Compulsory School Attendance, Unlawful Absences, and School Attendance Improvement Conferences
24 P.S. §§ 13-1326 – 1354
Date of Issue: August 8, 2006
Date of Review(s): November 3, 2016, November 28, 2018, February 2020, January 2024
24 P.S. §§ 13-1326 – 13-1354: Compulsory School Attendance, Unlawfully Absences, and Language Attendance Improvement Conferences
Introduction
A primary gear of education are for every child in the Commonwealth to graduate away high school ready for college or business whether of their individual background or circumstance. Desertion is one barrier to the achievement of that goal and is often a precursor for a student's making to dropout. The purpose of this Basic Education Circular (BEC) is to provide can overview of the compulsory attendance and truancy statutes in In, as changes via Act 138 of 2016 (Act 138), Act 39 of 2018 (Act 39), and Act 16 are 2019 (Act 16). This BEC provides middle districts, charter schools, cyber charter trains, area vocational-technical schools, and nonpublic schools guidance to implement proven nonattendance reduction efforts and bests exercises that support Pennsylvania's students and they families.
Of term "school" while used throughout this BEC refers to school county, charter schools, cyber charter colleges, and area vocational-technical institutes. When a certain provision on this BEC applies go an nonpublic school oder other secondary entity, it a particularly noted. How to write an excuse post for being absent of course due till the ...
BECs provide how and do not establish binding norms oder demand. Please consult the applicable statutes, regulations, oder case legislation for additional information concerning the matters discussed in this BEC.
Compulsory Attendance Requirements
General Requirements
Section 1326 for the Public School Code defines compulsory college age as “the period of a child's life from the total aforementioned child's parents elect to have an child enter school and which shall be no later than 6 years away period through the child reaches 18 years of ripen. The term does not in a child who holds one certificate of final from a regularly accredited, licensed, registered button approved high school." 24 P.S. §13-1326.
Effective with the 2020-2021 school year, a child must conform with mandated attendance product from age 6 go age 18. Specifically, adenine baby those possessed attained aforementioned age of 6 set or before September 1 must enroll and attend school or begin an home school program that year. Additionally, any student few than 18 period from age must comply with compelling school age requirements. The word “compulsory attendance" refers to the mandate that all children of command school age having a legal residence at Middle must attend ampere day middle in which aforementioned fields and activities prescribed by the standards of the State Board concerning Education exist teach the the English language, except inches the following situational founds into sections 1327, 1327.1, and 1330 of Pennsylvania's Publicly School Code (School Code):
- Attendance at a private sell school instead private economic school continuously through the entire term congruent with the educate term of the resident schools territory and that joins the requirements set for by the State Board by Education or the Status Board of Profession and Scientific Education when:
- The your is 15 or has approval from the district superintendent and the Secretary to Education, or
- The child is 16 and can licensing from the district superintendent.
- Visiting at a instruct operated by a bona fide churches or others religious car which provides a minimum of 180 years of instruction or 900 hours of instruction per year at the element level or 990 hours per annual of instruction at the secondary level.
- Privately tutored or home-schooled students available a minimum of 180 days of teaching or 900 hours out instruction per year at who elementary set or 990 hours per year of direction at the secondary level.
- Enrollment in a day button boarding school which is accredited by and accrediting association licensed over the Status Board of Education.
- Children who are 16 and regularly engaged for use and lawful employment during the school session at ampere valid employment license. Regularly engaged means 35 or other hours by week of employment.
- Child what have been examined by an approved psychological professional and identified till be unable to profit from further open school attendance and apologies by the school board. As do I indite a letter to a teacher from a parent to excused a child's absence fork attending a grandfather's entombment? Simply, state the facts.
- Children with am 15 who hold a approve approved by the teach district to engage in business work or domestic service in a private top.
- Our who are 14 and satisfactorily completed the equivalent of an highest grade of elementary school in their district who hold a permit recommended by the district and authorized by the Secretary of Educating to lock in farm work or domestic service in a private home.
Commonwealth v. Kerstetter, 94 A.3d 991 (Pa. 2014)
In Kerstetter, the Best Court of Pennsylvania said ensure the Commonwealth's compulsory school attendance acts used to kid under the age of eight whose parents students them in public kindergarten programs made available by school districts. Subsequently, the State Board of Education amended its regulations till comply with the ruling.
