The Iowa Legislature has passed HF870, which allows students to miss 5 hours of school each week to attend an off-site religious class. This time is not counted as absent and does not contribute to a child’s chronic absentee rate.

The state of Iowa has a law requiring the school district to contact the county attorney and notify guardians via certified mail if a student misses more than 10% of class time. When a student misses 20% of time, the county can file charges. Schools in Iowa operate for a minimum of 6 hours each day, excluding lunch. The 5 hours per week of religious instruction equate to missing 1 hour of a 6-hour day. This is a 17% absentee rate. This puts the child 12 minutes away from having charges filed every week.

The legislature passed a law that says if a child is absent for one hour every day of the week because their guardian can’t get them to school on time, the guardian could face charges. But if they miss the same amount of time for a religious class, it’s excused. This makes no sense. If the goal of Iowa’s law is to make sure students are in school and not missing classes, why pass a law that allows them to miss class? The Central River Area Education Agency had this to say about why Iowa has the absentee law.

“Research shows that frequent absences, especially in the early years of school, can seriously harm a child’s learning. Students who miss a lot of school tend to fall behind in key subjects like reading and math. Over time, these gaps are harder to close, often resulting in higher dropout rates, fewer chances for higher education and reduced career opportunities. The law is designed to help identify these students early and provide the support they need to stay on track. By addressing the root causes of absenteeism, the goal is to boost student achievement and reduce long-term negative outcomes.”

The reasons for missing school that do not count towards the chronic absentee rate in Iowa are:

1. Completed requirements for graduation or obtained a high school equivalency diploma.
2. Excused for sufficient reason by any court of record or judge.
3. Attending religious services or receiving religious instructions.
4. Unable to attend school due to legitimate medical reason(s).
5. Individualized Education Program (IEP) that affects attendance.
6. Section 504 plan under the Federal Rehabilitation Act that affects attendance

Missing a class for non-school-related activities does not change the fact that the time is missed. Punishing a child who misses time for a family vacation and not a child who attends church is not giving equal treatment to students. Iowa has established two standards for student attendance: one for parents who have their child participate in religious classes for 5 hours per week, and another for parents who do not.

While Lifewise is not explicitly mentioned in the bill, it is clear that the Lifewise Academy model aligns perfectly with the bill. Representative Skyler Wheeler posted on social media and made sure to let everyone know the true intention of the law is to support Lifewise Academy.