Can school attendance affect my child getting a driver’s license or Temporary Cash Assistance?
Yes. The 1997 Florida Legislature enacted requirements that schools report to the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) the name, birthdate, sex, and social security number of any minor who attains the age of 14 and accumulates 15 unexcused absences in a period of 90 calendar days. The legislation further provides that those minors who thus fail to satisfy attendance requirements will be ineligible for the driving privilege. It is important for students and parents to know that suspension of the student’s current or pending license can result in increased automobile insurance premiums. Q: What happens to a parent whose child is 16 years old or older when the parent refuses to cooperate with the interventions to improve school attendance? A: The Superintendent can seek criminal prosecution of any parent who still refuses to cooperate with the interventions. Q: Does the school district report school attendance information to other agencies? A: Habitual truants will be r
