events. The rule covers students in public and public charter elementary and secondary schools. Covered events include government activities, educational events hosted by federally listed patriotic or national organizations, and specified career activities. Job shadowing is limited to one school day per employer. Schools may excuse extra days and require attendance proof or missed schoolwork. Multi-day programs may be excused with attendance proof. Repeated participation in the same activity beyond two days requires enrollment in an extended learning opportunity. Absences under a school-approved plan must be excused if missed work is completed, except that state-established youth advisory council activities do not need this plan. Section 7 selects one of two parallel attendance provisions to take effect upon passage, depending on whether HB 1448 becomes law.

The state board of education must grant a parent's or guardian's school transfer request on appeal when it finds the student meets the law's educational hardship standard. Parents or guardians may request another public school, public academy, or approved private school within their district or in another district. The board must find that the student has a 'manifest educational hardship.' The passages do not define that standard. The receiving school must enroll the student, subject to the school limits and admission requirements referenced in the law. The school transfer requirement took effect July 10, 2026.

The state board of education must write rules for earning school credit through civic and career activities. Credit rules cover public and charter secondary schools, plus private secondary schools that serve as public schools under the referenced law. The credit rules include ways to meet the civic education graduation requirement. The board must maintain a list of recognized career education organizations used to decide which competitions and conferences qualify for excused absences. It must review the list annually and share it with school administrators. Section 7 selects one of two parallel versions of these duties to take effect upon passage, depending on whether HB 1448 becomes law.