The Massachusetts attendance ladder in plain words — the triggers, who acts next, and what a parent should put in writing at each step.
Compulsory attendance: ages 6 to 16 (M.G.L. c.76 §1; c.119 §21; 603 CMR 8.02).
The triggers: Habitual truant: a child who willfully fails to attend school for more than 8 school days in a quarter..
The deep-decoded ladders cover California, Texas, Florida, New York, and Illinois in the decoder. For Massachusetts, the universal paper moves apply: verify how each absence was coded, send held documentation now with proof of delivery, request conferences in writing, and log every effort with dates.
Rules checked October 2026 — every rule on this page is cited to its source. Verify day counts against your district's official calendar.
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