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​Legislator PhotoRe​presentative Hòa Nguyễn ​

Democrat - District 48

Capitol Phone: 503-986-1448
Capitol Address: 900 Court St. NE, H-473, Salem, Oregon 97301
Email: Rep.HoaNguyen@oregonlegislature.gov
Website: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/nguyen​

Chief of Staff: 

Sarah Arbuckle (she/her)

Legislative Staff: 

Chris Stuckart (he/him)

APICCO Intern:

Linh Oliver (they/them)​

​"From Kelly Butte to Powell Butte, Barton to Carver."

 
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C​hronic Absenteeism​


Even after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, chronic absenteeism (defined as missing at least 10% of days in a school year) remains a crisis in Oregon. As an educator, I readily recognize the need to address this crisis in order to keep our students in school and on track for graduation.

During the 2024 interim, I co-chaired the Chronic Absenteeism Workgroup alongside Senator Weber, which investigated the root causes of chronic absenteeism, as well as existing efforts to improve student attendance. Our work together resulted in several policy recommendations, many of which have been carried over as bills in the 2025 legislative session. 

This page will serve as a hub for my work on chronic absenteeism. Here you can find information on all my chronic absenteeism-related bills, as well as various important links and policy updates. I’m looking forward to continuing this valuable work!

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2025 Session Summary

As discussed above, the 2024 Chronic Absenteeism W​orkgroup yielded several recommendations that were brought forward as policies in the 2025 session.

My main priority was HB 3199B, a package designed to tackle some of the fundamental components of the chronic absenteeism conversation and set the groundwork for future efforts. It was a combination of two bills, explained below:


HB 3199 requires​ the​ Legislative Policy and Research Office (LPRO) to conduct a study on existing efforts to improve school attendance, and submit findings to legislative committees.​


HB 3202 directs the Oregon Department of Education (ODE) to put together an advisory committee regarding attendance improvement, especially for students who experience language barriers and other academic disparities.​

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Listed below are other bills I sponsored that address chronic absenteeism, in addition to our policy package.​

HB 3218: TAPP Expansion​

HB 3218 ​will direct the Commission on Indian Services (LCIS) and ODE to study opportunities to expand the Tribal Attendance Promising Practices grant program, which supports the attendance of Native students in schools.​​


SB 315 will require ODE to review and make recommendations related to existing rules for the recording of student absences and how school districts respond to student absences.




Tackling chronic absenteeism at its core requires an understanding of the many underlying realities that cause it, as well as a concerted effort between education stakeholders and changemakers. These policies are a step in the right direction that allow us to increase institutional knowledge, bring important voices to the table together, and create a solid foundation for our next steps. There is, of course, still much work to be done — which I am as committed to as ever.
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Updates

  • ​SB 315​ passed through the legislature and was signed into law on May 22nd. This bill will help standardize and streamline the attendance reporting process, meaning that the data we receive will be more accurate and allow for more effective responses.
  • HB 3218 was signed into law on May 28th. This is a great step towards improving educational outcomes for our Nat​ive students! The study will commence some time after session, with results and recommendations delivered to the legislature by September 2026.​
  • HB 3199 passed through the legislature on ​June 26th, and will be signed into law imminently. ​
    • ​The attendance study will be presented to the legislature by September 2026. 
    • The advisory committee will convene no later than May 2026, and ODE will deliver reports to the legislature periodically.​

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How to Get Involved?

  • ​​​Testify: ​Public testimony is highly valuable to us as legislators — I encourage you to testify on any bills that you may feel strongly about!

    • ​​Visit this guide for instructions on registering to testify (in-person or remotely) and submitting written testimony.

    • Visit this page​ for general instructions and tips for testifying.​


  • Subscribe for updates: There are many ways to receive real-time legislative updates, for anyone interested in following the process.
    • You can get updates on specific bills and committees by visiting their individual pages and pressing ‘e-Subscribe’ in the top right corner.​
    • Subscribe to my newsletter and/or follow me on Instagram for regular updates from my office — on bills, events, district news, and more.​