Florida Compulsory School Law (FS 1003.21(1)(a)1;2(c) states all children who are either six years of age, or who will be six years old by February 1 of any school year, but who have not attained the age of 16 must attend school regularly during the entire school term. Students between 16 and 18 are also within compulsory attendance age unless a formal “Declaration of Intent to Terminate School Enrollment” has been completed and signed by the parent/legal guardian, or eligible student.
Florida Law also states that each parent or legal guardian of a child is responsible for the child’s regular school attendance (§1003.24, Fla. Stat. (2023)). Failure to attend school in a regular and timely fashion hinders the education process and may result in failing grades. Each student enrolled in a Marion County Public School is expected to attend school every day and be punctual.
Schools are required to track excused and unexcused absences in order to prevent the development of a pattern of nonattendance.
Excused Absences
The following reasons shall be considered an excused absence when appropriate documentation is submitted to the school within three (3) days of returning to school:
- Illness of the student (if a student is continually sick and repeatedly absent from school, the student must be under the supervision of a physician in order to receive an excuse from attendance)
- Major illness in the immediate family of the student
- Medical appointment, including approved behavioral, occupational, and speech therapies (physician note required)
- Religious holiday
- Death in the family
- Pregnancy related issues
- Insurmountable conditions such as extreme weather conditions and communicable disease outbreaks
- Head lice, a maximum of one (1) excused day per occurrence.
- Approved school related activity
- Court appearance by student (summons or subpoena required)
- Attendance at a center under the Department of Children and Families supervision
- Significant community events with prior permission of the principal
- Pre-arranged absence which has been approved by the principal/designee
- Not all absences are excused. Merely providing a note is not enough to excuse an absence; the note should be dated and reflect the student’s name, dates of absence, specific reason for the absence, and parent/legal guardian’s full signature. Notes/documentation regarding absences should be provided to the school within three (3) days of the absence (preferably immediately upon student’s return to school).
- A student who has been absent five (5) or more consecutive days due to illness must present a note from a licensed physician.
- The principal or designee may also require a doctor’s note after ten (10) excused absences (whether they be consecutive or sporadic) due to illness within a school year.
- For purposes of excused absences concerning family illness or death, there are no specific guidelines provided for the definition of “immediate family,” however, the generally accepted definition includes the student’s mother, father, brother, sister, stepmother, stepfather, step-siblings, grandparents, aunt, uncle, and other relatives who live in the student’s home. A copy of the obituary or prayer card from the funeral can be requested.
- Administrative approval/denial of a pre-arranged absence request will be based on the student’s academic standing, the student’s attendance history, and/or the reason for the request.
Parent must provide a note for each absence, tardy, and early sign-out.
Unexcused Absences
Absences not included in the above list shall be unexcused. A student may be referred to School Social Work Services for intervention after they have five (5) absences either excused or unexcused. A student may be referred to the school Child Study Team for nonattendance when they have (§ 1003.26, Fla. Stat. (2023)):
- Five unexcused absences within a calendar month (30 calendar day) or
- Ten unexcused absences within a ninety (90) calendar day period or
- A pattern of non-attendance is established.
If the school Child Study Team finds that a pattern of non-attendance is developing, whether the absences are excused or not, a meeting with the parent must be scheduled to identify potential remedies and assist in removing barriers. A student who has fifteen (15) or more unexcused absences within a ninety (90) calendar day period is considered a habitual truant and interventions leading to court action may occur (§ 1003.27, Fla. Stat. (2023)).
The Board authorizes the Superintendent to inform the student and parents/legal guardians of the record of excessive absences as well as the District’s intent to notify the Department of Highway Safety of Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) of the student’s excessive absences.
It is the student’s responsibility to request homework/make up assignments from his/her teacher upon the return to school. Students will receive full credit for work that is appropriately completed and submitted within one (1) day for each day of absence. Principals may grant extensions to the makeup work time limit for extenuating circumstances.
