2025 Minnesota Statutes

260E.291 REPORTING OF SCHOOL ATTENDANCE CONCERNS.

Subdivision 1.Reports required.

(a) A person mandated to report under this chapter must immediately report to the local welfare agency, Tribal social services agency, or designated partner if the person knows or has reason to believe that a child required to be enrolled in school under section 120A.22, has at least seven unexcused absences in the current school year, and is at risk of educational neglect under section 260C.163, subdivision 11.

(b) Any person may voluntarily report to the local welfare agency, Tribal social services agency, or designated partner if the person knows or has reason to believe that a child required to be enrolled in school under section 120A.22 has at least seven unexcused absences in the current school year and is at risk of educational neglect under section 260C.163, subdivision 11.

(c) An oral report must be made immediately by telephone or otherwise. An oral report made by a person required to report under paragraph (a) must be followed within 72 hours, exclusive of weekends and holidays, by a report in writing to the local welfare agency. A report must sufficiently identify the child and the child's parent or guardian, the actual or estimated number of the child's unexcused absences in the current school year, the efforts made by school officials to resolve attendance concerns with the family, and the name and address of the reporter. A voluntary reporter under paragraph (b) may refuse to provide their name or address if the report is otherwise sufficient, and such a report must be accepted by the local welfare agency.

Subd. 2.Local welfare agency.

(a) The local welfare agency or partner designated to provide child welfare services must provide a child welfare response for a report that alleges a child enrolled in school has seven or more unexcused absences. When providing a child welfare response under this paragraph, the local welfare agency or designated partner must offer services to the child and the child's family to address school attendance concerns or may partner with a county attorney's office, a community-based organization, or other community partner to provide the services. The services must be culturally and linguistically appropriate and tailored to the needs of the child and the child's family. This section is subject to all requirements of the Minnesota Indian Family Preservation Act under sections 260.751 to 260.835, and the Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act under sections 260.61 to 260.693.

(b) If the child's unexcused absences continue and the family has not engaged with services under paragraph (a) after the local welfare agency, Tribal social services agency, or partner designated to provide child welfare services has made multiple varied attempts to engage the child's family, a report of educational neglect must be made regardless of the number of unexcused absences the child has accrued. The local welfare agency must determine the response path assignment pursuant to section 260E.17 and may proceed with the process outlined in section 260C.141.

History:

1Sp2025 c 3 art 10 s 39