Parents Are Responsible for Student Attendance
Florida
Statute 1003.21(1) states, “Each parent and
legal guardian of a child within the compulsory attendance age is
responsible for the child’s attendance as required by law”
Students must
attend school regularly. They should arrive on time and attend all
scheduled classes and activities.
Students who have
poor attendance are likely to do poorly in school ad are also at risk
for delinquent and destructive behaviors.
Parents and
guardians are responsible for sending their children to school and
notifying the school with the reason for the absence.
When a juvenile
refuses to attend school or a parent or guardian refuses to make the
child attend school, the law requires efforts by school personnel and
community –based agencies to enforce the law.
School attendance
is not optional; it is mandatory for children and youth between the ages
of 6 and 16 years.
Students ages
16-18 are required to attend school unless they formally withdraw from
school with parental/legal guardian signature.
A habitual truant
is a student who has unexcused absences within 90-day calendar days with
or without the knowledge or consent of the students’ parent or legal
guardian.
The Department of
Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles may refuse to issue a driver’s license
or suspend a previously issued driver’s license of a person under the
age of 18 who is a habitual truant.
Each student
receives a Code of Student Conduct that further defines t
hese policies.
If Parents Fail
To Comply
Every effort will
be made to encourage the parent or legal guardian, student and school
representative to work together to solve the truancy problem. If these
efforts fail to help the child to attend school regularly, the child may
be referred to court and/or the parent may have charges filed against
him or her.