Tardy to School and Early Check-Outs
Tardiness and early check-outs are disruptive to the learning environment and can have a negative impact on student achievement. A tardy or early check-out will only be excused due to sickness or injury, death in the immediate family, medical dental, or therapy appointments for a student with a note from the physician/dentist, court date, religious observance, or school sponsored activities. Parents must provide a note for each tardy/early check-out. Other reasons such as oversleeping, missing the school bus, etc. will be unexcused. A student is allowed three (3) unexcused tardies/early sign-outs within a nine-week grading period. Thereafter, the school administration will address consequences for excessive tardiness and early sign-outs as outlined in the Level 1 – Corrective Actions, “Violation of Attendance Procedures.” Students may not be issued In-School Suspension or Out-of-School Suspension due to tardies or absences.
Learn Fare
Per FL legislature, families receiving temporary cash assistance from DCF could jeopardize their eligibility if a minor child (under the age of eighteen (18)) in the home is determined by the school to be either a habitual truant (fifteen (15) unexcused absences within ninety (90) calendar days) or a dropout (determined by withdrawal code). The parent/legal guardian is also required to have a conference with their student’s teacher or school administrator regarding school progress each semester.
Driver's License
Recognizing the importance of education and keeping the students in school, the 1997 legislature enacted § 322.091, Fla. Stat. (2023), relating to the driver’s license for students, ages 15 to 17, as an incentive for students to stay in school and continue their education. In order for a student to retain or obtain his/her regular Florida driver’s license, the student must comply with compulsory school attendance. Accumulating fifteen (15) unexcused absences in a period of ninety (90) calendar days or failure to remain enrolled in school will result in being classified as a habitual truant and the loss of said license, or the withholding of the necessary forms to obtain a license.
Parking/Vehicle Rules
All parking areas are the property of Marion County Schools. The parking of a student's vehicle on campus is a privilege that is granted by the School Board of Marion County, Florida, upon the purchase of a parking decal at the school of attendance.
Students who violate campus-parking rules may have their parking decal revoked and/or are subject to disciplinary interventions. Students must follow the school policies on driving and parking. Violation of the Code of Student Conduct policies or the school parking/driving policies may result in loss of privileges, suspension, or expulsion from school. [§1001.43(1)(f), Florida Statute (2023)] Note: Parents are encouraged to review the Official Florida Driver License Handbook pertaining to the operation of motor vehicles by their children.
- A student will not be issued a parking decal for a vehicle until filing with the principal the written consent of the student’s parent/guardian and a written agreement to comply with all rules of the School Board of Marion County, Florida, and local school officials. Students parking vehicles on campus without a decal are subject to disciplinary interventions.
- After arriving at school, a student shall remain on the school grounds unless given permission to leave the grounds as provided in these rules. At the close of the school day, the student shall leave the school grounds promptly unless under the supervision of a faculty member.
- The student shall park a car driven to school in the area designated for student parking.
- Each student who parks a vehicle on a school campus is presumed to know what is contained in the vehicle and will be held accountable for any weapons, drugs, contraband, etc. which may be found in the vehicle. School authorities have the right to inspect any student parked vehicle in order to protect the health, safety, and welfare of students. This includes the use of drug and firearm detecting K-9.
- No student shall loiter in or around the parking area or areas.
- Students shall not occupy cars during class hours, between classes, or before or after school except as they arrive and leave for the school day and travel to and from approved programs at other locations.
- The principal shall cooperate with law enforcement officers. A student who receives a citation for a traffic violation while traveling to or from school, or who is known to be operating a vehicle in such a manner as to endanger the student’s own safety or that of others, may at the principal’s discretion lose the privilege of driving a vehicle to school. Any student violating such directive shall be subject to suspension or expulsion from school.
- Students must follow all Florida Department of Motor Vehicle (DMV) traffic laws and regulations while on school property or be subject to citations including the DMV’s regulation on out-of-state vehicle registration. Students who park on school property are required to have the following: 1) copy of student’s Valid Driver’s License, 2) copy of Insurance on Vehicle, and 3) copy of Current Vehicle Registration.
- Habitually truant students could have their driver’s licenses withheld/suspended by the Department of Highway Safety & Motor Vehicles.
- Student parking is not provided at Marion County middle school facilities; therefore, no middle school students are permitted to drive themselves to school.