A review of court decisions indicates that schools may consider absence from class as a factor in overall academic evaluation and may impose academic penalties for absences due to truancy, suspension, or expulsion. However, academic penalties may not be imposed for misconduct that does not result in absence from class. (MLF)

Intended for use in school law courses of a primarily informative nature with some attention given to attitudinal concerns, this book was designed for teachers and educational administrators. The contents are divided into 13 units that contain information regarding education and the American legal system, certification and employment, religion and…

Parental rights and state compulsory school attendance requirements are limited by constitutional constraints, as shown in three benchmark cases. The article also cites cases to show the impact of compulsory education laws on home schooling, which is increasing. The state retains the power to impose minimum curriculum requirements. Cites…

Legal challenges to state compulsory attendance laws have emphasized four interrelated constitutional claims. Under provisions of the free exercise clause of the First Amendment, parents have challenged the state's authority to require public school attendance in lieu of home instruction and private, religious organizations have refused to comply…

Neil Devins, in part 1 of this chapter, discusses state regulation of home instruction. A different perspective on this subject is presented by Perry A. Zirkel in part 2. Parents have claimed that state regulations deprive them of their right, protected by the due process clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, to direct their children's upbringing.…

This handbook provides guidance to school administrators in setting up an effective school attendance system. After brief introductory sections on the importance of good attendance and on how to recognize whether excessive pupil absences are a problem, the third section discusses how to organize the attendance services: outlining objectives;…

This manual was written to assist local school districts in fulfilling the 1984 legislative mandate of the Connecticut General Assembly that requires schools to develop, adopt, and implement written policies concerning homework, attendance, and promotion/retention. The first section offers a brief discussion of the process of policy development,…

The nationwide phenomenon of home instruction is meeting resistance from state compulsory school attendance laws, resulting in many court cases in recent years. Parents who choose to teach their children at home may do so on moral or religious grounds, or because they consider public schools too conservative or traditional. State compulsory…

Many boards of education have attendance policies imposing grade reductions and/or loss of credit on students with unexcused absences. This paper reviews state legislative action on the subject, specific court cases, and the interpretations of statutes and practices by attorneys general and commissioners of education. Most states have general…

To assist parents, educators, and law-makers, this guide presents each state's Compulsory Education Law for Home Schooling situations. Compilation of facts and laws derives from materials collected from the chief state school officer or designated authority. Because many states are updating laws and requirements, the manual is intended as a…

This paper presents management considerations for planning an in-school suspension program applicable to handicapped students and reviews relevant court rulings affecting formation of suspension and expulsion policies. The Supreme Court's 1975 decision in "Wood v. Strickland" established that a student cannot be deprived of the right of…

Requirements of Mississippi legislation designed to upgrade student achievement and school personnel competence, reward good teaching, increase accountability, and facilitate state level educational leadership are clarified in this implementation guide. For each section of the Reform Act the rationale is summarized, statutory citations provided,…