Drop Out Age At what age may a student drop out of school?
A child who is under 18 years of age is required to attend public school. There are several exemptions from this requirement. A primary exemption is for students who are enrolled in a private or parochial school, including a home school. Another primary exemption applies to students who are at least 17 years of age and are either enrolled in a GED (high school equivalency) program or have received either a high school diploma or a GED certificate. The statutes stating the compulsory ages of attendance and the exemptions from attendance are Sections 25.085 and 25.086 of the Texas Education Code. If a child is required to attend school and fails to do so, criminal charges may be brought against the parent under Section 25.093 or against the student under Section 25.094. The offense is a Class C mindemeanor. There is some information on this topic in the attendance section of the Administrator’s Letter.
