PA Distance Learning Attendance Policies
PA Distance Learning Charter School is a unique public school where instruction takes place entirely outside a regular school building. Because of this, attendance is recorded by evidence of student active online engagement each school day.
Student work and participation are measured by reporting Educational Learning Hours—the hours your child is actually engaged in learning on a daily basis.
Pennsylvania Public School Law requires children to receive the following Educational Learning Hours:
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Kindergarten / 5.0 hours per day
Approximately 25 hours per week, completing a minimum of 900 hours per year
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Grades 1-6 / 5.0 hours per day
Approximately 25 hours per week, completing a minimum of 900 hours per year
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Grades 7-12 / 5.5 hours per day
Approximately 27.5 hours per week, completing a minimum of 990 hours per year
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Our Unique Approach
Your child has opportunities to learn and can work on curriculum anytime—24 hours a day, seven days a week—often completing 30 or more learning hours per week.
Missing a Day of Class
Accordingly, parents are required to supervise daily online school attendance to avoid truancy issues. Under the supervision of their parent, students enrolled in a PA cyber school must log into the Student Portal/Learning Management System to complete and submit assignments as outlined in their course calendar.
Parents are responsible for providing PA Distance Learning Charter School with written verification of the reason for an absence within three (3) days of such absence. A partial day of absence under Pennsylvania regulations is considered a day of absence from school. A maximum of ten days of cumulative lawful absences verified by parental notification may be permitted during a school year. All absences beyond ten cumulative days require an excuse from a physician.
Your Questions, Answered
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As of December 12, 2026, Pennsylvania law requires students to attend school regularly. If a student of compulsory school age (until 18th birthday) has six (6) or more unexcused absences during the school year, they are considered habitually truant and cannot enroll in a cyber charter school during the school year unless a judge determines that the enrollment is in the student’s best interest. As required by law, student attendance history is reviewed during the enrollment process.
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Truancy occurs when a student (under 18 years old) has unexcused absences from school. An absence is considered unexcused when it is not permitted by law or when proper documentation is not submitted within the required timeframe.
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Under Pennsylvania law, a student is considered habitually truant if they have six (6) or more unexcused absences during the current school year and they are under 18 years old.
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If a student is habitually truant, they may not transfer to a cyber charter school during the school year unless a judge determines that the transfer is in the student’s best interest.
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Yes. This law applies to students transferring from any school, including public schools, charter schools, or other cyber schools.
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Yes. Cyber charter schools are required to ask whether a student has had six or more unexcused absences during the current school year as part of the enrollment process.
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We understand that attendance challenges can happen for many reasons. Families are encouraged to review the linked resources and contact their resident school district to learn about available resources to help students and parents return to compliant compulsory school attendance and support further academic recovery.
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For questions about attendance, truancy, or enrollment eligibility, please contact your resident school district directly. You may also contact our attendance team.
Nicole Williams, Attendance Officer