In response to the alarming rates of truancy and chronic absenteeism in Texas schools, lawmakers are pushing forward key legislation aimed at addressing these issues.

Consequences or support? That question dominates state lawmakers’ debate on how to address truancy in Texas.

Several bills have been filed in the Texas House and Senate this legislative session aimed at addressing the problem of truancy in Texas.

Truancy remains a significant challenge in Texas, with around one million children reported truant each year. Recent investigations by KPRC 2 have shed light on the state's efforts—or lack thereof—in addressing this pressing issue.

With approximately 1 million students reported truant each year over the last four school years, concerns are rising about the effectiveness of truancy prevention measures.

Houston ISD has reported zero truancy prevention measures to the Texas Education Agency over the past four years, despite thousands of students being marked truant each year.

Houston schools are facing a tough challenge with truancy as alarming new data reveals over 60,000 unexcused absences last year alone.

A bill filed by State Sen. Paul Bettencourt would help bring consistency to how truancy is handled by school districts across the state. After passing the Senate 30-1, Senate Bill 1630 was recently voted out of a House committee and is now headed to a vote in the House.

The Robb Elementary School shooter had hundreds of unexcused absences, and a House investigative report noted it was unclear whether any attempts were made by the school district to find out what was happening in the teen’s life before he was involuntarily withdrawn.

As investigators combed through the life of the Robb Elementary school shooter, they discovered he was absent from school for hundreds of days before being “involuntarily withdrawn” from the district.