District Of Columbia § 38-203 - Enforcement; penalties.
Full text of District Of Columbia D.C. Code § 38-203 — Enforcement; penalties., with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ 38-203. Enforcement; penalties.
38-203An accurate daily record of the attendance of all minors covered by and this section shall be kept by the teachers of each educational institution. These records shall be open for inspection at all times by the Board, the Superintendent of Schools, school attendance officers, or other persons authorized to enforce this subchapter.
It shall be the duty of each principal, head teacher, teacher who gives private instruction, or school administrative officer as designated in each educational institution to report to the Board the school attendance of any minor covered by who is enrolled in a school or who is enrolled for private instruction and who is absent from school or instruction for more than 2 full-day sessions or 4 half-day sessions in any school month, along with a statement of the reasons for the absences.
The absence of a minor covered by without valid excuse shall be unlawful.
The parent, guardian, or other person who has custody or control of a minor covered by who is absent from school without a valid excuse shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
Any person convicted of failure to keep a minor in regular attendance in a public, independent, private, or parochial school, or failure to provide regular private instruction acceptable to the Board may be fined not less than $100 or imprisoned for not more than 5 days, or both for each offense.
Each unlawful absence of a minor for 2 full-day sessions or for 4 half-day sessions during a school month shall constitute a separate offense.
For the 1st offense, upon payment of costs, the sentence may be suspended and the defendant may be placed on probation.
For any person convicted under this section, the courts shall consider requiring the offender to perform community service as an alternative to fine or imprisonment or both.
Within 60 days after the end of a school year, each public, independent, private, or parochial school shall report to the Mayor, or the Mayor's designee, and make publicly available, the following data based on the preceding school year:
The number of minors, categorized by grade, or equivalent grouping for ungraded schools, who had unexcused absences for:
One to 5 days;
Six to 10 days;
Eleven to 20 days; and
Twenty-one or more days;
The work of the school-based student support teams in reducing unexcused absences, including:
The number of students who were referred to a school-based student support team;
The number of students who met with a school-based student support team;
A summary of the action plans and strategies implemented by the school-based student support team to eliminate or ameliorate unexcused absences; and
A summary of the services utilized by students to reduce unexcused absences;
A summary of the common barriers to implementing the recommendations of the school-based student support team;
The number of minors, categorized by grade, or equivalent grouping for ungraded schools, that the school reported to the Child and Family Services Agency pursuant to and (a-2);
The number of minors categorized by grade, or equivalent grouping for ungraded schools, that the school referred to the Court Social Services Division of the Family Court of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia for truancy; and
The policy on absences, including defined categories of valid excuses, that it used.
By August 1, 2012, the Mayor shall develop, through rulemaking, appropriate enforcement mechanisms to ensure that each school, principal, and teacher is in full compliance with the requirements of this subchapter and any regulations issued pursuant to this subchapter.
Annotations
Section 601 of , as amended by , § 4112, provided that §§ 302(b)(1)(A) and (C) and 304(b)(1)(D) of shall apply to public charter schools upon the inclusion of their fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan, as certified by the Chief Financial Officer to the Budget Director of the Council in a certification published by the Council in the District of Columbia Register. Section 302(b)(1)(A) of added ; Section 302(b)(1)(C) of added ; and Section 304(b)(1)(D) of added 5 DCMR § A2103(c)(6).
Section 601 of , as amended by , § 7004, provided that §§ 302(b)(1), 304, and 502(a) of the act shall apply upon the inclusion of their fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan.
Source: official District Of Columbia text · Last verified 2026-08-27
Frequently Asked Questions About District Of Columbia § 38-203
What does D.C. Code § 38-203 cover?
Section 38-203 ("Enforcement; penalties.") is part of the D.C. Code, the codified statutory law of District Of Columbia. It sets out the legal rule or procedure described in the text above. Statutes are amended regularly, so always verify against the official source.
How do I cite District Of Columbia § 38-203?
A common citation format is "D.C. Code § 38-203" (District Of Columbia). Legal writing may require the code abbreviation, section number, and year or edition. Match the style required by your court, professor, or publisher.
Is this the official text of District Of Columbia law?
No. This page is for research and education and may not include the most recent amendments. For official current law, check the District Of Columbia official source linked on this page or consult a licensed District Of Columbia attorney.
How does District Of Columbia § 38-203 apply to my situation?
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Sources & Verification
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