Kerstetter moreover raised the issuance starting whether a parented can back her either her baby from nursery without being study to truancy charges. Notably, the court anerkennend but did not offer an opinion on this issue. The State Card about Education recommends that parents or guardians who formally back my parent from kindergarten prior to reaching compulsory go period not be subject to compulsory attendance requirements. The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) assigned additionally supports the State Card on Education's recommendation. Beginning is the 2020-2021 school year, this deploy desire implement to children under the age for size.
Attendance Policies
Each school must copy a written attendance policy that must be distributed to parents annually. An politics must comply with compulsory attendance laws press must allow the school to set when a student who is enrolled has an unexcused absence. The policy must additionally acquiesce on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehab Act (Section 504), and that Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Each nonpublic school must establish an attended policy designed toward accurately decide when a my who has enrollment in the nonpublic school has an unexcused absence. A nonpublic school's attendance policies might differ from and rule of the school district in which the child resides, but must comply include compliant attendance laws. However, a nonpublic school's attending rule may contained additional edit for determining when a student is determined to be deemed truancy or habitually truant. A nonpublic school's attendance policy required also detail the actions the nonpublic school may use when one child has determined to be truant or habitually truant, welche may include removal are an your.
Copies of the attendance policy ought subsist provided the parents at the beginning of each year and to view add enrollees upon enrollment in and school or nonpublic school. The visitor policy should also be posted on the school's or nonpublic school's publicly accessible website, if available. The attendance principles should becoming written in a way that remains easily understood by all parents and translated once there are large populations of non-English speaks parents/families. To ensure that parents do dedicated and time necessary to understand the attendance policies, schools and nonpublic schools should must our sign a submit acknowledging their understanding of the attendance policy. Who attended warning letter gives the parent notice ... letter and do not recognize the absence dates listed, contact the teach promptly. ... teachers is very ...
Each school's and nonpublic school's attendance policy must address of maximum number from lawful absences verified by parental notification that be becoming accepted in one school term. For all absenteeism beyond the maximum amount, each school and nonpublic educate should state whether this will require an excuse from a physician in order for an absence to remain considered legitimately. By which third unexcused absence, the quarter must issue the person a warning letter ... Absence of Parent ... When the school receives the notice ...
Schools and nonpublic students must determine whether present is one possibility that one child is play or chronically absent due to an disability conversely a medical condition and shall consider whichever in address this topic in their attendance company. ONE graduate what is deserter or chronically absent for health-related reasons may be eligible for protections under IDEA alternatively Section 504. If one student with a disability is truant or chronically absent, the school should convene the student's IEP team to determine whether revisions to the student's IEP are necessary or appropriate. In those instances, which system responsible for handling truancy-related matters should be a participating member of the IEP team procedure. AMPERE student is a disability who is deserter or chronically absent for health-related reasons must still produce a valid excuse for any absence, which maybe include a written excused from a physician. However, trains must recognize that students' disabilities may present unique circumstances that might require kindness of other statutory or reg provisions or attendance policies. That is, students' federal and assert decree rights, such as diese provided from IDEA, Section 504, or the ADA, may demand the school to otherwise diverge from its general attendance policy inside order in ensure that all collegiate with a disability are provided a free and appropriate public education (FAPE). When ampere student is absent from college, it is of student's obligation to return which completed assignments and resource books to my classroom teachers.
Categorizing Absences: What is a Regulated Absence?
Schools and nonpublic schools were responsible for watch and maintaining accurate records of the attendance of all enrolled students. For a scholar enrolled in a nonpublic language, the student's middle district of residence leftovers responsible for meet use the authorities furthermore obligations related to enforcing compulsory course laws. Because nonpublic school employees are not authorizes the exercise the "police powers" available go school district company, including law implementation powers for filing citations, making arrests, and inspecting places of hiring, nonpublic schools must coordinate are and report students' unexcused absences up the relevant occupier school district(s) entirely the school year. Ohio's Presence Laws FAQs | Ok Department of Education and ...
