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1. I enrolled my son in kindergarten but don’t always send him to school. Since kindergarten isn’t mandatory, does it really matter if he attends every day?

While it is true that kindergarten is not mandatory, in New York it is required that a child is enrolled and attending school in September of the year that they turn 6 years old. From that time on if the child is consistently absent without documented excuse, the school is required to investigate the reason for these absences.

2. My child is enrolled in school but I have decided that I would prefer to educate my child at home. Can I be charged with educational neglect for not sending my child to school?

If you remove your child from a school you must officially withdraw the child's name from the school and district office rosters. You must also make sure that you can provide all the proper home school registration materials and curriculum documentation upon request. A decision of this nature should be thoroughly discussed with your child's school administrators.

3. My child is 15 years old and refusing to attend school. It is beyond my control to ensure his attendance. Can I be charged with educational neglect?

No. If a parent does everything reasonable to get his or her child to attend school but the child still is truant and does not go to school it is not considered neglect. Parents are expected to seek help in order to address the reasons a child is not attending school. In New York it is required that children attend school through the end of the school year when they turn 17 years old. So, if a student turns 17 in December they must attend school through the end of the year in June.