| Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: |
|
| | Sec. 1. 20-A MRSA §5051, sub-§2, ¶A-1, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 415, | §19, is amended to read: |
|
| A-1. As part of the informal measures set out in paragraph | A, the superintendent may ask the student's parents to | attend a series of meetings with their child's teacher or | other school personnel designated by the superintendent. | The purpose of the meetings is to describe the education | program to the parents and explain the value of their child | attending an educational program, including, but not limited | to, school, adult education, a high school equivalency | degree program and other alternative education programs. | The superintendent shall arrange meeting times convenient to | the parents. |
|
| | Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §5051, sub-§2, ¶F, as amended by PL 1995, c. 124, §1, | is further amended to read: |
|
| F. When a student is determined habitually truant and in | violation of section 5001-A and the superintendent has made | a good faith attempt to meet the requirements of paragraph | A-l, the school board superintendent may notify the local | law enforcement department of the decision. After this | notification, a local law enforcement officer who sees a | that truant may offer to transport the truant to the | appropriate school if the truant and after the officer | attempts to obtain the consent of the truant's parent or | guardian provide verbal consent and if the truant: |
|
| (1) Is off school grounds during school hours; and |
|
| (2) Is not under the supervision of school personnel. |
|
| | This bill amends the law regarding truancy by: |
|
| | 1. Permitting the superintendent of the school district to | meet with the parents or guardian of a truant student and explain | the benefits of attending alternative education programs as well | as school; |
|
| | 2. Allowing the superintendent, instead of the school board, | to notify the local law enforcement department that a student has | been declared habitually truant, thus enabling a police officer | to transport the student, after attempting to obtain the | permission of the student's parents or guardian, to school if the | officer sees the student off school grounds during school hours. |
|
|