Entrance Age Requirements – Students registering for 4K must be four years old on or before September 1. Enrollment in 4K full-day and half-day classes is limited. All full-day students must be Medicaid eligible or qualify for free or reduced lunch. Students registering for 5K must be five years old on or before September 1. Students registering for first grade must be six years old on or before September 1.

State law requires all children between the ages of five and 17 to attend a public or private school or kindergarten approved by the State Board of Education, the South Carolina Independent Schools Association, or approved by the district for home schooling. A parent/legal guardian whose child or ward is not six years old on or before September 1st of the school year may waive kindergarten attendance for his/her child.

Student attendance is not only the law, it is critical for student success. Consistent school attendance is critical for student achievement. If students are not present, they cannot benefit from classroom instruction. State attendance laws require student attendance for course credit and grade-level promotion. The district strictly adheres to state laws and regulations governing student attendance. State regulations require that all students who miss more than half of the instructional day, regardless of the excuse, must be counted towards the chronic absenteeism report.

ü To be promoted to the next grade or receive credit for high school courses, students may not be absent from school or class for more than ten (10) days for year-long courses or five (5) days for semester courses, unless the absences are excused by a medical doctor’s written statements or principal’s approval.

ü Students are considered truant after three (3) consecutive or five (5) cumulative days of absences, tardies, or early sign-outs, not excused by a medical doctor’s written statement, proof of bereavement, or principal’s approval. (See Student Health Section for information on absences due to chronic illness.)

ü An Attendance Intervention Plan (AIP) will be developed by the school for truant students. The plan will help to establish goals for regular school attendance and will be monitored to ensure compliance. Failure to comply with the plan may result in legal proceedings.

ü To help reduce truancy and tardies, the district has initiated a Student Judiciary Court in cooperation with the solicitor’s office.

Laurens Preparatory Academy