N.J. Admin. Code § 6A:32-8.4 - Student attendance

(a) For all State attendance submissions, a student shall be recorded as present, absent, or excused for a State-excused absence, pursuant to (e) below, on every day the school is in session after the student enrolls until the date the student is transferred to another school or officially leaves the school district.

(b) A record of attendance of all students shall be kept in accordance with N.J.A.C. 6A:32-8.1(c). The employee designated by the chief school administrator shall keep the attendance records according to this subchapter and the guidance issued by the Commissioner in accordance with N.J.A.C. 6A:32-8.1(c).

(c) A student enrolled in a school shall be recorded in the school register as present if the student participates in instruction or instruction-related activities for at least half a day in session whether the student is physically on school grounds, at an approved off-grounds location, or in a virtual or remote instruction setting, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:32-13.

(d) A student enrolled in a school who is not participating in instruction or instruction-related activities pursuant to (c) above shall be recorded in the school register as absent, unless the student is recorded as a State-excused absence, pursuant to (e) below.

(e) State-excused absences shall be as follows:

1. Religious observance, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:36-14, 15, and 16.

i. The Commissioner, with approval of the State Board of Education, shall annually prescribe a list of religious holidays on which it shall be mandatory to excuse students for religious observance upon the written request signed by the parent or person standing in loco parentis;

2. Participation in observance of Veterans Day, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:36-13.2;

3. Participation in district board of election membership activities, pursuant to N.J.S.A. 18A:36-33;

4. Take Our Children to Work Day;

5. College visit(s), up to three days per school year for students in grades 11 and 12; and

6. Closure of a busing school district that prevents a student from having transportation to the receiving school.

(f) For absences that do not meet the criteria at (e) above, district boards of education may adopt policies that establish locally approved or excused absences consistent with N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.6 for the purposes of expectations and consequences regarding truancy, student conduct, promotion, retention, and the award of course credit. However, an absence designated as excused by the district board of education pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.6 shall be considered as an absence in the submission to the State for the purpose of chronic absenteeism reporting, as set forth at N.J.A.C. 6A:32-8.6.

Notes

N.J. Admin. Code § 6A:32-8.4

Adopted, 54 N.J.R. 1276(a), effective 7/5/2022