Dive Brief:

• A new bill introduced in Pennsylvania's House of Representatives by Rep. Dom Costa (D-Stanton Heights) would require the state's charter and cyber charter schools to adhere to compulsory attendance laws.
• Current laws only require these schools to contact the student's home school district following three or more days of unexcused absences, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.
• The bill is an effort to address potentially abusive situations involving children enrolled in cyber charter schools following the beating death of an 11-year-old boy and two other instances uncovered by children's advocates in the state.

Dive Insight:

The legislation would require teachers and principals at charters and cyber charters to report to an administrator following three days of unexcused absences. Despite agreement with its intentions, some charter operators are concerned about the costs of implementations as funding cuts loom. 

Virtual school truancy has also been an issue in other states, with Ohio lawmakers, for example, recently moving to address issues with a school that was continuing to collect per-pupil funding on students who were chronically absent.