A DRAFT version of the state's Education Act recommends a compulsory conferencing process between families and schools be established to address non-attendance.
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Education Minister Jeremy Rockliff said the consultative process would allow the education system to take a deeper look at why students weren't attending school, rather than simply prosecuting parents.
''At the present time, after a student has not attended for a period of time there's correspondence between the school and the family at 5, 10, 15 and 20 days [of non-attendance] and following that 20 days it really just leads down that prosecution path,'' he said.
''What we want to do is get a greater understanding of why students are not attending school.''
Mr Rockliff said the compulsory process would bring families into the school to discuss and address issues leading to non-attendance.
The draft legislation also includes the lowering of the compulsory minimum school starting age and an increase in leaving requirements, announced last week by Mr Rockliff.
Changes to the leaving age are expected to cost about $15 million a year from the planned implementation in 2020, and Mr Rockliff promised all changes would be properly resourced.
Other changes proposed by the government include:
- Allowing students with a disability to be able to enrol in both a mainstream government or non-government school as well as a special school;
- The setting of a minimum standard for adult behaviour in schools; and
- Stronger regulatory controls around the provision of home education.
Mr Rockliff said the changes would ensure the Education Act was contemporary, flexible and set the standard for a high performing education system in the state.
Opposition Leader Bryan Green said he welcomed measures that allowed children to be more engaged in education, and said Labor would closely examine the draft legislation.
Commissioner for Children Mark Morrissey said the compulsory non-attendance conferences were an important part of improving educational outcomes.
''Young people who leave school through disengagement often go on to have less than ideal outcomes, so anything that we can bring to the discussion I would warmly welcome,'' he said.
Information sessions will be held around the state from March 31 to April 6, with public feedback on the draft legislation set to close on May 13.
The government plans to introduce the amended act during the spring session of Parliament.
