Compulsory Education In U.S.

Age requirements for compulsory school enrollment in selected states:

 Illinois - 6 to 17
 District of Columbia - 5 to 18
 Pennsylvania - 8 to 17
 California - 6 to 18
 Florida - 6 to 16

State Exemptions to Compulsory Education

parents in any state may opt out of public schools in favor of private or parochial
institutions. However, these schools typically must be accredited by the state in order to
meet the standards used in public schools.

Other exemptions from compulsory education laws may include (but are not limited to)
the following:

 Child has proven to the school board that he/she has acquired equivalent
knowledge and skills as that offered by a public school education
 Child has received a high school diploma early
 Child is an emancipated minor
 Child is legally employed (typically part-time or vocation-related work, depending
on the state)
 Religious objection (for instance, Amish students are not required to attend
school past the eight grade)

Exemptions Accepted by Some Courts

 A threat to the health, safety, or welfare of a student if the parents can show the
threat is imminent.
 The child has reached the age of majority.
 The child becomes mentally or physically disabled. However, this ground is now
used less frequently because of special services for the disabled mandated by
federal law.
 The parent objects to classes because the content violates their religious beliefs
or practices.
  Either hazardous conditions are present between the child's home and his
designated public school or the distance between the student's home and the
school exceeds a distance provided by statute.

Exemptions Rejected by Some Courts

 A parent's belief a given teacher is incompetent or otherwise not qualified to

teach.
 A parent's belief the school is doing a poor job of educating his or her children.
 Objections to racial integration by the parents on religious grounds.

Child's Circumstances

Some circumstances in a child's life can make a child exempt from compulsory

attendance at school. These circumstances, however, usually are cases of the child
suffering a severe injury or illness, the death of a parent or guardian, or a severe injury or
illness in the child's immediate family.

The child's age can also be a factor. A state's compulsory attendance statute includes a
minimum and maximum age, and children too old or too young are not required to
attend.

Dropouts

"Dropping out" of school is usually defined by state law as a student officially

withdrawing from classes without completing the requirements for a diploma or
graduation. Unlike portrayals in movies and on television, dropping out of school can be
a difficult process sometimes requiring a series of approvals and counseling.

Unless other special circumstances apply, all states require students to be at least 16
years of age before becoming eligible to drop out, and an increasing number of states
have raised this minimum age to 18. In addition to obtaining parental permission,
students wishing to drop out often must obtain the school's permission, and some
states require the approval of the school board. Some states also allow a child to leave
school after a certain age if a court or the principal believes that continued attendance
is not in the child's best interest or the child will not benefit from further schooling.
Other Exemptions

In addition to the homeschooling and private school exemptions required by the

Supreme Court and the U.S. Constitution, states may add other exemptions depending
on the circumstances of their residents. For example, due to California's movie and
television business, California law allows an exemption from compulsory attendance
while the child is working in the entertainment industry. Louisiana additionally allows for
a five-day excused absence for children whose parent or guardian has been called to
active military duty overseas.