Granting school administrators ability to hold students back for 20 or more missed days

SB 179 would allow West Virginia school administrators to prevent students from advancing to the next grade level or graduating if they have 20 or more unexcused absences during the school year. The bill requires administrators to meet with attendance officers and teachers before report cards are issued to decide on retention for affected students. Crucially, this decision cannot be overridden by parents requesting promotion to the next grade. The law directly affects students with chronic absenteeism, school administrators (who gain this authority), and parents, aiming to address unexcused absences through school-level intervention.