DES MOINES, Iowa — In December 2024, WHO 13 News reported that 15 parents were charged in Polk County for their student missing 20% of classes in a grading period. In the new year and the new semester, that number has skyrocketed.

According to the Polk County Attorney’s Office, 118 parents are charged for chronic absenteeism. Des Moines Public Schools has 72 parents, West Des Moines Community Schools 19 parents, Ankeny Community Schools 12 parents, Johnston Community School District has six parents, Saydel has five, and Southeast Polk and Urbandale have two each.

As explained in an earlier WHO 13 News report, the number was expected to increase with schools reporting the first chronically absent students at the winter break.

“The goal is not to punish parents. The goal is to keep kids in class, get them in class and ultimately dismiss any charges,” said Lynn Hicks the Chief of Staff for the Polk County Attorney’s Office. Hicks said if parents are showing improvement during check-ins with a county judge, the charges will be dropped eventually.

On Tuesday, Iowa Senators in the education committee advanced a bill looking to clarify a couple of things to alleviate the burden this law has put on staff, parents and students.

“My initial thought is that obviously the intent is working. We are getting at some of those parents and children,” said State Senator Lynn Evans (R) District 3, from Aurelia. “But my question is, are they all for the right reason? So this (bill) allows the district to determine that reason.”

Senate Study Bill 1077 looks to drop requirements passed in the absenteeism law late last session. The bill drops the requirement for meetings between parents and school staff if the student’s grades are not suffering from missing class. It also drops the requirement to provide a mail notice to guardians if their student is missing 15% of classes in a grading period. It clarifies that students participating in military programs or activities, funerals and weddings are excused absences. This is something that school leaders are eager to see pass to allow more local control.

“I think that’s where it got a little bit clunky for folks is just some of the requirements within that law. The expectations in terms of the number of meetings, in terms of the mailings, in terms of all of that. There was a considerable amount of time spent on that,” said Dr. Matt Adams, the Superintendent of Schools at West Des Moines Community School District. The district has seen a 4.3% decline in it’s chronic absenteeism rate from last school year to this year. The district also has its own incentives and initiatives to get students and parents involved and engaged.

There is not a companion bill to the proposed law fix, but the Iowa House Republican leadership is not closing the door on considering it this session.

“I’d be open to that conversation. I think we have to be thoughtful in how we do that and make sure that we are providing that local level flexibility,” said Speaker of the Iowa House Pat Grassley, (R) District 57 from New Hartford.

The Iowa Senate proposal is cleared for debate on the chamber floor. Lawmakers, schools, parents and students will be watching the May 2 adjournment date for this fix to advance through both chambers and sending it to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.