Attendance Law Summary:
In Tennessee the Compulsory School Attendance Law (TCA 49-6-3001) requires children (ages 6 - 17, inclusive) to attend school each day unless they have an adequate excuse for missing. A student could be summoned to court for as few as 5 ABSENCES WITHOUT OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION.
The following are "official/adequate excuses" that should be turned in to the attendance secretary:
doctor/hospital notes
court notes
funeral notice
military deployment paperwork
Military Dependents:
TN Law (TCA 49-6-3019) allows the following for out of the country deployments:
1 excused absence when the parent leaves for deployment
1 excused absence when the parent returns at the end of deployment
Up to 10 days excused when the parent is home from deployment for Rest and Recuperation Leave.
Military paperwork/documentation MUST be provided to the school for these to be excused.
Attendance Policy
HIGH SCHOOL (CREDITS ONLY)
Earning credits and Law are different issues. Students should not miss more than 9 days in a class in a semester in order to EARN CREDITS.
ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL (PROMOTION ONLY)
Promotion and Law are different issues. Students should not miss more than 27 days in a school year in order to be PROMOTED.
In Tennessee the Compulsory School Attendance Law (TCA 49-6-3001) requires children (ages 6 - 17, inclusive) to attend school each day unless they have an adequate excuse for missing. A student could be summoned to court for as few as 5 ABSENCES WITHOUT OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION.
The following are "official/adequate excuses" that should be turned in to the attendance secretary:
doctor/hospital notes
court notes
funeral notice
military deployment paperwork
Military Dependents:
TN Law (TCA 49-6-3019) allows the following for out of the country deployments:
1 excused absence when the parent leaves for deployment
1 excused absence when the parent returns at the end of deployment
Up to 10 days excused when the parent is home from deployment for Rest and Recuperation Leave.
Military paperwork/documentation MUST be provided to the school for these to be excused.
Attendance Policy
HIGH SCHOOL (CREDITS ONLY)
Earning credits and Law are different issues. Students should not miss more than 9 days in a class in a semester in order to EARN CREDITS.
ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL (PROMOTION ONLY)
Promotion and Law are different issues. Students should not miss more than 27 days in a school year in order to be PROMOTED.