Existing law, in general, requires a child between 7 and 18 years of age to attend public school. (NRS 392.040) Existing law requires the board of trustees of each school district to adopt rules that require each public school in the district to include the accounting of attendance and, if feasible, tardiness of a pupil on each report card or other report of progress of the pupil. (NRS 392.118) Section 4 of this bill excludes an absence for the observance of a religious holiday from the absences that are counted for this purpose. Existing law requires the board of trustees of each school district to prescribe a minimum number of days that a pupil who is subject to compulsory attendance and enrolled in a school in the district must be in attendance for the pupil to obtain credit or to be promoted to the next higher grade. (NRS 392.122) Section 5 of this bill requires days on which a pupil is not in attendance because the pupil is absent for the observance of a religious holiday to be credited towards the required days of attendance if the absence was approved and the pupil has completed course-work requirements. Existing law provides that a pupil is deemed a truant if the pupil is absent from school without the written approval of the pupil's teacher or the principal of the school, unless the pupil is physically or mentally unable to attend school. (NRS 392.130) Section 6 of this bill provides that a pupil is not a truant if the pupil is absent from school for the observance of a religious holiday provided that a pupil may have not more than five such approved absences in a school year. Section 6 requires the parent or legal guardian or other person having control or charge of a pupil who is absent from school for the observance of a religious holiday to notify the teacher or principal of the school in writing at least 3 days before the absence, in accordance with the policy established by the board of trustees of the school district. Section 7 of this bill makes a conforming change to reflect that a pupil who is absent from school for the observance of a religious holiday is not a truant. Existing law requires the board of trustees of each school district and the governing bodies of certain charter schools to prepare an annual report of accountability that contains certain information regarding the attendance, truancy and transiency of pupils. (NRS 385A.070, 385A.240) Section 6 provides that an approved absence for the observance of a religious holiday is not an absence for the purposes of the annual report of accountability. Section 3 of this bill prohibits a pupil enrolled in a public school from being deprived of any award that is based on perfect attendance or any eligibility or opportunity to compete for such an award because of an approved absence for the observance of a religious holiday. Sections 1, 2 and 8 of this bill make conforming changes to indicate the proper placement of section 3 in the Nevada Revised Statutes.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 388.846, 388.862, 392.118, 392.122, 392.130, 392.140, 129.130
Reprint 1: 388.846, 388.862, 392.118, 392.122, 392.130, 392.140, 129.130
As Enrolled: 388.846, 388.862, 392.118, 392.122, 392.130, 392.140, 129.130
BDR: 388.846, 388.862, 392.118, 392.122, 392.130, 392.140, 129.130