Absences

State law requires that all juveniles between 8 years old to 18 years old attend school. (A child who is 6 or 7 years old also must attend school on a regular basis if they have been enrolled in school.) The parent must notify the school as soon as possible when their child will be absent from school. Within two days of returning to class, the student must bring a note signed by the parent or guardian explaining the reason for the absence.

Under the state truancy law the school is required to begin a truancy petition process, commonly known as a BECCA process, if a student has a large number of unexcused absences. Under BECCA, if a student has five or more unexcused absences in one month, the parent and school must enter a contract to improve the student's attendance. After seven unexcused absences in a month or ten unexcused absences in an academic year, the school may file truancy petitions with the juvenile court.

For more information, please call your child's school.