§ 115C-375.5. Education for pregnant and parenting students. - North Carolina Statutes

§ 115C‑375.5.  Educationfor pregnant and parenting students.

(a)        Pregnant andparenting students shall receive the same educational instruction or itsequivalent as other students. A local school administrative unit may provideprograms to meet the special scheduling and curriculum needs of pregnant andparenting students. However, student participation in these programs shall bevoluntary, and the instruction and curriculum must be comparable to thatprovided other students.

(b)        Local boards ofeducation shall adopt a policy to ensure that pregnant and parenting studentsare not discriminated against or excluded from school or any program, class, orextracurricular activity because they are pregnant or parenting students and toprovide assistance and support to encourage pregnant and parenting students toremain enrolled in school and graduate. The policy shall include, at a minimum,all of the following:

(1)        Local schooladministrative units shall use, as needed, supplemental funds from the At‑RiskStudent Services allotment to support programs for pregnant and parentingstudents.

(2)        Notwithstanding Part1 of Article 26 of this Chapter, pregnant and parenting students shall be givenexcused absences from school for pregnancy and related conditions for the lengthof time the student's physician finds medically necessary. This includesabsences due to the illness or medical appointment during school hours of achild of whom the student is the custodial parent.

(3)        Homework and make‑upwork shall be made available to pregnant and parenting students to ensure thatthey have the opportunity to keep current with assignments and avoid losingcourse credit because of their absence from school and, to the extentnecessary, a homebound teacher shall be assigned.  (2006‑69, s. 4(a);2009‑330, s. 3.)