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SDLA Compliance Resource

Notify the District of Last Known Address When a Compulsory-Age Pupil Leaves a Charter

A departure-control guide for sending the statutory 30-day notice, identifying the correct district, preserving the pupil’s status, and transferring the cumulative folder when requested.

  • Attendance
  • Charter Schools
Date(s)Within 30 days after an applicable pupil is expelled or leaves without graduating or completing the school year
Applies toCharter schools serving pupils subject to compulsory full-time education

In Plain Language: When a compulsory-age pupil is expelled or leaves a charter for any reason without graduating or completing the school year, the charter must notify the superintendent of the school district of the pupil’s last known address within 30 days. If that district requests the record, the charter must provide a copy of the pupil’s cumulative record, including report cards or transcript information and health information.

Why this matters

Withdrawal from a charter does not establish that the pupil enrolled elsewhere. The notice gives the responsible district information needed to follow compulsory-attendance obligations. The cumulative-folder handoff preserves placement, credit, health, services, and safety information.

Joint ownership

Charter owner: administrator or attendance lead. Records owner: registrar/cumulative-record custodian. Receiving partner: superintendent or designated attendance/records office of the district of last known address.

Operational workflow

  1. 1. Flag departures of compulsory-age pupils who did not graduate or complete the school year, including expulsions.
  2. 2. Verify the last known residence address and identify the corresponding school district and superintendent/designee.
  3. 3. Send a dated notice within 30 days and retain proof of delivery and the information supplied.
  4. 4. Secure the cumulative folder: transcript/report cards, health information, attendance, discipline, special-education and other required records as applicable.
  5. 5. On request, provide the district a complete copy and document what was sent, when, by whom, and through what secure method.

Evidence to retain

  • Departure date, reason, age/compulsory-attendance determination, and last known address
  • District-identity check and superintendent/designee contact
  • Notice, delivery date, and proof of transmission
  • Cumulative-folder inventory and request/transfer log
  • CALPADS/SIS exit and subsequent-enrollment follow-up

Official guidance and help

Source review completed August 30, 2026. Verify current law, official guidance, local policy, language access, individual circumstances, and the exact persisted attendance or pupil-record state before acting.