Students who turn 18 while in school and have poor attendance records can no longer hide behind their parents in court, according to new legislation and corresponding changes to school districts’ policies.

Once a student turns 18, he or she is accountable for attendance, which means that if a student misses too much school, the district may file in court against the student directly, instead of a parent, said North East School District spokeswoman Deb Caldwell.

“Sometimes, what happens is, when young people get a certain age, the parent will say, ‘He’s 18, what can I do [about attendance]?’” Caldwell said, “and this puts the responsibility on the student.”

Caldwell said the policy change came as a result of House Bill 1137, which was passed during the last legislative session. The house bill offers districts the option to pass their own policy changes.

Both NEISD and Northside School District changed their policy last month.

In NEISD, 18-year-old students who live with their parents may not sign themselves in and out of school; independent 18-year-old students may, but some campuses require students to sign out with an administrator, “especially if they have an attendance problem,” Caldwell said.

“This is done to help monitor the attendance and keep close communication with the 18-year-old, who may not be making the best of decisions regarding his education,” she said.