Scheduled attendance must be at the rate of at least 20 hours per week. However, if attendance is less than 20 hours per week, a finding of full-time attendance (FTA) may be justified:

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  If the school's standards do not require at least 20 hours of weekly scheduled attendance for the student to be considered full-time; and

  Attending that school is the student's only reasonable alternative; or

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  If the student's medical condition precludes 20 hours of attendance.

(See RS 00205.310H for developing attendance of less than 20 hours per week.)

If the student stopped attending classes and made a decision not to return to school, they cannot be considered to be in FTA even if the school has not dropped them from the rolls.

Included in attendance is the time the student spends in:

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  The classroom;

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  Laboratory work;

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  Supervised study which is available to all students;

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  Required time for changes in teacher and/or student stations; and

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  Work which is an integral part of the program of study.

In determining the 20 hours of scheduled attendance, include time the student is working at a job assigned by the school or obtained by or for the student through the school as an integral part of the student's schooling (RS 00205.125A.3.).

Consider the student to be in FTA for the month that 20 hours of weekly attendance begins or ends.

EXAMPLE: Christopher began attending school at least 20 hours a week on August 30 and continued through June 1. Consider them in FTA for August through June.

Consider graduation ceremonies an integral part of school attendance even though the student may not be scheduled for at least 20 hours of weekly attendance for the month of graduation. If the graduation ceremony is held the month following the month 20 hours of weekly attendance ends, consider the student to be in FTA for the month of graduation, even if the ceremony occurs in or after the month of attainment of age 19.

EXAMPLE 1: John's classes ended in May, the last month they were in FTA, and they graduated in June. Since John was in FTA the month before graduation, they can be considered in FTA for the month of graduation even though their last month of FTA was May.

However, if there is an interval of one or more months between the cessation of 20-hour weekly attendance and the graduation ceremony, do not consider the student in FTA after the month the 20-hour weekly attendance ceased.

EXAMPLE 2: John was last in FTA in March; however, they graduated with their class in June when the ceremony was held. The last month they can be considered in FTA was March since there was an interval of more than one month between the last month of FTA and the graduation ceremony.

When a student is simultaneously attending more than one EI, verify attendance at each school and combine the hours from each response to determine FTA. However, if based on the responses it is determined that the student is in FTA at one of the schools, treat the case as if they are only attending that school.

If one of the schools would consider the student to be in FTA if their total subject load was taken at that school, determine the student to be in FTA.

If a student is attending a postsecondary school or a vocational/technical school and is taking secondary school level courses and is ordinarily scheduled for at least 20 hours of weekly attendance in an approved secondary school level program, consider the student to be in FTA.

EXAMPLE: Melissa attends a community college that offers a high school level program approved by the local board of education. They are enrolled for 6 hours of regular college level courses and 20 hours of weekly scheduled attendance in the high school level program. Consider Melissa to be a full-time secondary school level student based on their scheduled attendance in the high school level program. In this case, college courses are not material in determining student status.

If a student is simultaneously attending a secondary level school and is also enrolled in a secondary level program at a postsecondary school, combine the courses and the scheduled attendance to determine if the student is in FTA.

EXAMPLE 1: Kristen is scheduled to attend public high school classes for 10 hours weekly in the mornings. During the afternoons, Kristen is scheduled for 6 hours of weekly attendance at the local community college to acclimate herself to college level courses. Kristen's high school grants them high school credits for the courses at the community college even though they are not secondary school level courses. The community college also grants them college credits for the courses. The high school does not consider them to be in full-time attendance.

Kristen is not in FTA because their scheduled secondary level school weekly attendance is not at the rate of 20 hours and they have not provided a reasonable explanation for a scheduled classroom attendance of only 16 hours.

EXAMPLE 2: The same situation as above except that Kristen is scheduled for 10 hours of weekly attendance at the local community college. Because they receive high school credit for the community college courses, Kristen is in FTA because they are scheduled for 20 hours of weekly attendance at courses for which they are receiving secondary level school credit.

If the student is unable to schedule attendance of at least 20 hours per week and the school considers the student to be in FTA under its standards and practices:

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  Document the file with a statement from the school official that the school does not schedule at least 20 hours per week and attending that school is the student's only reasonable alternative; or

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  Obtain appropriate medical evidence from the student if the student's medical condition prevents them from scheduled attendance of at least 20 hours per week.

EXAMPLE 1: John stopped attending school at age 16. At age 18, they enrolled for 16 1/2 hours of scheduled classroom attendance in an evening high school program. John explained that they had stopped attending school at age 16 because of illness and now at age 18 was too old to attend a conventional high school. John added that they had enrolled for the maximum number of hours available at the evening high school and that the school considers the evening program equivalent to the day program.

Consider John to be in FTA if the school verifies them to be full-time according to its standards and practices. This is an exceptional situation and John has provided a reasonable explanation for their scheduled classroom attendance of less than 20 hours weekly.

EXAMPLE 2: Patty stopped attending Central High School at age 17. After attaining age 18, they enrolled for 16 1/2 hours of scheduled classroom attendance in an evening high school program. Patty explained that they were pregnant and were embarrassed to return to Central High. Patty added that they had considered enrolling for 20 hours of weekly classroom attendance at the evening high school but did not because the school considered 16 1/2 hours to be full-time and they could then have more time to pursue their other interests.

Do not consider Patty to be in FTA. This is not an exceptional situation and they did not provide a reasonable explanation for their scheduled classroom attendance of less than 20 hours weekly.

However, if Patty enrolls for less than 20 hours of scheduled attendance for medical reasons based on their physician's advice, consider this an exceptional situation. Document the file accordingly.