Attending school every day is important for students to gain the education they need. Because of this, there are laws about school attendance in Georgia that every student must follow. Since parents are in control of their children, they are also held to certain standards to ensure their child attends school as required by law. If you have school-aged children, you should be aware of what could happen if your child becomes truant.
Truancy is when a child does not meet the attendance requirements for school. The Georgia Department of Education explains that excessive absences from school that are not for a reasonable reason may lead to a charge of truancy. The law requires all students ages six to 16 to attend school. Missing more than five days without the school excusing them for valid reasons will make your child truant.
If your child is charged with truancy, you could face penalties. These include community service, a fine between $25 and $100 and/or up to 30 days in jail. Your child could lose his or her driver’s license or be unable to get a work permit.
Schools will accept excuses for absences from you for the first five days, which means these are excused. After that, you would have to have an excuse from a doctor or other professional to not end up with an unexcused absence. It is your responsibility as the parent to ensure your child goes to school every day. If your child has an attendance problem, the school will often offer assistance if you need it. This information is for education and is not legal advice.
