A B C D E F G H I J K L

The St. Charles R-VI School District exists to improve lives through education. The district seeks to enroll and educate all resident children in the community, as required by law.

Compulsory Attendance

The law requires all children between 7 and 17 years of age, or 16 years of age if fewer than 16 credits toward graduation have been earned, to regularly attend a public, private, parochial, parish, home school or a combination of such schools for the duration of the entire school term. Parents, guardians or other persons having legal custody of a student may obtain a court order requiring students to attend school until the student receives a high school diploma or its equivalent, or reaches the age of 18. In addition, the St. Charles R-VI School District provides educational programming for all students between the ages of five and seven and beginning at the age of three for students qualified for special education services. The district may also provide preschool and adult education programs.

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 St. Charles R-VI School District 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 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 St. Charles R-VI School District 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.

* * * * * * *

Adopted:         10/14/1993

Revised:          06/08/2000; 03/08/2007; 08/12/2010

Cross Refs:     IGBD, At-Risk Students

IGCE, District-Sponsored Instruction Options

Legal Refs:     §§ 160.539, 161.670, 163.011 - .012, 167.031 - .111, .275, 211.034, RSMo.

St. Charles R-VI School District, St. Charles, Missouri

Top of Page