Maintain, Follow, and Train Your Staff on an Early Release Policy

Maintain, Follow, and Train Your Staff on an Early Release Policy
Education Code requires that all After School Education and Safety and 21st Century Community Learning Centers programs must establish and maintain a policy regarding the reasonable early daily release of pupils from the program that is consistent with providing pupils a safe environment and the local educational agency's (LEA) release policy established for the regular day. The policy should be developed in collaboration with LEA officials, legal counsel, after school grant administrators, community partners, parents, guardians, and others, as appropriate, to ensure that the early release policy is consistent with LEA policy, and meets local needs and all legal requirements.  Link to sample early release policies under Tools to Start and Operate After School Programs below. The policy should address at least the following for the regular or supplemental program: 

• Attendance expectations and requirements
• Consequences for unauthorized instances or unacceptable pattern of  unauthorized  early program departures
• Individuals authorized to request early release and sign out pupils
• List of authorized/unauthorized reasons for early release
• Sign out procedures for early release pupils