Under New Jersey’s compulsory education laws, children between the ages of 6 and 16 must regularly attend public or private school, or receive equivalent learning elsewhere (such as through homeschooling). Below is a summary of the state’s requirements for staying in school, dropping out, and getting high school equivalency diplomas.
Requirements for Dropping Out Legally
New Jersey is one of a handful of states that still allow students to drop out of school as soon as they turn 16. And unlike some other states in this group, New Jersey doesn’t make 16-year-olds get their parents’ permission or fulfill any other requirements before leaving school. (N.J. Rev. Stat. § 18A:38-25 (2019).)
Still, New Jersey schools must be doing something right, because the state’s high school graduation rate is among the highest in the nation and keeps climbing.
Exemptions from the Attendance Requirement
Children whose physical or mental condition prevents them from going to school or benefiting from instruction aren’t required to attend (N.J. Rev. Stat. § 18A:38-26 (2019)).
Costs of Truancy
In addition to the long-term financial consequences of dropping out of school, students who drop out or skip too much school before they’re 16 face more immediate legal consequences for truants and their parents in New Jersey.
High School Equivalency Tests
If you're at least 16 years old, you may receive a state-issued high school diploma in New Jersey if you pass the GED or one of the other approved high school equivalency tests. But if you’re under 18, you can’t take the test without a consent form signed by a parent or legal guardian and either notarized or brought in person.