JEA: Compulsory and Part-time Attendance

The School of the Osage exists to improve lives through education. The district seeks to enroll and educate all resident children in the community, as required by law.

The School of the Osage provides educational programming for all students between the ages of 5 and 21 years of age. In addition, students as young as three may qualify for and receive special education services. The district may also provide preschool and adult education programs.

Compulsory Attendance

While the Board seeks to provide educational services beyond the mere minimum requirements of the law, the law requires all children within the compulsory attendance age to regularly attend a public, private, parochial, parish, home school or a combination of such schools for the duration of the entire school term. The compulsory attendance age is between 7 and 17 years of age or, if under 17, until the student successfully completes 16 credits toward high school graduation.

Once enrolled in the district, the district expects the student to attend regularly and for the student's parents/guardians or other adults having charge, control or custody of the student to communicate regularly and honestly with the district regarding the student's absences. Because the School of the Osage Board and district staff strongly believe that regular attendance is important in gaining the most from the educational experience and because state law requires district staff to report all instances of abuse and neglect, including educational neglect, the district will make every effort to ensure students are attending school as required by law. These efforts include, but are not limited to: accurately recording attendance, creating procedures for regular communication with parents/guardians regarding attendance, investigating truancy, and reporting suspected incidences of educational neglect to the Children's Division (CD) of the Department of Social Services.

Part-Time Attendance

Although the district believes that all students will benefit from attending the School of the Osage full-time, state law allows students to attend public school part-time, as long as their total educational experience meets the requirements of the state compulsory education law and the student is not already enrolled full-time in another public school. The superintendent or designee will create procedures on enrollment of part-time students to ensure that such enrollments do not jeopardize the discipline, health and academic standards of the district. The Board also directs the superintendent to annually analyze the number of students attending school part-time and to create vocational, dual-credit, advanced placement or other programs and incentives to encourage these students to attend school full-time. Eligible students may also participate in the School Flex Program per district policy.

Students Withdrawing from or Dropping Out of School

Once enrolled, the student will be considered a district student until the district is directed to withdraw the student or until multiple unsuccessful attempts have been made to contact the parents/guardians or student to confirm continued enrollment after several absences. The district will encourage all families and students to consult with district staff prior to withdrawing a student.

Any student age 16 years or older who drops out of school for any reason other than to attend another school, college or university, or to enlist in the armed services, shall be reported to the state literacy hotline office.

IGBD: At-Risk Students

IGCD: Virtual Courses

IGCDA: Full-time Mocap Virtual Courses

IGCE-1

IGCE-1-AP(1)