New Indiana School Absence Law: What It Does—and Doesn’t—Do

Indiana State Sen. Andy Zay is working to set the record straight on a new absenteeism reporting law that has generated confusion and concern among parents, educators, and school administrators across the state. Senate Enrolled Act 482, which went into effect earlier this year, is designed to address the state’s rising rates of chronic absenteeism — not to penalize families or eliminate local control over attendance decisions.

According to Sen. Zay, misinformation has recently circulated online regarding what the law actually requires and how it will impact schools and families. In response, the Huntington Republican issued a public statement clarifying the scope and intent of SEA 482.

“There has been a great deal of inaccurate information spread about this bill online in recent weeks,” Zay said in the July 15 release. “It is important to know local school districts are retaining their flexibility to decide what counts as an excused or unexcused absence for their students.”

Zay emphasized that SEA 482 does not change the state’s definition of when a student is counted as absent, nor does it mandate alterations to local school district attendance policies. Rather, the measure focuses on improving the quality and accuracy of absentee data that schools report to the Indiana Department of Education.

The law’s primary objective is to give state policymakers and education officials better insight into why students are missing school, with the ultimate goal of finding effective ways to reduce chronic absenteeism. Currently, approximately one in five Hoosier students are considered chronically absent — defined as missing 10 percent or more of the school year.

Under SEA 482, school administrators are now required to report additional context behind student absences. This includes specifying whether an absence is excused or unexcused, but decisions about which absences fall into those categories remain entirely in the hands of local schools.

Critically, the law does not mandate that parents attend meetings with school officials for excused absences — a point that has been widely misunderstood. Additionally, SEA 482 does not authorize the automatic involvement of county prosecutors in cases involving excused absences. These provisions are meant to reassure parents who may have feared legal consequences for legitimate absences, such as those due to illness or family emergencies.

“The bill is not about punishing families — it’s about collecting more useful data to help schools and the state respond more effectively to attendance issues,” Zay said. “Better data means better decisions.”

Supporters of the legislation argue that by requiring more detailed reporting, SEA 482 will enable the state to better understand patterns in absenteeism — including identifying barriers such as transportation issues, mental health challenges, or other socioeconomic factors that may be keeping students out of the classroom.

While the bill passed with Republican support, Indiana Democrats expressed a more cautious view. Lawmakers such as Sen. Andrea Hunley (D–Indianapolis) called for greater scrutiny during the legislative process. Democrats supported the overall goal of addressing chronic absenteeism but raised concerns about potential consequences for vulnerable students. They questioned the temporary nature of protections that prevent expulsion for excessive absences in younger grades and pushed back against earlier drafts that removed training standards for social–emotional learning, trauma-informed care, and cultural competency—provisions that were later reinstated. Some community advocates also voiced concerns that the law’s implementation could disproportionately affect low-income families and students of color.

Chronic absenteeism has become an increasingly urgent issue in Indiana and nationwide, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted learning routines and strained school-family relationships. State education officials have warned that continued absenteeism threatens to widen learning gaps and reduce long-term academic outcomes for students.

By strengthening data collection without removing local discretion, Zay believes SEA 482 strikes the right balance. Local districts still determine attendance rules that work best for their communities, while the state gains more accurate insights into systemic trends and potential solutions.

Zay, who has long prioritized education policy during his time in the Indiana General Assembly, said the law was developed in partnership with education stakeholders and reflects a careful approach to addressing student attendance in a constructive way.

“No single policy can solve chronic absenteeism on its own,” he said, “but this is a step in the right direction. It gives schools the tools to track what’s happening and helps the state understand where support is needed most.”

SEA 482 was passed during the 2024 legislative session and went into effect earlier this summer. For parents or school officials seeking more information, guidance is available through the Indiana Department of Education.