Senator Amy Sinclair has been named to an advisory board investigating chronic absenteeism in Iowa schools.

Chronic absenteeism is defined as absences totaling more than 20 days out of school in a year. Sinclair says this board is a part of Governor Branstad’s focus on increasing the rates of Iowa children reading at or above their grade level in 3rd grade. Sinclair says absences from school in formative years can have wide ranging effects as a child matures. The council will try to determine causes and brainstorm solutions over the next several months.