Maryland elementary schools would be required to intervene in the lives of chronically absent students under a bill being filed by a state lawmaker from Montgomery County. Del. Ana Sol Gutierrez, D-Wheaton, is introducing the proposed law in light of research that says addressing absenteeism in kindergarten and first-grade students will make them less likely to drop out of high school.

The Preventing Chronic Absenteeism bill would most benefit children in areas of high poverty, a condition which has a large impact on student attendance, she said.