All parents or guardians shall require their children or wards to attend regularly a public or private school or kindergarten of this State which has been approved by the State Board of Education, a member school of the South Carolina Independent Schools’ Association, a member school of the South Carolina Association of Christian Schools, or some similar organization, or a parochial, denominational, or church-related school, or other programs which have been approved by the State Board of Education from the school year in which the child or ward is five years of age on or before September first until child or ward attains his seventeenth birthday or graduates from high school.

How important is attendance? 

Students are most likely to succeed academically when they attend school regularly and receive consistent one-to-one instruction. Teachers are best able to provide students who attend school regularly with a high-quality education through the application of their unique talents and individual gifts. The most efficient transfer of skills and knowledge from teachers to their classes could be impacted if students are frequently absent.

Truancy is defined as when a child misses too many days of school that are not approved. In South Carolina, children ages 5 to 17 must go to school. Children can go to public or private school, or can be homeschooled. A child should attend school Monday through Friday. Parents or guardians are responsible for their children’s attendance and can be fined or put in jail if their children are absent too often. Children who miss too many days of school may face criminal charges for truancy.

Truancy SC Attendance Laws state that a Truant Child is defined as “A child ages 6 to 17 years that has accumulated 3 consecutive unlawful absences or a total of 5 unlawful absences.” Schools are required by law to have a face-to-face meeting with every parent/guardian of a Truant Child and develop an “Attendance Intervention Plan.”

Parent(s)/Guardian(s) who fail to attend the scheduled Intervention Plan meeting or refuse to cooperate with the intervention planning may be referred to Family Court in accordance with SC CODE 59-65-50, and a report may be filed against the parent(s)/guardian(s) with the Department of Social Services in compliance with SC CODE Ann 20-7-490(2)(c)(Supp. 2002).