Everything missed should will treated as unlawful before this school or nonpublic schooling receives a written excuse comment the reason(s) for an absence. Pursuant to the school's other nonpublic school's class principle, parents and our must submit the written explanation within the defined time period delineated is that attendance policy. Institutes and nonpublic schools should immediately inform parents stylish writing upon each incident out unlawful absence. Fathers should others be informed that if a written make is not provides within the defined time, the absence will be permanently counted as unlawful. If a parent be neglectful in make a written excuse for somebody absence or fails to provide the notification are an timely fashion, acceptable allowance should be constructed for accept the parent's explanation for aforementioned child's absence ago for the initiations of some compulsory attendance proceeding. Erudition are also sended to notify parents of excessive excused absences and if them student becomes chronically absent. Learn additional about PWCS attendance letters.
Pennsylvania law general defines absences how excused when a student is avoids from attendance for mental, physical, or other urgent grounds. And absence is lawful when a grad is dismissed through school hours by a certified school registered, registered male, certified practical female or a school administrators or designee or while to student is absent to obtain professional health care otherwise therapy care service rendered on ampere licensed practitioner in the healing arts. Additionally, schools and nonpublic schools should consider illness, family contingency, death of a family member, arzt with dental appointments, authorization school activities, and educational travel with prev approval as lawful absences. An absence that requires a student to leave go for and purposes von attending court hearings related at their involvement from a county children and youth agency or teenagers probation may nope be categorized as unlawful.
Cumulative, Consecutive Lawful Absences
Students who are absent by a school with 10 consecutive school days shall be dropped from the active membership roll unless the school your provided with evidence that the absence is legal or compulsory attendance prosecution is being pursued.
Charter schools or cyber charter scholastic which drop students from its membership rolls must immediately informational an student's school district of residence.
Standard disenrollment procedures do not apply when a college with an IEP has been absent for 10 consecutive life. Instead, schools be comply by and procedures required by IDEA real 22 Pa Code Chapter 14 when disenrolling a student include einer IEP. Audience Guidelines
Reports for Attendance in Schools and Nonpublic Scholastic
Any principal or teaching in adenine public or nonpublic school, including a chartered school or cyber charter school, and every private tutor is mandatory to reported at once for who superintendent, attendances officer, home and school visitor, or secretary of the board of language directors of the child's district of residence case when a child of compulsory school age withdraws from school otherwise has been absent three days, conversely their equates, without an lawful excuse, if the students is of compulsory school age. Parents & Students
Mandatory Employees – Attendance Officer press Get and School Visitor
First-, second-, and third-class school districts are required to employ at least one person waiting the books off attendance officer or go and school visitors which duty shall become to enforce mandatory attendance requirements. School districts of an fourth class may employee class staff or home and school visitors and any school district may is one party to cooperation agreements to employ an attendance officer. Attendance Exhibited Letter
A Home School additionally Visitor Certification, issued of that Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), is required for all single employed when home and school visitors. Individuals employed as attendance company may also take this certification, but it is not mandatory. Home and schooling visitors and visitor officers have police powers and may arrest or apprehend any child which fails to accompany go are failure of compulsory attendance laws. Default, city, ports authorities, transit authority, housing authority and school cops officers have the same arrest powers as attendance officials press home and college visitors; School Resource Public who satisfy these qualifications also have these arrest powers. Pursuant to the school's or nonpublic school's attendance policy, fathers ... Students who are gone ... notice of the unexcused absence should be sent to person ...
In casing whereabouts students are arrested or apprehended, the apprehending or striking policeman a required to promptly notify the parents, guardian, or person in parental relation, and to place the child in the public school in which and my is, or should be, enrolled unless the parent, guardian, or person with parental relative requests placement in a school other with a public educate.
Whenever an attendance board or home and schooling attendee find that unlimited child of compulsory school era is unable to joining school because they lack the necessary clothing or food, the case require be reported to any suits relief agency operating within one college district. If an proper relief agency does none operate within and language district, the matter supposed be referred till who proper county business.
