Students should be in school every day. The Compulsory Attendance law states that whoever has custody of or control of any child between the ages of 6 and 18 must send the child to a public/private school on a regular basis.

Definitions

• A truant is any student who is absent from school without a valid cause
• A chronic truant student is defined as one who is absent without cause for 5% or more days in the school year (9 days)

When a district identifies a chronic truant student, South Cook ISC is notified. If there is no improvement made in the child’s attendance, the district may request a truancy hearing; if attendance continues not to improve, the case may be referred to court system. Any person having custody of a child to whom notice has been given of the child’s truancy and who knowingly and willfully permits such a child to persist in his/her truancy may be found negligent; negligence is a Class C misdemeanor and the responsible party may be fined or sentenced up to 30 days in jail.

District Forms for notification of truant student to South Cook ISC:

South Cook Truancy Referral Form (PDF)