Vermont House Unanimously Passes Bill to Address Chronic Student Absenteeism

H.930 aims to clarify excused vs. unexcused absences and implement early intervention strategies

Apr. 1, 2026 at 10:23am

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The Vermont House of Representatives has unanimously passed H.930, a bill sponsored by the House Committee on Education, that aims to address the issue of chronic student absenteeism in the state. The bill defines a chronically absent student as one who misses 20 or more unexcused days of school within the last school year, and proposes measures to clarify excused versus unexcused absences as well as implement early intervention strategies to prevent chronic absenteeism.

Why it matters

Chronic absenteeism is considered one of the leading issues facing Vermont schools today. The bill seeks to provide clearer guidelines and consistent policies around student absences, which supporters say will help address inequities in how absences are currently treated across different schools and districts. The goal is to ensure all students, especially those from marginalized communities, receive equal support to avoid missing too much school.

The details

H.930 outlines 12 specific instances in which a superintendent or school head must excuse a student's absence, such as for physical or mental illness, family emergencies, or incidents of bullying. The bill also allows superintendents some discretion to excuse other non-specified absences. If a student has more than 20 unexcused absences, the bill proposes consequences ranging from fining parents to expelling the student or finding alternative learning plans.

  • The House unanimously passed H.930 on March 20, 2026.
  • The bill is now being considered by the Vermont Senate.

The players

Courtney O'Brien

Director of the Safe and Healthy Schools Division of the Vermont Agency of Education, who testified in support of the bill.

Nick Connor

Community liaison for Montpelier Roxbury Public Schools, who has worked with students and said the bill has been a long time coming.

Anne Bordonaro

Deputy chief of accountability, assessment, and continuous improvement for the Vermont Agency of Education, who has been involved with the goals of this bill for many years.

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What they’re saying

“There are a number of families and caregivers that we spoke with that expressed frustration with the inconsistency and the non-clarity that's available in the current process: 'Why am I getting this letter? What does it mean? Who made the decision excused versus unexcused?'”

— Courtney O'Brien, Director of the Safe and Healthy Schools Division, Vermont Agency of Education

“Young people with marginalized identities are way more likely to have unexcused absences than excused absences. I've been in a lot of truancy hearings here in Vermont ... There has never once been a young person in that hearing that was not also living in poverty. Not one time. So, that is a huge concern.”

— Nick Connor, Community Liaison, Montpelier Roxbury Public Schools

“The definitions are our effort to be very clear with everyone. It defines in here a whole bunch of categories where superintendents can excuse absences. It also leaves the door open for the unusual circumstance that has to be there. There's always going to be something that doesn't quite fit in the category.”

— Anne Bordonaro, Deputy Chief of Accountability, Assessment, and Continuous Improvement, Vermont Agency of Education

What’s next

The bill is now being considered by the Vermont Senate, where supporters and sponsors have high hopes for its passage and the future of attendance in Vermont schools.

The takeaway

This bill represents a concerted effort by Vermont education officials to address the inequities in how student absences are currently handled, with the goal of ensuring all students, especially those from marginalized communities, receive the support they need to avoid chronic absenteeism and stay engaged in their education.