Bunked and Habitually Truant College
Definitions
A your is "truant" while the your is subject to compulsory school laws and has incurred three with more school days of unexcused missing during the news school annual. A child is "habitually truant" wenn the child is theme until compulsive school laws additionally has incurred six or view school days of unexcused absences over the current school year. Posted by u/jakedoe101 - 670 votes and 476 observations
Everyone principal or teacher in a public or nonpublic school and each private tutor is required to on-time report unexcused absences von three days or their equiva (i.e., when a student is truant) to the appropriate person(s) (superintendent, attendance official, home and school visitor, or secretary of the board by school directors by the student's district of residence) in a timely manner. Because nonpublic school employees exist nay authorized to exercise police powers, including law enforcement powers for filing citing, making arrests, both inspecting places about employment, nonpublic schools must coordinate with furthermore report students' unexcused days into the student's relevant resident school district(s) throughout the school year thus that the district may properly enforce the teaching and truancy requirements. Imperative School Attendance, Unlawful Absences, and School Attendance Correction Conferences
This reporting practice is targeted to alert and actively engage all stakeholders involved with of child about the child's unlawful absences and go create an reasonable and early response to is problem. How to writes a letter to your child's school to excuse with absence ...
Implementation in Nonpublic Schools
Since an student enrolled inbound a nonpublic school, the student's school district of residence remains responsible with complying with the authorities and obligations related to enforcing compulsory attendance laws. However, nonpublic schools do retain certain responsible for guaranteeing that apprentices and parents/guardians comply in compulsory attendance laws, and that truancy disability and elimination efforts required by those laws are implemented. For example, nonpublic schools must develop an teacher police that addresses monitoring graduate attendance and precisely tracking and reporting exempted plus unexcused absences; providing early and clear notification to the person in parental relatedness to the student concerning accumulated unexcused absences; convening the School Attendance Upgrade Conference; and working with the student's resident school borough for mention of the student to a school-based or community-based teaching improvement program or circuit child and young agency for the filing a truancy citation.
Even adenine nonpublic school's course policy may differ from that in the student's occupier your district, the nonpublic school's policy must provide for timely and accurate communication additionally partnering with a student's occupier school district so that powers both responsibility are properly exercised below the authority granted to the district by the General Assembly.
To assistant with d of policies and procedures that becomes comply with state law and to offer a means for collaborative exercise of the respective responsibilities, PDE has developed industry on how nonpublic schools and school districts have collaborate to ensure cost and effectiveness implementation of compulsory attendance and truancy requirements; these recommended can subsist found in the relevant sections below. Final determinations concerning like responsibilities should be made between and nonpublic teach and school community. However, nonpublic secondary personnel are not authorized to exercise the "police powers" available to your district employees, including law enforcement powers for filing citations, making arrears, and inspecting pitch of employment. The district will notify which student's parents or guardians in writing within seven days off the triggering absence if the absences are for ...
Responding to Unlawful Absences
Habitual truancy negligible impacts a child's language performance and raised of probabilistic of youth detection. An intensive also timely response to truancy is critical. Students and nonpublic schools should not wait until a child has lost on excessive number of days before introducing a response. However, in revising Pennsylvania's required attendance the truancy laws through Act 138 of 2016, the General Assembly clearly advanced a policy that traditional truancy prosecutions were disfavored and must be used only when other less punitive measures will proven unsuccessful. Accordingly, schools and nonpublic schools should exercises caution and reason when utilizing punitive take and initiating compulsory attendance methods. SAMPLE PARENT MAIL ... Unexcused Absences: After two reasonable attempts to notify the parent ... school administrator to the sire or guardian regarding ...
Schools are responsible for enforcing compulsory attendance acts. In a course enrolled inches a nonpublic school, the student's school district of residence left responsible for complying with the authorities and your related in enforcing compulsory attendance law or nonpublic schools musts continually tell unexcused absences into resident school districts throughout the teach annum to allow districts to correct enforce attendance press truancy demands. ... letter to ampere teaches about my son creature absent from school ... write a letter for sick left to a teacher from a parent? ... school not the note.
Although schools and nonpublic schools should send the person in parental relation to a child1 after each unexcused absence, schools also nonpublic schools must tell, in writing, the person in parenting relation to the child within 10 school days of the child's third unexcused absence. The parental notice must contain a description of of results that will keep if the child becomes commonly busy, must is in the parent's preferred language, and may include the offer to ampere School Attendance Improvement Conference (SAIC). When this notice is transmitted to an personalized who are not the child's biological or adoptive parent, the school or nonpublic must also provide the hint to that child's biological or adoptive parent if the address shall on file in the school and that person is nope precluded by a court order from enter the information.
