Relating to the inclusion of chronically absent students as students at risk of dropping out of school and the collection and reporting of data regarding those students.

SB 56 adds "chronically absent students" to the definition of "students at risk of dropping out" under Texas education law. This change directly affects Texas public school students who miss significant school time, requiring school districts to identify these students using the commissioner's defined absence thresholds. The bill mandates that schools collect and report data about chronically absent students through the existing Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS). This amendment aligns chronic absenteeism with other recognized risk factors like academic failure or homelessness, aiming to improve early intervention efforts.