 |
|
| Table 5.1. Compulsory school attendance laws and exemptions, by state: 2010 | |||
| State | Age of required school attendance | Exemptions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 7 to 17 | Legally and regularly employed under child labor law | |
| Alaska | 7 to 16 | No exemptions | |
| Arizona | 6 to 16 | 1 | At least 14 with parental consent and gainfully employed |
| Arkansas | 5 to 17 | 2 | Students who are 17 must complete school year |
| California | 6 to 18 | No exemptions | |
| Colorado | 6 to 17 | Has current age and school certificate or work permit | |
| Connecticut | 5 to 18 | 2 | At least 16 with parental consent |
| Delaware | 5 to 16 | No exemptions | |
| District of Columbia | 5 to 18 | No exemptions | |
| Florida | 6 to 16 | 3 | May terminate attendance at 16 if student files a formal declaration of intent with the school district to terminate enrollment |
| Georgia | 6 to 16 | No exemptions | |
| Hawaii | 6 to 18 | At least 15 | |
| Idaho | 7 to 16 | No exemptions | |
| Illinois | 7 to 17 | Employed and excused by school official | |
| Indiana | 7 to 18 | At least 16 with consent of parent and principal; 14 if parent agrees and State Labor Bureau issues a certificate, and must go back to school within 5 days of termination of employment for which certificate was issued | |
| Iowa | 6 to 16 | No exemptions | |
| Kansas | 7 to 18 | At least 16 with parental consent | |
| Kentucky | 6 to 16 | No exemptions | |
| Louisiana | 7 to 18 | At least 17 with parental consent | |
| Maine | 7 to 17 | At least 15 or completed 9th grade | |
| Maryland | 5 to 16 | No exemptions | |
| Massachusetts | 6 to 16 | At least 14 | |
| Michigan | 6 to 18 | No exemptions | |
| Minnesota | 7 to 16 | No exemptions | |
| Mississippi | 6 to 17 | Children who are 5 by September 1 are required to be enrolled in kindergarten | |
| Missouri | 7 to 17 | At least 14 with parental consent and approval from the superintendent | |
| Montana | 7 to 16 | At least 16 or completion of 8th grade | |
| Nebraska | 6 to 18 | At least 16 with parental consent or completion of 8th grade; special legislation for homeschooling | |
| Nevada | 7 to 18 | Completion of 8th grade or at least 14 and excused by the board of trustees; 14 if work is necessary for own or parents' support | |
| New Hampshire | 6 to 18 | No exemptions | |
| New Jersey | 6 to 16 | No exemptions | |
| New Mexico | 5 to 18 | No exemptions | |
| New York | 6 to 16 | 4,5 | No exemptions |
| North Carolina | 7 to 16 | No exemptions | |
| North Dakota | 7 to 16 | If it is necessary to support family | |
| Ohio | 6 to 18 | At least 16 with the permission of the parent and superintendent | |
| Oklahoma | 5 to 18 | At least 16 if excused by written joint agreement | |
| Oregon | 7 to 18 | 16 with the consent of school administration and parent; 21 for a child with a disability | |
| Pennsylvania | 8 to 17 | At least 16 if regularly engaged in employment with a certificate; 15 if in farm work or domestic service in private home with permit; 14 if completed elementary school with permit recommended by district superintendent of schools or principal of private school | |
| Rhode Island | 6 to 16 | At least 16 with written consent | |
| South Carolina | 5 to 17 | 2 | At least 16 if further attendance is determined by court to be disruptive, unproductive or not in best interest of child |
| South Dakota | 6 to 18 | 6 | At least 16 or completion of 8th grade if member of certain religious organizations |
| Tennessee | 6 to 17 | 2 | No exemptions |
| Texas | 6 to 18 | 7 | No exemptions |
| Utah | 6 to 18 | At least 16 and 8th grade completed; students who are homeschooled and are minors are exempt | |
| Vermont | 6 to 16 | Completed 10th grade or 15 and completed 6th grade and services needed for support of family | |
| Virginia | 5 to 18 | Exempt any pupil with parent's and principal's consent or superintendent or a court believes the minor cannot benefit from education at school | |
| Washington | 8 to 18 | At least 16 if parent agrees, or child is emancipated, or has received certificate of competence | |
| West Virginia | 6 to 16 | No exemptions | |
| Wisconsin | 6 to 18 | No exemptions | |
| Wyoming | 7 to 16 | 1 | No exemptions |
| 1 Students are required to attend either until the age specified or until they have successfully completed grade 10. 2 A parent or guardian may delay a child's entry to school until a later age per state law. 3 Attendance is compulsory until age 18 for Manatee County students, unless they earn a high school diploma prior to reaching their 18th birthday. 4 Syracuse requires kindergarten attendance at age 5. 5 In cities with 4,500 or more population and union-free school districts, attendance is required until the age of 17. Union-free school districts are generally formed by two or more common public school districts joining together for the purpose of providing a secondary school education. 6 Compulsory attendance beginning at age 5 effective July 1, 2010. 7 School districts in Texas may require students who voluntarily attend school after their 18th birthday to attend school until the end of the academic year. SOURCE: ECS StateNotes: Compulsory School Age Requirements, Education Commission of the States, retrieved November 3, 2010, from http://www.ecs.org/clearinghouse/86/62/8662.pdf, Employment Related Provisions in State Compulsory School Attendance Laws, U.S. Department of Labor, retrieved November 3, 2010 from http://www.dol.gov/whd/state/schoolattend2010.htm and supplemental information retrieved November 3, 2010 from the state websites for Florida http://www.manatee.k12.fl.us/parents/support_programs.html#truant, Tennessee http://www.tn.gov/sbe/faq.html#Age, West Virginia http://www.legis.state.wv.us/WVCODE/Code.cfm?chap=18&art=8, and Wyoming http://legisweb.state.wy.us/statutes/statutes.aspx?file=titles/Title21/T21CH4.htm and December 29, 2010 from the state website for New York http://www.dos.state.ny.us/LG/publications/Local_Government_Handbook.pdf. Data Source |
|||
