NC Education Code · Regulation
Title 16 — root / Chapter 06 — SubChapter E
Plain English summary
This subchapter governs student attendance definitions, excused absence criteria, early kindergarten admission standards, chronic absenteeism definitions, school violence crime reporting requirements, and interscholastic athletics administration for NC public schools. LEAs must enforce compulsory attendance laws, report specified school violence offenses within five school days, and follow detailed multi-factor procedures for evaluating early kindergarten admissions. Interscholastic athletics rules establish definitions and administrative structures for governing organizations at middle and high school levels.
Key requirements
- To be considered in attendance, a student shall be present in the school or at a place other than the school with the approval of the appropriate school official to attend an authorized school activity.
- LEAs shall excuse the temporary absence of a student upon a showing of satisfactory evidence of one of the following bases: illness or injury, isolation ordered by health officer, death of immediate family member, medical or dental appointment, court/administrative tribunal proceedings, religious observance in accordance with local school board policy, or prior-approved valid educational opportunity.
- LEAs may excuse temporary or occasional absences for other reasons in accordance with local board policies, provided that the student has been in attendance for at least one-half of the school day.
- Each LEA must enforce the state laws and regulations which relate to compulsory attendance.
- LEAs may adopt rules which allow teachers to consider a student's absences in the computation of the student's grades.
- The absence of a student which results from the suspension or expulsion of that student for misconduct pursuant to the provisions of G.S. 115C-391 shall not be used for a compulsory attendance violation action.
- The child shall score at the 98th percentile on a standard individual test of intelligence such as the Stanford-Binet, The Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence, the Kaufman Anderson, or any other comparable test administered by a licensed psychologist.
- The child shall score at the 98th percentile on either reading or mathematics on a standard test of achievement.
- The parent shall present the information required by this Rule to the principal within the first 30 calendar days of the school's instructional year.
- All testing shall be administered after the April 16th that follows the child's fourth birthday.
- The principal shall decide whether to grant the parent's request for enrollment within three weeks after receiving this information.
- The principal may conditionally enroll the child for up to 90 days in order to observe whether the child is able to adjust to the school setting.
- Before the child is exited from school, the principal shall invite the parent to assist in the development of intervention strategies for the child.
- The principal shall provide the parent at least 10 days notice before exiting the child from school so the parent may arrange child care, if needed.
- A 'Student Chronic Absentee' shall mean a student who has been enrolled in a North Carolina public school for at least 10 school days during a school year and who has been absent for at least 10 percent of the days enrolled.
- Local Education Agencies (LEAs) shall report the following crimes and offenses within five school days to the Department of Public Instruction: homicide, assault resulting in serious personal injury, assault involving the use of a weapon, rape, sexual offense, sexual activity under pretext of medical treatment, kidnapping, robbery with a dangerous weapon, indecent liberties with a minor, assault with a firearm or powerful explosive, robbery with a firearm or dangerous explosive, willfully burning a school building, making bomb threats or engaging in bomb hoaxes, assault on school officials/employees/volunteers, possession of a controlled substance, possession of a weapon on campus, unlawful underage sales or consumption of alcoholic beverages, assault not resulting in serious injury, fighting or affray, gang activity, robbery without a dangerous weapon, extortion, communicating threats, possession or use of tobacco products, property damage, bullying or harassing behavior, cyberbullying, verbal harassment, sexual harassment, and discrimination.
- These offenses shall be reported when they occur on school property or off school property on a school-sponsored field trip.
Affected parties
- Local Education Agencies (LEAs)
- Students (K-12)
- Parents and legal guardians
- School principals
- Teachers
- Four-year-old children seeking early kindergarten admission
- Participating schools in interscholastic athletics
- Coaches
- Administering organizations for interscholastic athletics
- Department of Public Instruction
- Superintendent of Public Instruction
- Licensed psychologists
- Professional educators