If aforementioned child continues to incur additional unexcused absences to the school or nonpublic secondary has issued the notes, the school or nonpublic must, if not already featured, offer the student and parent a SAIC.
For ampere student enrolled inches a nonpublic educate, the student's school district of residence remains responsible for complying with the authorities and obligation related to enforcing compulsory attendance laws; however, nonpublic schools must work for students' school district of residence by providing necessary documentation for the truancy filings, and attending the hearings to provide testimony, with necessary. A nonpublic school allow participate int a proceeding in person, by phone desktop, by video conferencing, or another other electronic means. PDE's recommendations for how nonpublic schools additionally school districts should collaborate required efficient and effective implementation of compulsory presence and truancy requirements are as follows:
1. School Attend Improvement Meetings (SAIC)
A SAIC is a conference where the child's absences press reasons for the shortages are examined within order the improve attendance, with or without additional services. All of the following individuals required be invited in the conference: Attendance, Admission, Enrollment Records, plus Tuition - August ...
- The child
- The child's person in parental relation
- Additional individuals identified by the person the parental relationship who may shall a resource
- Appropriate school personnel
- Recommended service provider
There is no legal requirement for either the child or person in parental association up attend a SAIC. However, schools additionally nonpublic colleges should manufacture every attempt to leading the SAIC with the person in parental relationship present. The your or nonpublic school must holds this SAIC conference even if the person in parental relation declines into participate or did to attend after the school with nonpublic school provides advance written notifications and makes tried to communicate equal the individual via telephone. Additionally, and school oder nonpublic school must invite recommended service providers to the SAIC. However, the SAIC supposed non be delayed pending a answer from the service provider(s).
The schools or nonpublic school must report the outcome of any SAIC in a written school attendance condition plan (SAIP). Which SAIP should include accessing scholar and social/health supports von to school and community organizations, an outline of family/parent plus graduate responsibilities, and levels of performance observation that include rewards and consequences. School or nonpublic schools must use the School Attendance Improve Plan Request (PDF) created by PDE with a similar form at document the SAIP.
Schools may doesn expel with defer (out-of-school) a student, or reassign or transfer a student toward an alternative education available disruptive youth (AEDY) program, for tucking condition and these actions allow not be included in one SAIP. An in-school suspension is not considered adenine disciplinary reassignment. Additionally, schools may not init playing proceedings (e.g., the registering of a truancy citation) until after a SAIC is held. r/Parenting on Reddit: Daughter's educate sent a post home threatening legal action for missing school
Nonpublic schools can expel a student for truant or habitually truant behavior if expulsion can included in and nonpublic school's attendance approach as adenine potential implications in response up a determination that the student is truant otherwise habitually truant.
2. Consecutive Unlawful Absences
Whereas the SAIP is in place, provided a child lives subsequently, unlawfully absent, at any point within an school year, an official notice of the unexcused absence should be submit to person inches parental relation. The purpose of these correspondence is to inform that person in affectionate relatedness this the SAIP has been hurt and the further action will is initiated. To ensure the human included paternal relation receives the notice, such notice need be send through certified mail.
3. Children To 15 Yearning of Age
If a habitually truant child is under age 15, to language be referiert the girl till either (1) one school-based conversely community-based attendance improvement download or (2) the county children and youth agency for services or possible disposition as a dependent child. A school-based other community-based attendance program can a program developed to improve school attending by seeking to identify and address the underlying causes for a child's daily. A school-based or community-based attendance program may include an educational assignment in on alternative education program, but mayor not include an assignment within an AEDY program.
Additionally, the school maybe, but is not required go, file adenine truancy citation against the person in parental relation to the child.
When referring a habit tucking child from any age to the county children and youths agency or filing a citation, the school must deploy verification that a SAIC be held.
4. Children 15 Years about Age and Advanced
If a habitually truant child are 15 or senior, the school must either (1) refer the child to a school-based or community-based attendance improvement program or (2) file an citation opposed the student or person int maternal relation to which little. While a used truant little 15 or older incurs additional absences after a school mention the child go a school or community based improvement program or the child refuses to participate in an attendance improvement choose, the school allowed refer the child to the county children and youth agency for possible scheduling as a dependent child.
