What are the rules for school attendance 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 of school can you legally miss in California?

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.

What is considered an excused absence from school in California?

1. Personal illness (school may require doctor's note verifying absence after 10 days). 2. Quarantine under the direction of a health officer.

Can my child miss 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.

Do California schools get paid based on attendance?

California is one of seven states that use Average Daily Attendance (ADA) to determine school district funding, according to the Education Commission of the States. ADA is the average number of students in seats calculated over a state-determined period of time. Absent students are not counted in the daily count.

New California bill addressed chronic absenteeism and federal funds in schools

How much money do schools lose when students are absent in California?

The District loses $50 per day when a student is not in school. This revised manner (previously districts were reimbursed for verified absences for illness, doctors' appointments, etc.)

What is considered chronic absenteeism in California schools?

A "chronic absentee" has been defined in Education Code Section 60901(c)(1) as "a pupil who is absent on 10 percent or more of the schooldays in the school year when the total number of days a pupil is absent is divided by the total number of days the pupil is enrolled and school was actually taught in the regular day ...

What happens if my child misses more than 10 days of school in California?

The Health Department has stated that if a child misses more than 7-10 days of school per year for illness reasons, that student is missing too much. Most daylight juvenile crime is committed by students who are truant. Parents and students may be prosecuted for violating compulsory attendance laws.

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

Interventions. When a student is a habitual truant, or is irregular in attendance at school, or is habitually insubordinate or disorderly during school, the student may be referred to a school attendance review board (SARB) or to the county probation department pursuant to EC Section 48263.

What is the law for excused absences 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.

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

What are valid excuses for missing school?

Common acceptable reasons for missing school include illness, a family emergency, or a medical appointment. If one of these reasons applies to your situation, you can simply state it truthfully.

What can I say to excuse my child from school?

What is chronic absenteeism California?

A “chronic absentee” has been defined in California Education Code (EC) Section 60901(c)(1) as “a pupil who is absent on 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 the total number of days the pupil is enrolled and school was actually taught in ...

How many days of school can you miss in the US?

How Much School Kids Can Miss. In most districts, it takes 17 to 18 days to reach the threshold for chronic absence, but schools become concerned well before then if they notice a child is frequently out. Experts say the first red flag is often missing multiple days in a row.

What happens if my child refuses to go to school in California?

A violation of Penal Code 270.1 is charged as a misdemeanor (as opposed to a California felony or an infraction). The crime is punishable by: imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one year; and/or, a maximum fine of $2,000.

Are schools responsible for students after school California?

School employees have a duty to provide reasonable care for students' safety and wellbeing after school hours and beyond campus. This includes while children wait for pickup, within reason.

What is the definition of an unexcused absence?

What is an Unexcused Absence? An unexcused absence is an absence that does not meet state or district guidelines. Unexcused absences also occur when the parent cannot produce any documentation that explains the absence or if the parent presents documentation that does not meet criteria for excused absences.

What is the fine for truancy in California?

Consequences For Parents Of Truant Students

Parents can be fined up to $500 if they fail to compel their children to attend school. They can be fined up to $2,000 and face up to a year in jail if a court finds that they contributed to the delinquency of their child.

What are the consequences of chronic absenteeism in California?

Truancy and school discipline are associated with a host of negative consequences, including a decline in academic achievement, a greater likelihood of dropping out of school, poor health and well-being outcomes, and an increased risk of involvement in the juvenile justice system.

Why do schools care about attendance?

Students who miss more than 18 days of school are less proficient in reading, writing and math compared to their peers with good attendance. Students who do not learn the fundamentals of reading, writing and math by third grade are more likely to fall behind and are less likely to graduate high school.

Is school attendance mandatory 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.

What is the attendance rate in California schools?

Average daily attendance has plummeted from 95.9% in 2019-20, before the pandemic, with the average student missing 7.38 days a year, to 91.01% in 2021-22, with the average student missing 16.18 days.

How many days absent in a school year is an acceptable amount?

Any pupil subject to compulsory full-time education or to compulsory continuation education who is absent from school without a valid excuse three full days in one school year or tardy or absent for more than any 30 minute period during the school day without a valid excuse on three occasions in one school year, or any ...