2019 New Mexico Statutes
Chapter 22 - Public Schools
Article 12A - Attendance for Success
Section 22-12A-9 - Medical appointments; illness; special situations; make-up work.

A. A student may be excused for parent- or doctor-authorized medical reasons. A public school shall provide time for the student to make up the school work missed during the absence.

B. A school district shall maintain an attendance policy that:

(1) provides at least ten days of medical absences during the school year for a student who provides documentation of the birth of the student's child, and the public school shall provide time for the student to make up the school work missed during the absence; and

(2) provides four days of excused absences for a student who provides appropriate documentation of pregnancy or that the student is the parent of a child under the age of thirteen needing care, and the public school shall provide time for the student to make up the school work missed during the absence.

C. A school district that has an alternative public school for, among others, pregnant and parenting students and that allows for off-site attendance through online education shall not count students as absent as long as the students are online with the public school or other appropriate virtual course and complete their class assignments.

D. A student may, subject to the approval of the school principal, be absent from school to participate in religious instruction for not more than one class period per school day with the written consent of the student's parent at a time that is not in conflict with the academic program of the school. The public school shall provide time for the student to make up the school work missed during the absence. The school district or the public school shall not assume responsibility for the religious instruction of any student or permit religious instruction to be conducted on school property.

E. A public school student, with the written consent of the student's parent and subject to the approval of the school principal, may be absent from school to participate in tribal obligations. The public school shall provide time for the student to make up the school work missed during the absence.

History: Laws 2019, ch. 223, § 9.

Effective dates. — Laws 2019, ch. 223 contained no effective date provision, but, pursuant to N.M. Const., art. IV, § 23, was effective June 14, 2019, 90 days after the adjournment of the legislature.