What is the truancy rate in California?

In 2021-22, 30% of students in California's public schools were chronically absent, an all-time high and more than three times the pre-pandemic rate.

How many absences is a truancy 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 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 the attendance rate for schools in California?

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. For the first 30 days of the 2022-23 school year, average daily attendance was 92.5%, based on data from 100 districts.

What happens if your child is truant 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.

New California bill addressed chronic absenteeism and federal funds in schools

Is truancy illegal in California?

Truancy brings various possible consequences, including juvenile court in the most severe cases. The primary goal of California's truancy laws is not to punish students and their families, but rather to encourage children to stay in school and get the benefits of public education so they can succeed in life.

What is the truancy code in California?

Pursuant to California Education Code § 48260 (a): “A 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 a 30-minute period during the schoolday without a valid ...

Is it illegal to not enroll your child in school 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.

Are California schools overcrowded?

Using a conservative definition of overcrowding, the state estimates that approximately one million children attend almost a thousand critically overcrowded schools.

What is a habitual truant?

A "habitual truant" is defined as a student who has eleven (11) or more days of. unexcused absences in one school year.

Is going to a funeral an excused absence?

(4) For the purpose of attending the funeral services or grieving the death of either a member of the pupil's immediate family, or of a person that is determined by the pupil's parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupil's immediate family, so long as the absence is ...

Is mental health an excused absence 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.

Can a school call your parents if you are 18?

Unless the student is in danger or causing danger, the school shouldn't be able to contact the students parents once the student is 18 without permission.

What is the first truancy letter in California?

* First truancy letter - Your student has been marked absent on 3 or more occasions. In high school with multiple classes, this can mean they have been marked in a single class or the full day. Schools are required by California law to notify the parents when 3 or more unexcused absences occur.

What happens if a child does not go to school?

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.

How good is California's education system?

It has a higher-than-average proportion of schools not making adequate yearly progress as the state defines it under NCLB. Overall, it ranks among the lowest on NAEP (the “nation's report card”), but its scores are much closer to the U.S. average if English learners' results are excluded.

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

Consequences For Parents Of Truant Students

Here in California, parents have a legal responsibility to compel their children to attend public school. Parents who fail to compel their children to attend school, or who actively help and encourage them to skip school, may face criminal charges.

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.

At what age is school mandatory in California?

Since school is mandatory for six-year-old students, parents and guardians must enroll their children in school once they reach the age of six (EC Section 48200). It is a local decision, with parental input, whether the six-year-old student will be enrolled in kindergarten or first grade.

What is the second classification of truancy?

Second Notice of Truancy “T2”

After a student's fourth unexcused absence or tardy, the school is required to report the student to the attendance supervisor or school superintendent. Most California schools have special attendance task forces set up to help students who have a problem with truancy.

Is kindergarten required in California?

Currently, California, like most other states, does not require children to attend school until first grade, after they turn 6.

How to homeschool in California?

In California, there are several ways that parents educate their children at home: through an existing private school, through a public charter or independent study program, and in many instances by opening their own private home based school and filing the Private School Affidavit (PSA) with the California Department ...