GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
1985 SESSION
CHAPTER 297
AN ACT TO CHANGE REPORTING REQUIREMENTS OF COMPULSORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE LAW.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1. G.S. 115C-378 is amended by adding the following sentence at the end of the first paragraph:
"The parent, guardian, or custodian of a child shall notify the school of the reason for each known absence of the child, in accordance with local school policy."; and by replacing the first sentence of the fourth paragraph with the following:
"The principal or his designee shall notify the parent, guardian, or custodian of his child's excessive absences after the child has accumulated three unexcused absences in a school year. After not more than six unexcused absences, the principal shall notify the parent, guardian, or custodian by mail that he may be in violation of the Compulsory Attendance Law and may be prosecuted if the absences cannot be justified under the established attendance policies of the State and local boards of education."; and by replacing the first two sentences of the fifth paragraph of the section with the following:
"After 10 accumulated unexcused absences in a school year the principal shall review any report or investigation prepared under G.S. 115C-381 and shall confer with the student and his parent, guardian, or custodian if possible to determine whether the parent, guardian, or custodian has received notification pursuant to this section and made a good faith effort to comply with the law. If the principal determines that parent, guardian, or custodian has not, he shall notify the district attorney. If he determines that parent, guardian, or custodian has, he may file a complaint with the juvenile intake counselor under G.S. 7A-561 that the child is habitually absent from school without a valid excuse."; and by deleting the number "30" as it appears in the last sentence of the section and replacing it with the number "10".
Sec. 2. This act shall become effective August 1, 1985.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 31st day of May, 1985.