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| Education |
CALIFORNIA EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
California state law requires all minors ages 6 years and older to attend school except 16- and 17-year-olds who have graduated from high school or passed the California High School Proficiency Examination and obtained parental permission to leave school. Several full- and part-time alternatives to regular high school are available to 16- and 17-year-olds, including “continuation” classes, regional occupational programs and adult education courses. All children younger than 16 years of age must attend school full time.
Schools are generally required to provide a minimum of 180 instructional days each year. Furthermore, the law specifies a minimum number of minutes of attendance by grade level.
— Kindergarten
Kindergarten attendance is not required by law, but parents have the right to enroll their eligible children in public kindergarten once they have reached the appropriate age. Schools must admit children who have reached age five on or before December 2 of that school year. Admission must occur at the beginning of the school year or whenever a student moves into the school district. For more information regarding kindergarten enrollment, visit the Kindergarten website at www.cde.ca.gov/ci/gs/em/kinderinfo.asp.
— First Grade
To enter public school first grade in September, a child must reach age six on or before December 2 of the school year. Some exceptions may apply, but no child may be admitted to first grade who has not attained at least age five. Children who are at least five years old and are enrolled in a public school kindergarten may be placed in first grade at any time if they meet district criteria that demonstrate exceptionally advanced development for age. At the discretion of the receiving district, children transferring from one district to another, or from out-of-state, may be placed in the same grade in the receiving district as they were enrolled in the sending district. Children enrolling in public school after completing one year of a private-school kindergarten may be admitted to first grade at the discretion of the district.
For more information regarding compulsory education and enrollment age, contact the State Elementary Education Office at (916) 327-0857.
— Immunization and Health Checkup
California law requires each child to have up-to-date immunizations. Children are exempt from immunization requirements when (1) their parents sign a statement at the school indicating that such immunization is contrary to their beliefs or (2) the parents submit a statement from a physician indicating that immunization is not considered safe for the child. An exemption may be temporary or permanent and may be for specific or all vaccines.
State law also requires each child’s family to provide, within 90 days of entrance into the first grade, a certificate documenting that the child has received a health checkup within the previous 18 months. Parents may waive the health checkup requirement because they do not want or are unable to obtain a health screening for their child. If the waiver indicates that the parents were unable to obtain such services, the reasons must be included in the waiver. Law requires school districts to exclude any first grader up to five days if the child has neither a health examination certificate nor a parental waiver 90 days after entering the first grade.
All children under 18 years of age entering a California public or private elementary or secondary school for the first time, or transferring between schools, must present a written immunization record, including at least the month and year of receipt of each dose of required vaccines (or an exemption to the immunization requirements). Otherwise, the child will not be allowed to attend school.
To meet California’s school-entry requirements, children entering kindergarten will need a total of five DTP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis) immunizations; four polio immunizations; two MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) immunizations; three Hepatitis B immunizations; and one varicella (chicken pox) immunization. Students entering seventh grade must show proof of three Hepatitis B shots and a second measles (or MMR) shot. Students can be admitted if they have had at least the first in the three-shot Hepatitis B series on condition that the remaining shots are completed when due. All students entering California schools from out-of-state must show proof of varicella immunization.
Contact local county health departments for more specific information on requirements relating to the number of vaccine doses and the ages at which vaccines are to be given. In some cases, in addition to the month and year of the immunization, the day is also required. Some counties now require that students entering school at specific grade levels show the results of tuberculosis skin tests.
For more information regarding immunization and health checkup requirements, contact your school district, county office of education or county health department. You also can view the California Department of Health Services Immunization Branch website at www.dhs.ca.gov/ps/dcdc/izgroup.
California state law requires all minors ages 6 years and older to attend school except 16- and 17-year-olds who have graduated from high school or passed the California High School Proficiency Examination and obtained parental permission to leave school. Several full- and part-time alternatives to regular high school are available to 16- and 17-year-olds, including “continuation” classes, regional occupational programs and adult education courses. All children younger than 16 years of age must attend school full time.
Schools are generally required to provide a minimum of 180 instructional days each year. Furthermore, the law specifies a minimum number of minutes of attendance by grade level.
— Kindergarten
Kindergarten attendance is not required by law, but parents have the right to enroll their eligible children in public kindergarten once they have reached the appropriate age. Schools must admit children who have reached age five on or before December 2 of that school year. Admission must occur at the beginning of the school year or whenever a student moves into the school district. For more information regarding kindergarten enrollment, visit the Kindergarten website at www.cde.ca.gov/ci/gs/em/kinderinfo.asp.
— First Grade
To enter public school first grade in September, a child must reach age six on or before December 2 of the school year. Some exceptions may apply, but no child may be admitted to first grade who has not attained at least age five. Children who are at least five years old and are enrolled in a public school kindergarten may be placed in first grade at any time if they meet district criteria that demonstrate exceptionally advanced development for age. At the discretion of the receiving district, children transferring from one district to another, or from out-of-state, may be placed in the same grade in the receiving district as they were enrolled in the sending district. Children enrolling in public school after completing one year of a private-school kindergarten may be admitted to first grade at the discretion of the district.
For more information regarding compulsory education and enrollment age, contact the State Elementary Education Office at (916) 327-0857.
— Immunization and Health Checkup
California law requires each child to have up-to-date immunizations. Children are exempt from immunization requirements when (1) their parents sign a statement at the school indicating that such immunization is contrary to their beliefs or (2) the parents submit a statement from a physician indicating that immunization is not considered safe for the child. An exemption may be temporary or permanent and may be for specific or all vaccines.
State law also requires each child’s family to provide, within 90 days of entrance into the first grade, a certificate documenting that the child has received a health checkup within the previous 18 months. Parents may waive the health checkup requirement because they do not want or are unable to obtain a health screening for their child. If the waiver indicates that the parents were unable to obtain such services, the reasons must be included in the waiver. Law requires school districts to exclude any first grader up to five days if the child has neither a health examination certificate nor a parental waiver 90 days after entering the first grade.
All children under 18 years of age entering a California public or private elementary or secondary school for the first time, or transferring between schools, must present a written immunization record, including at least the month and year of receipt of each dose of required vaccines (or an exemption to the immunization requirements). Otherwise, the child will not be allowed to attend school.
To meet California’s school-entry requirements, children entering kindergarten will need a total of five DTP (diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis) immunizations; four polio immunizations; two MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) immunizations; three Hepatitis B immunizations; and one varicella (chicken pox) immunization. Students entering seventh grade must show proof of three Hepatitis B shots and a second measles (or MMR) shot. Students can be admitted if they have had at least the first in the three-shot Hepatitis B series on condition that the remaining shots are completed when due. All students entering California schools from out-of-state must show proof of varicella immunization.
Contact local county health departments for more specific information on requirements relating to the number of vaccine doses and the ages at which vaccines are to be given. In some cases, in addition to the month and year of the immunization, the day is also required. Some counties now require that students entering school at specific grade levels show the results of tuberculosis skin tests.
For more information regarding immunization and health checkup requirements, contact your school district, county office of education or county health department. You also can view the California Department of Health Services Immunization Branch website at www.dhs.ca.gov/ps/dcdc/izgroup.
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