Our Ohio attendance post sparked a much bigger question:
What counts as an absence in YOUR state?
Because these things are not always treated the same way:
š„ Medical appointments
š§ Therapy
āæ Disability-related care
š Released-time religious instruction
A parent may have a completely legitimate reason for taking a child out of school for medical care or therapy ā but depending on the state, that missed time may still count toward attendance or chronic absenteeism.
Meanwhile, some states have specific laws protecting released-time religious instruction from being treated as an absence.
So now weāre looking beyond Ohio.
We want to compare how all 50 states handle this.
š Tell us your state in the comments.
If you already know your stateās policy, drop that too ā especially if you have a link to the law, district policy, or state guidance.
Weāll be digging through the actual statutes and attendance rules ourselves, but parent experiences can help us identify where to look first.
Are these absences treated the same in your state?
What people are saying:
- Secular Education Association: Want to see what your state currently says about released-time religious instruction? š
Our national RTRI State Law & LifeWise Lobbying Map tracks which states require districts to allow released-time religious instruction, which states permit it, and which states have no specific RTRI law ā with links to the underlying statutes, bills, and lobbying activity.
- Facebook User: When I was in school, religious accommodation meant a Catholic student could be excused on Ash Wednesday, a Jewish student a day during Passover or Hanukkah, excused from the Halloween costume parade if that was against their church, that sort of thing, not pulling them out of class day after day
- Facebook User: I havenāt researched this, but Iām told that the Religious Expression Days in Ohio, even though they do count as excused absences, donāt count against you for excessive absences (though excused medical absences do).
- Facebook User: Whatever happend to religious instruction happening on Sunday (or whatever day is the day of worship)? Why do kids have to be excused from school during the schoolday? If you want religion to be that much of a part of your child’s education send them to a religion-based school. Isn’t that what school vouchers are for?
- Facebook User: Facebook User Exactly. I’ve heard the argument that children’s activities and sports are (supposedly) often on Sunday so instead of being at church the kids are at soccer or little league or whatever. Well, teach them yourself or send them to a church run school (as you suggest) instead of expecting the school day to pull time out for religious instruction.
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