UNION TOWNSHIP, Ohio — West Clermont families will see earlier notifications and new intervention steps when a state attendance law takes full effect with the 2026-2027 school year, the district said in a social media post.
The change stems from Ohio’s two-year state budget bill signed in 2025, which shifted the state’s attendance framework away from tracking truancy alone and toward flagging students at risk of chronic absence, regardless of whether the time missed is excused.
Under the law, schools must notify parents or guardians once a student has missed 5% of the minimum instructional hours required for the school year — roughly 45 to 50 hours, or about eight to nine school days, depending on grade level — for any reason, including excused and medically excused absences.
A student is considered chronically absent after missing more than 10% of the school year, or approximately 90 to 100 hours, the district said. That threshold also counts every absence regardless of the reason it was taken.
When attendance concerns arise, schools may work with families to develop an Attendance Intervention Plan to identify barriers to regular attendance and connect students with appropriate support, according to the post. If attendance does not improve, state law requires schools to take additional steps, which may include referrals to outside agencies.
The law also touches driver’s education. High school students must meet state attendance requirements before they can take part in the in-car portion of driver’s education instruction, the district said.
West Clermont Local School District, headquartered in Union Township, enrolls 7,831 students across 10 schools, including five elementary schools, a middle school and a high school. Dr. David Fultz became superintendent in August 2025 after 13 years working in the district.
District officials asked families facing challenges that make regular attendance difficult to contact their child’s school for support.
The information contained in this story was obtained from West Clermont Local School District.