Prekindergarten and Kindergarten

Students enrolled in prekindergarten or kindergarten are required to attend school and are subject to the compulsory attendance requirements as long as they remain enrolled.

Between Ages 6 and 18

State law requires that a student who is at least six years of age, or who is younger than six years of age and has previously been enrolled in first grade, and who has not yet reached their 19th birthday shall attend school, as well as any applicable accelerated instruction program, extended year program, or tutorial session, unless the student is otherwise excused from attendance or legally exempt.

State law requires attendance in an accelerated reading instruction program when kindergarten, first grade, or second grade students are assigned to such a program. Parents will be notified in writing if their child is assigned to an accelerated reading instruction program as a result of a diagnostic reading instrument.

A student will be required to attend any assigned accelerated instruction program, which may occur before or after school or during the summer, if the student does not meet the passing standards on an applicable subject area

Compulsory Attendance - Exemptions

All Grade Levels

State law allows exemptions to the compulsory attendance requirements for several types of absences if the student makes up all work. These include the following activities and events:

Religious holy days;
Required court appearances;
Activities related to obtaining U.S. citizenship;
Documented health-care appointments for the student or a child of the student, including absences related to autism services, if the student returns to school on the same day of the appointment and brings a note from the health-care provider;
Absences resulting from a serious or life-threatening illness or related treatment that makes a student’s attendance infeasible, with certification by a physician;
For students in the conservatorship (custody) of the state,
An activity required under a court-ordered service plan; or
Any other court-ordered activity, provided it is not practicable to schedule the student’s participation in the activity outside of school hours.
A student who misses school for a temporary absence due to an appointment with a health care professional for the student or a child of the student, who commences classes or returns to school on the same day of the appointment if he/she brings a note from the health care professional. This includes a temporary absence of a student diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder on the day of the student’s appointment with an appropriate health care practitioner, as defined below, to receive a generally recognized service for persons with autism spectrum disorder, including applied behavioral analysis, speech therapy, and occupational therapy. Any note must come directly from the doctor’s and/or health care practitioner’s office, as appropriate. A consultation over the phone or via video (telemedicine) is considered an appointment with a healthcare professional. An appointment with a school nurse will not count for FSP funding as an appointment with a healthcare professional.
A health care practitioner is defined as one who is licensed, certified, or registered to practice in the United States.

For children of military families, absences of up to five days will be excused for a student to visit a parent, stepparent, or legal guardian going to, on leave from, or returning from certain deployments. [See Children of Military Families on page 23 for more information.]

Elementary

Intermediate

High

Programs

Attendance