Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 22-12-7 NMSA 1978, if a student is in need of early intervention, the school district, charter school or private school shall contact the student’s parent to inform the parent that the student has unexcused absences from school and to discuss possible interventions. The provisions of this section do not apply to any absence if the parent has contacted the school to explain the absence.
HISTORY:
1978 22-12-8, enacted by Laws 1985, ch. 104, § 1; 2004, ch. 28, § 4; 2006, ch. 94, § 44; 2009, ch. 193, § 3.
Amendment Notes.
The 2004 amendment, effective May 19, 2004, in the section catchline, substituted “Early identification; unexcused absences and truancy” for “Notice of absence”; in the first sentence, substituted “truant” for “absent for three or more successive school days”, deleted “local” preceding “school” and “by telephone or written notice” following “contact”, and substituted the language beginning “parent to inform” for the language beginning “parents, legal guardian, or”; and in the second sentence, deleted “legal guardian or custodian prior to the end of the three-day period” following “parent” and “prior to the end of the three-day period” following “absence”.
The 2006 amendment, effective July 1, 2007, inserted “or charter school” in the middle of the first sentence.
The 2009 amendment, effective June 19, 2009, in the first sentence, substituted “in need of early intervention” for “truant,” added “or private school,” and substituted “has unexcused absences from school” for “is truant”; and made a related change.
Research References and Practice Aids
Cross references.
Unexcused absences and truancy; attendance policies, 22-12-9 NMSA 1978.