A bill for an act requiring boards of directors of school districts and the authorities in charge of accredited nonpublic schools to adopt policies related to excusing the absences of students enrolled in grades nine through twelve for civic or political events.

SF 88 requires Iowa public school districts and accredited nonpublic schools to create policies allowing students in grades 9-12 to miss school for civic or political events without penalty. Schools must grant at least one excused absence per year for such events, with students required to give advance notice to an administrator and complete a short assignment demonstrating what they learned. The policy specifically covers activities like voting, attending political forums, serving as poll workers, or participating in public comment periods. Crucially, these absences will not count toward chronic absenteeism or truancy records.