September 25, 2025

New Requirements for Reporting Student Absences

Legislation was passed in 2025 that includes new absentee reporting requirements for principals and superintendents. Verbiage from 120A.24, subd 4. Inserted into Art. 1, Sec. 3 of the 2025 education bill follows:

(b) No later than 15 school days after the beginning of each academic term, a school principal must report to the superintendent a list of names and last known addresses of all students who were enrolled in the school for the previous term, are not enrolled in the school for the current term, and were otherwise eligible for enrollment, unless the school has been notified that the student has enrolled in another school. The superintendent must immediately make the list received from the principal available to an authorized representative of a county agency whose statutory purpose is to enroll students in school.

(c) A school district must notify the local welfare agency of any student dropped from the school's roll under section 126C.05, subdivision 8, paragraph (a), for unexcused absences exceeding 15 consecutive school days. The notice to the local welfare agency must include the student's most recent contact information on file with the school. The school must also send an email, letter, or otherwise contact the student's family to encourage the student to re-enroll in the school's programming.

(d) After receiving notification under paragraph (c), the local welfare agency must inform the school if the agency is unable to contact the student or student's family. If the local welfare agency is unable to contact the student or student's family, the district must notify the Department of Education that the student has been dropped from the school's roll, and that the local welfare agency is unable to contact the student or student's family. The notice to the department must include the student's most recent contact information on file with the school.

Blue Ribbon Commission on Special Education

Many of you have asked for information on the commission formed by the 2025 Legislature. Here is a link to MDE’s website for the commission if you want to follow the work of the group. Once there, you will find the following information and please note we continue to wait for the Governor’s appointments which will hopefully include MASA members:

“The commission membership, other than legislative appointees, are by appointment of the Governor. 

Membership:

• Commissioner’s Designee – Daron Korte, Assistant Commissioner of the Office of Student Support Services.

• Legislative Appointments

  • House Floor Leader Appointment – Rep. Kim Hicks

  • House Speaker Appointment – Dan Armagost

  • Senate Majority Appointment – Sen. Bonnie Westlin

  • Senate Minority Appointment – Sen. Julia Coleman

• Governor’s Appointments

  • TBA

Meeting Dates:

• The first commission meeting will be held on October 8. A link to join the meeting virtually will be shared soon.

• Subsequent meeting dates and times will be determined by the commission at this initial meeting.”

Leadership Matters!

“The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership.” -  Harvey S. Firestone