Legislation seeks excused school absences for State Fair

Students attending the Indiana State Fair to show animals or take part in other learning opportunities would be granted up to five excused absences under proposed legislation.

Senate Bill 114 comes in response to increasingly earlier school start dates that now overlap with the fair, making it more difficult for some school children to participate in 4-H and other learning experiences at the fair.

Many school districts have been adopting a summer vacation that's two weeks shorter than usual. School leaders see the so-called “balanced calendar” as a way to reduce the loss of learning over longer summer vacations.

But others have complained it cuts into traditional summertime activities

The legislation by Sen. Jean Leising, R-Oldenburg, would require a public school board or nonpublic school chief officer to excuse up to five absences for a student who participates in fair activities through FFA, 4-H or similar organizations.

On Tuesday, it passed the House Education Committee 11-0 after being amended to be identical to a similar bill sponsored by Rep. Robert Cherry, R-Greenfield. The change to Leising’s bill extends the number of excused absences to five days from three.

The bill now moves to the full House for consideration.

The Indiana School Board Association said it supports the idea but questions the need for a statewide policy. The Department of Education has taken a “neutral” stance.

“For the most part, there is strong support because there is strong support for the values of getting the the kids learning in 4-H and FFA and other approved activities at the fair,” Leising said. “We’ve made it clear that this is not about going to the fair to ride the Ferris Wheel.”

State Fair spokesman Andy Klotz said fair organizers are hopeful the legislation will pass. While 4-H involvement has increased, he said, more families face the dilemma of their children taking off class days to tend to their animals or other projects. Students spend all summer preparing projects, from raising livestock to growing produce.

“We have done quite a bit of shifting 4-H events to the weekend, to make it easier for some to attend,” he said. “But as more and more (schools) have gone to the balanced (calendar) it has become a problem for an increasing number of families.”

Call Star reporter Eric Weddle at (317) 444-6222. Follow him on Twitter: @ericweddle.