How many days of school can you legally miss in California?

California Laws about School Attendance Attending school is compulsory for children between the ages of 5 – 18. Per California Education Code §48260, any student who is absent from school without a valid excuse for three full days is truant.

How long can you not go to school in California?

Under state law, a pupil who, without a valid excuse, is absent from school for three full days in one school year, or is tardy or absent for more than 30 minutes during the school day on three occasions in one school year, is considered truant.

What happens if you miss a lot of school in California?

For parents or guardians, the court may require fines, parenting classes, loss of welfare benefits, and/or jail time. For students, the court may require fines, community service work, loss of work permit, and/or one-year suspension/delay of California driver's license.

Is it illegal to take your child out of school for vacation in California?

Under the CA Education Code, absences are excused for a few explicit reasons, such as illness, medical appointments, funerals, court appearances and possibly a couple of other compelling reasons. Vacations are explicitly excluded and included in the list of absences that are unexcused.

What is the compulsory attendance law in California?

California compulsory education law requires everyone between the ages of six and eighteen years of age to attend school, except students who have graduated from high school or passed the California High School Proficiency Exam and obtained parental permission.

How many days can you miss of school in California?

How many absences is illegal in California?

The California Legislature defined a truant in very precise language. In summary, it states that a student missing more than 30 minutes of instruction without an excuse three times during the school year must be classified as a truant and reported to the proper school authority.

How many absences can a student have in California?

Per California Education Code §48260, any student who is absent from school without a valid excuse for three full days is truant. Any student who is tardy or absent for any 30-minute period during the school day, without a valid excuse on three occasions during one school year, is classified as truant.

What is considered an excused absence from school in California?

For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of the pupil's religion, attendance at religious retreats (not to exceed four hours per semester), attendance at an employment conference, attendance at an ...

What happens if a child refuses to go to school California?

The laws of the state applies to children aged 6 to 18. These children are required to attend school in their school district, whether elementary, middle, or high school. In California, it is against the law for children to not attend school and parents can face jail time for this act.

Do kids legally have to go to school California?

At what age are children required to attend school in California? In California children between six and eighteen years of age are subject to compulsory full-time education (Education Code [EC] Section 48200).

Is mental health a valid reason to miss school in California?

Did you know that under a 2021 California law, public school students can take up to five days of excused absences for mental health, no questions asked? We are experiencing a youth mental health crisis in California and across the nation.

How much school is too much missed?

Students who are chronically absent—meaning they miss at least 15 days of school in a year—are at serious risk of falling behind in school.

What is chronic absenteeism California?

(1) The number of pupils with a primary, secondary, or short-term enrollment during the academic year (July 1 – June 30) who are chronically absent where “chronic absentee” means a pupil who is absent 10 percent or more of the school days in the school year when the total number of days a pupil is absent is divided by ...

How many absences are allowed in a school year 2023 California?

Students are expected to attend school daily. Consistent daily attendance is critical for a student's academic success. The State of California considers ten days of absences for one school year, for any reason, excessive.

What is educational neglect in California?

Education is considered one of these necessities, and failure to ensure a child's school attendance can be illegal in some cases. Under California Penal Code Section 270.1(a) PC, it is against the law for a parent to inadequately supervise a pupil's school attendance.

What happens if you don't go to school in California?

Students who are truant face a range of possible consequences, but only in the most severe cases is a student referred to a local district attorney or juvenile court. The most common consequences for truant students are: Referral to the district's School Attendance and Review Board (“SARB”)

What happens if my child misses too much school in California?

Students who are chronically truant can face repercussions at school. Most schools in California have created School Attendance Review Boards (SARBs). These Boards have wide discretion to take action to keep a minor in school.

How many days of school are there in California?

California has a requirement of 180 school days.

Is it legal to homeschool in California?

Any parent in California who is capable of teaching can opt to homeschool their child ages 6-18, provided they follow the law. October 1-15 is the period when a parent can file a private school affidavit to establish a home-based private school.

What are three 3 reasons for which an absence or absences may be considered excused?

Due to quarantine under the direction of a county or cit health officer. For the purpose of having medical, dental, optometric or chiropractic services rendered. For the purpose of attending the funeral services of a member of his or her immediate family. For the purpose of jury duty in the manner provided by law.

What is the excused absence policy in California?

Section 48205 - Excused absences from school (a) Notwithstanding Section 48200, a pupil shall be excused from school when the absence is: (1) Due to the pupil's illness, including an absence for the benefit of the pupil's mental or behavioral health.

Can a teacher give you a 0 for an excused absence?

Excuses absences do not excuse you from doing the work. The simply give you the number of days you were absent to extend the deadline. Since you were absent on a day an assignment was done, and the work can't be made up, the teacher gave a zero.

How many days can you be truant in California?

California's Truancy Laws

School attendance is a requirement for children aged six to eighteen. California Education Code 48260 states a student becomes truant when they do not have a valid excuse and is one or more of the following: Absent for three full school days in a single year. Tardy three times in a school year.

Can a student fail because of absences?

Were they excused or unexcused? If excused then no, you will not fail automatically. If unexcused I am surprised your parents have not been notified of the missed days of school. Those will probably make you fail.

At what age can you drop out of high school in California?

California students may drop out legally once they turn 18. Students who are 16 or 17 may also leave school, but only if they: have their parents' permission, and. pass the California High School Proficiency Exam, which leads to a certificate that's equivalent to a diploma (more on that below).