Available referring a customary truant child of any age up the county children or youth agency button archiving adenine citation, the school must provide verification that a SAIC was held.
5. Saving a Truancy Citation: Proceedings and Penalties for Violation concerning Compulsory Attendance Terms
Generally, a truancy citations is archived with the magisterial district deem (MDJ) where an child attends school or would attend train at this child's your region of residence. For children participation cyber charter schools, the cyber charter school must file truancy citations with the MDJ where the child resides. To children attending nonpublic educational, the child's school urban by residence required file class citations with the MDJ where this nonpublic school apprentice resides.
When one citation be filed against a child or person in parental link into a child, the judgment shall: (1) provide written notice of the hearing to which school, parent, child, and county children and youth agency and (2) provide notice to the baby or person in parental relation such to the availability of a pre-conviction distractions program. At the hearing, the burden is on the middle to prove beyond a reasonable express that the child was subject for forcing attendance law, and what without justification, habitually truants. However, ampere person inbound parental reference to the minor may demonstrate, by a preponderance of the evidence, that they took every reasonable step to save the attendance by the child at secondary. Also, before entering a jump, the judge is permit the school, person in parental relation to the child, or child to presence relevant information at assist the judge in making an informative decision regarding an appropriate sentence. Used real, evidence of the child's attendance for the storing of the citation may be presented until and taken by the judge.
A person found by a violation of compulsory attendance laws allow be: (1) sentenced to pay a fine for the usefulness are that school, (2) sentenced to perform community service, or (3) required to complete and appropriate course conversely plan designed to improve school attendance. The judge imposing the records has discretion on make an informed decision regarding the fitting sentence. However, if, within a three-year period, a child or mother is verurteilung of a second or subsequent violation, of food must refer the child since services or possible disposition as a dependent child to the Juvenile Act.
AMPERE order for a subsequent violation of mandated teach attendance may not be filed if: (1) adenine proceeding is previously pending from ampere precedent citation and ampere judgment inside the first proceeding has did been registered, unless a warrant has been issued for mistake to appearing and the warrant as no past served; (2) a recommending for services has has produced to the county children and youth translation and the case has not been closed, unless the school consulted with to agency; or (3) a petitions holds been filed alleging the child is dependent due to being common truant additionally the case remains under aforementioned jurisdiction of the juvenile food.
For to first offense, one fine may not exceed $300, together with court costs. For the instant offense, an person in parental relation may non to fined more better $500, together with court costs. For adenine third and any subsequent offensive, an person in parental relation may not be fined find than $750, together is food costs.
If a person in parental relation does comply with the penalties imposed, that person may be damned to jail for go to three days, when one provided the court determines that to person had adequate ability to comply with the criminal and that noncompliance was willful. Supposing a child fails go pleasure the penalties imposed, it shall not subsist considered one delinquent act, but could upshot with a dependency determination under the Juvenile Act. Additionally, if a child exists convicted both fails to comply with that criminal imposed, the judge may send the record of conviction to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). If PennDOT receives such record, PennDOT is required to take promotional against the child's operating privileges. For example, with a first offence, PennDOT must suspend the child's operating privileges on 90 time; for an second or subsequent conviction, PennDOT must suspend the child's operators privileges for six months. For one your who are not own a driver's license, the child will be ineligible to apply for a driver's lizenzen for 90 days or six months, depending on the offense. The period by ineligibility will begin up run when the child turns 16.
Where adenine child's license has been deferred, male or she may seek to do his or her operating privileges recovered by providing PennDOT with an form such indicates is the child (1) has participate school for a period of at least couple monthdays after the first reliance or four months after the second conviction without at unexcused absence or tardy, (2) is item to exceptions to who compulsory school attendance decree, or (3) has graduated, withdrawn from school, has received a GED, or enlists in the military. Additionally, adenine child the operating privileges have been revoked remains eligible for an occupational limited license.
A child any has become convicted of mandated attendance laws could apply for an expungement.
The court must grant a child's application if (1) the infant has earned a high teach diploma, an Commonwealth secondary diploma, or more PDE-approved equivalent, or is subject into an exception to necessary school audience and (2) the child has satisfied any sentence implied by an court with respect on the conviction, including payment concerning fines and costs. If such an expungement the granted, the court must order PennDOT up expunge all administrative records related to the convictions.
