Chronic Absenteeism Reduction in Every School (CARES) Act

This bill allows local educational agencies to use specified federal funds for mentoring programs and other activities that address chronically absent students (i.e., students who miss 10% or more of school days).

Such activities may include, among other things

• implementing data collection systems that assist schools in collecting and tracking attendance data;
• creating data-sharing and confidentiality agreements between schools, social service agencies, city and county governments, and partner agencies or community organizations working with students;
• partnering with local health, transportation, and service providers to target intervention efforts;
• training and integrating school personnel for mentoring; and
• implementing evidence-based restorative justice strategies aimed at reducing suspensions in order to keep students in school.