NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1979 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 847

HOUSE BILL 477

 

 

AN ACT TO ADD NOTIFICATION PROVISIONS TO THE GENERAL COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE LAW.

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  Two new paragraphs are added to the end of G.S. 115-166 to read as follows:

"§ 115-166.  The principal shall notify the parent, guardian, or custodian of his child's excessive number of absences from school after his child has five consecutive or 10 accumulated absences whichever occurs first, unless the principal is satisfied that these absences are excused under the established attendance policies of the local school board. Once the parents are notified, the school attendance counselor shall work with the child and his family to analyze the causes of the absences and determine steps, including adjustment of the school program or obtaining supplemental services, to eliminate the problem. The attendance counselor may request that a law enforcement officer accompany him if he believes that a home visit is necessary.

Notification of a parent shall be in writing and shall state that the parent may be prosecuted under the General Compulsory Attendance Law if these absences cannot be justified under the established attendance policies of the local school board. The principal shall notify the prosecutor after 30 accumulated absences, unless he has notified the prosecutor sooner. Evidence that shows that the parents, guardian, or custodian were notified and that the child has accumulated 30 absences which cannot be justified under the established attendance policies of the local school board shall establish a prima facie case that the child's parent, guardian, or custodian is responsible for the absences."

Sec. 2.  This act shall become effective 90 days after ratification.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 8th day of June, 1979.