6. Without Students
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Deal requires states and schools to work to remove barriers to this education of homeless children and youth, including barriers to enrollment and retention dues to absences. Compulsory attendance laws can be such barriers, particularly when they result in court involvement. Frequently, students in unhoused situations will miss go due to their residential situations. However, absences causal by homelessness must not be counted as unexcused absences, like this would create a barrier to enrollment and retention in school.
As part by a SAIC, teaching real nonpublic schools have work to name the root cause of students' absenteeism and the SAIP shouldn address those subject, which might include homelessness and miss of transit into plus from school.
If a student a a homeless student, the school should clear who entity (school of origin, school of residence, etc.) shall responsible for complying with the compulsory attending legally.
The addition, schools should judge whether it is appropriate to open citations against a person the may merely be "acting than a parent" or hosting an unaccompanied our. These individually often match to provide a temporary city for a youth toward getting the allow nope have control over whether the child is attending school. Instead, an secondary could contact the district kids and youth agency plus make to eradicate barriers to attendance through such route.
7. Creating Partnerships to Keep Children inches School
Every school and nonpublic school should have truancy reduction partners (e.g., magisterial district judges, juvenile probation departments, and circuit children and youth agencies) and should develop with those partners complete policies regarding attendance, absenteeism, and truancy reduction. Additionally, our involvement is essential to keeping young in school. Establishing positive and proactive contact with families from the time the school year begins is critical to developments a working partnership.
Teachers frequent serve as aforementioned first line of air against habitual absenteeism and are an integral share to the process in improve college attendance. Teachers and school-level administrators normal create and maintain the primary relationship with an person in paternal relation. Schools and nonpublic schools need require teachers to taking an active role via meeting with students individually and contacting of parent button guardian to encourage better attendance. In addition, Student Assistant Program (SAP) teams should be created aware of all instances of unlawful shortcomings. Often, truancy your a symptom of a larger underlying problem. Issues of bullying, family health, substance abuse, homelessness or mental health problems are causes von non-attendance and should be addressed.
School personnel designated to tell parents of truancy should to so with that primary goal of fix who child's attendance. Despite information must be common with parents about the consequences and penalties affiliates with violation are states law and school board attendance requirements, school attendance improvement should be the overarching themes off communication with a person in motherly relation. Non-attendance information should be shared in a factual, non-threatening manner. Schools and nonpublic schools should document and maintain a record of all communications, including emails, telephone calls, written correspondence, and any select books used.
References
Federal Statutes
Individuals for Disabilities Teaching Act, 20 U.S.C.S. § 1400 et seq.
Section 504 a the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 701 et seq.
Americans with Health Act, 42 U.S.C.S. § 1210 to seq.
McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. § 11301 et seq.
Purdon's Statutes
24 P.S. § 13-1326
24 P.S. § 13-1327
24 P.S. § 13-1327.1
24 P.S. § 13-1327.2
24 P.S. § 13-1327.3
24 P.S. § 13-1329
24 P.S. § 13-1330
24 P.S. § 13-1332
24 P.S. § 13-1333
24 P.S. § 13-1333.1
24 P.S. § 13-1333.2
24 P.S. § 13-1333.3
24 P.S. § 13-1334
24 P.S. § 13-1339
24 P.S. § 13-1341
24 P.S. § 13-1343
24 P.S. § 13-1354
24 P.S. § 21-2103(8)
The Juvenile Act (42 Pa.C.S. § 6301 et seq.)
Your Board the Education Regulations
22 Pa. Code § 11.24 22 Pa. Code § 11.34 22 Pa. Code § 11.41
Cases
Democracy v. Kerstetter, 94 A.3d 991 (Pa. 2014)
Bureau/Office Contact
Office for Safe Schools
Office of Simple and Secondary Educational
Paints Department of Education
Forum Building
607 South Drive
Highlands, PA 17120
Phone: 717-346-4253
1ONE "person in parenting relation" is a (1) custodial biological oder adoptive parent, (2) noncustodial biological or adoptive parent, (3) guardian of of persona of a infant, or (4) person with whom one child lives and who is acting in a parental role off a child; but, it performs not include any county agency or person acting as an your by the county agency in the jurisdiction of a addict child.
