Can you get truancy if your 17

If your child complies with the School Attendance Order by going to school and having no more unlawful absences, no further action will be taken. Chronic Truancy: If your child fails to follow the School Attendance Order and continues to have unlawful absences, the child will be considered a Chronic Truant. The child can be placed on probation or required to enter a Department of Juvenile Justice Institution.

The school may also ask the Family Court to hold you or your child in contempt of court for failure to follow the School Attendance Order.

The school must attempt to assist you and your child with following the School Attendance Order before asking the Family Court to hold you or your child in contempt. What happens at a contempt of court hearing?

If your child is charged with contempt of court for violating a School Attendance Order, expect the following to happen: An intake session with the DJJ community specialist at the local DJJ county office. The intake session helps determine the needs of your child. You will receive written notice of the date and time of the intake; A hearing at the Family Court.

You should receive written notice stating when you and your child are required to appear at the hearing. The notice should include the factual allegations that the court will consider. It will tell your child he has a right to be represented by an attorney and the right to have an attorney appointed if you are unable to afford to hire one. What will happen at a contempt of court hearing? Your child may plead guilty to being in willful violation of the School Attendance Order or your child may plead not guilty and have a trial, after which a judge will determine whether your child is guilty or innocent.

If your child pleads guilty or the judge determines your child is guilty after a trial, the judge will determine a punishment. The judge may look at your child's school records, special needs, disabilities, prior misbehavior, or other important facts when deciding the punishment. What are the responsibilities of Charter Schools relative to a student's unlawful absence? What are the school district's responsibilities when a Charter School reports that a student has accrued three or more days of unlawful absences?

What are the responsibilities of Nonpublic Schools relative to a student's unlawful absence? Are schools required to employ an attendance officer or home school visitor? Can an attendance officer or home and school visitor, employed by a school district, arrest or apprehend a child who fails to attend school in violation of compulsory school attendance?

What happens to the child when they are arrested or apprehended by an attendance officer or home and school visitor? What are the consequences and penalties associated with violation of state law and school board attendance requirements? Pennsylvania law broadly defines absences as excused when a student is prevented from attendance for mental, physical or other urgent reasons. Many school districts consider illness, family emergency, death of a family member, medical or dental appointments, authorized school activities and educational travel with prior approval as the only lawful absences.

It is the responsibility of each district to determine the validity of excuses. Top of Page. Upon written parental request, a student shall be excused from school to attend classes for religious instruction under section of the Public School Code of 24 P.

The excusal shall be limited to a total of not more than 36 hours per school year. All absences should be treated as unlawful until the school district receives a written excuse explaining the reason s for an absence. If they fail to provide a written excuse within three days of the absence, the absence will be permanently counted as unlawful. Truancy is any unexcused absence from compulsory school attendance.

If an unexcused absence is listed as an offense in the student code of conduct, students can be disciplined. After a student accumulates three days of unexcused absences, the school must notify the parents that any additional unexcused absences can result in a referral to the magisterial district judge. For students under the age of 13 years of age, they shall be referred to a county child and youth agency for possible disposition as a dependent child.

The magisterial district judge. Yes, Section of the School Code states that the names of students who have been absent without a lawful excuse for three days, "or their equivalent", shall be reported to the attendance officer. Only students of compulsory school age can be cited. Compulsory school age begins at age 8 or when the student begins first grade. The compulsory school attendance law does not apply to students 17 years of age or older. Principals or teachers in any public, private or other school may excuse any child for non-attendance during temporary periods following their respective school district's policy and Pennsylvania law in excusing students.

The notice must say that:. If your child is still truant after the intervention plan is made and the notice is mailed to you, the superintendent shall follow school procedures to have a second meeting. At this second meeting, a new intervention plan can be made. The school can ask the local district attorney to come to this meeting. After you get this notice, your child must go to school within 3 days. If your child is still absent or if you do not go to the second meeting, the school can contact local law enforcement to refer your case to court.

The superintendent will also tell the school board that your child is truant. This is because you are responsible for making sure your child attends school. You will not be charged with a crime, but you can be found to have committed a civil violation.

If that happens, you can be:. A student who is truant is prohibited from working. The only exception is if the superintendent gives a release that approves of your child's employment. This is general legal information. To learn how the law applies to your situation, try to find more legal help.

What is truancy? Truancy is defined as the action of failing to attend school without a valid excuse. A student can miss a total of 10 days with an unexcused absence per school year. Personal illness or injury Medical or dental appointment with a written excuse from the doctor or dentist Chronic medical conditions that impact attendance Disability that impacts attendance Disaster situations such as a flood or fire A death in the family School or county approved extra-curricular activities Obligation to appear in court that involves the student Military requirements for students enlisting in the military Personal or academic circumstances approved by the principal Other situations that be determined by the county school board.

After three unexcused absences and again after five unexcused absences, the attendance director, assistant principal or principal shall make meaningful contact with the parent, guardian, or custodian of the student to ascertain the reasons for the unexcused absences and what measures the school may employ to assist the student in attending and not incurring any additional unexcused absences.

After ten unexcused absences, the attendance director will make a complaint before a magistrate judge of the county against the parent or guardian of the student.