Pupil Personnel Services

Carroll County Public Schools recognizes the relationship between good attendance and academic achievement. Both absences and tardiness are serious disruptions to the educational process.  The school system expects students to maintain a 96% attendance rate or better.

 A student is counted present for a full day if the student is in attendance four hours or more of the school day. A student is counted present for a half day if in attendance for at least two hours of the school day, but less than four hours. A student in attendance less than two hours of the school day is counted absent for the day.  A student scheduled for less than a full day is to be counted present based on the amount of time he/she is scheduled to attend school. 

When a student is absent, arrives late, or leaves school early, the parent/legal guardian is requested to inform the school the morning of the absence.  In addition, the parent/legal guardian must provide an explanation of the absence in a written note, a fax, an e-mail, or via phone call within five days of the student's return to school.  

Excused absences include illness of the student, pregnancy or parenting needs, death in the immediate family, observance of a religious holiday, a court summons, a suspension or exclusion from school for health reasons, and family vacations (when approved in advance).

Absences will be considered unlawful if the absence does not meet the criteria listed above for an excused absence or if an explanation of the absence is not provided within five days of the student's return to school by the parent or legal guardian as noted above. 

If student absences become excessive, the school may require medical verification to excuse further absences from school.  Disciplinary consequences for an unlawful absence/truancy may include, but are not limited to a student and/or parent conference, detention, Saturday School, suspension, or a request for extended suspension. Additionally, legal charges may be filed against the student and/or parent(s).  Legal charges may result in community service hours, juvenile detention, confinement in jail, fines or other consequences as determined by the court.

Legal Penalties:

Any person who induces or attempts to induce a child to absent himself/herself unlawfully from school or employs or harbors any child who is absent unlawfully from school while school is in session is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to a fine not to exceed $500 or imprisonment not to exceed 30 days, or both.

Any person who has legal custody or care and control of a child who is 5 years of age or older and under 18 who fails to see that the child attends school or receives instruction under this section is guilty of misdemeanor and:

•     For a first conviction is subject to a fine not to exceed $50 per day of unlawful absence
      or imprisonment not to exceed 10 days, or both; and for a second or subsequent
      conviction is subject to a fine not to exceed $100 per day of unlawful absence or
      imprisonment not to exceed 30 days, or both.

Generally, both parents maintain certain educational rights for their children.  In cases of separation or divorce, the following guidelines apply unless otherwise specified in a court order:  
 

• The custodial parent/legal guardian shall make all educational and medical decisions for the child.
       

• The non-custodial parent may visit the school/observe instruction, attend any conferences, view school records and receive school communications.  The non-custodial parent may pick the child up from school when given written permission by the custodial parent.  

• If the non-custodial parent wants to receive copies of school communications, he/she shall make a written request to the school Principal for such information annually.  The request shall include the non-custiodial parent's name, address, the type of information requested, as well as a stamped, self-addressed envelope.  A fee may be charged for copies. 
       
• Visitation by parents is not permitted during the school day.
       
• A noncustodial parent may not enroll/withdraw a student from school without a notarized statement from the custodial parent granting permission to enroll/withdraw the student from school. 
       
• Request from parents, attorneys, or other individuals for a written statement on behalf of a parent in custody/visitation matters shall not be honored.  Requests to testify in court shall not be honored unless summoned by a properly served subpoena.  A parent shall be notified in writing of any subpoena requesting a student record or student information.  Such subpoenas shall be honored by the school system. 
       
• A stepparent may only pick a child up from school with permission from the custodial parent. 
       
• Person(s) sharing joint custody may both make educational and medical decisions. If parents disagree, the decision of the resident parent (the parent with whom the child resides)  will be recognized and implemented, as appropriate. 
   
• Out-of-State Court Orders:  A Maryland Court Order take precedence over another state's court order, unless formally enrolled in a Maryland Court.  This means that an out-of-state court order must be filed in and accepted by a Maryland Court in order to be valid in Maryland.  An out-of-state court order will not be honored by Carroll County Public Schools unless properly "enrolled" in Maryland.  

Please refer to the Student Services Manual for complete administrative regulations pertaining to custody regulations.

In response to Kinship Care legislation, a student in an informal kinship care relationship (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) where the child was previously domiciled in Maryland with the child's parents or legal guardian, may be eligible to enroll in Carroll County Public Schools.  To do so, the relative assuming kinship care must file a Kinship Care Affidavit and provide documentation of one of the following:

1. death of father/mother/legal guardian
2. serious illness of father/mother/legal guardian
3. drug addiction of father/mother/legal guardian
4. incarceration of father/mother/legal guardian
5. abandonment by father/mother/legal guardian
6. assignment of  father/mother/legal guardian to active military duty

The Maryland Kinship Care Affidavit must be notarized and include the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all who can verify the hardship noted above.  The Supervisor of Pupil Personnel/Designee will contact the parents, legal guardians, agencies, authorities, and others as needed to substantiate the kinship care relationship.  The Kinship Care Affidavit shall be filed annually, at least two weeks prior to school, to verify an ongoing kinship care relationship.

Unless the court appoints a guardian for the child or awards custody of the child to someone other than the relative providing kinship care, that relative (if the kinship claim is verified) can make the full range of educational decisions for the child.  However, the parent or legal guardian shall have final decision making authority regarding the educational needs of the child.

Contact the Student Services Department at 410-751-3120 for additional information.

Kinship Care Affidavit

Only those students living in Carroll County with their parent or court appointed legal guardian on a full time basis are eligible to attend Carroll County Public Schools.  In some specific and limited situations, non-resident students may be considered for enrollment in Carroll County Public Schools with payment of tuition. Tuition for the 2023-2024 school year are: In-State $9,018.00, Out of State $16,655.00. These exceptions include the following:

• Families moving into Carroll County within 45 school days
• Families living temporarily outside of Carroll County, up to 45 school days due to a hardship
• Cases where legal, court appointed guardianship is being pursued due to a family hardship
• A school-based employee
• Daycare in Carroll County
• Parent/legal guardian works in the county

Carroll County Public Schools shall not permit the enrollment of non-resident students in such cases where enrollment is being sought for the following purposes:

• Attending CCPS
• The quality of education in the previous school system is not satisfactory to the family
• The conditions of the child's previous school district such as racial in-balance, over crowding, etc.
• The convenience of the family

Commuting from another county/state to Carroll County for the purpose of attending school is not permissible, subject to payment of tuition from the date of enrollment, prosecution for felony theft, and immediate withdraw from Carroll County Public Schools. 

Contact the Student Services Department at 410-751-3120 for additional information.

NON-RESIDENT APPLICATION