2021 Georgia Code
Title 20 - Education
Chapter 2 - Elementary and Secondary Education
Article 16 - Students
Part 1 - School Attendance
Subpart 2 - Compulsory Attendance
§ 20-2-693. Exemptions
- Children during the ages of mandatory attendance as required in subsection (a) of Code Section 20-2-690.1 who are excused from attendance in public school by county or independent school system boards in accordance with general policies and regulations promulgated by the State Board of Education shall be exempt from this subpart. The state board, in promulgating its general policies and regulations, shall take into consideration sickness and other emergencies which may arise in any school community.
- Children during the ages of mandatory attendance as required in subsection (a) of Code Section 20-2-690.1 who are excused from attendance at private schools or home study programs for sickness or emergencies or for other reasons substantially the same as the reasons for excused absences from attendance at public school authorized by state board policy pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section shall be exempt from this subpart.
(Ga. L. 1945, p. 343, § 3; Ga. L. 1984, p. 1266, § 2; Ga. L. 2006, p. 851, § 3/SB 413.)
Cross references.- Employment of persons under 16 during school hours, § 39-2-4.
Law reviews.- For article on 2006 amendment of this Code section, see 23 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 129 (2006).
JUDICIAL DECISIONS
Cited in Pitts v. State, 293 Ga. 511, 748 S.E.2d 426 (2013).
OPINIONS OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
Local boards can release students to attend religious services.
- If authorized by general policies and regulations of the State Board of Education, local boards of education can release pupils upon the request of the pupils' parents to attend religious services or instruction given off the public school premises, provided such a program is not directly or indirectly financed in whole or in part from public funds and the students are not coerced to attend such services by the school system or the school's employees. 1968 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 68-228.
Provisions neither authorize nor prohibit parents from sending children to school during teacher's absence.- Former visiting Teacher's Law neither authorizes nor prohibits a school from directing the parents of children whose teacher is absent not to send the parents' children to school during the teacher's absence. 1952-53 Op. Att'y Gen. p. 331.
RESEARCH REFERENCES
Am. Jur. 2d.
- 68 Am. Jur. 2d, Schools, § 274 et seq.
C.J.S.- 78A C.J.S., Schools and School Districts, § 1008.
ALR.- Conditions at school as excusing or justifying nonattendance, 9 A.L.R.4th 122.
