Welcome to the Office of Student Rights & Responsibilities

The Office of Student Rights & Responsibilities strives to guide students to achieve the best possible outcomes while holding them accountable for their choices. The office upholds the rights of students in areas including discipline, attendance & truancy, privacy of records, child welfare, and dependent & delinquent youth. The department oversees the Student Transition Center, Bullying & Harassment, Foster Care, Student Engagement & Achievement, Title IX, Appeals, Education for Children & Youth Experiencing Homelessness (ECYEH), Attendance & Truancy, and the implementation and enforcement of the Code of Student Conduct.

Important Documents for School Year 2022-2023

Programs & Services

Student Discipline

The discipline office manages the Code of Conduct, provides discipline support to schools and oversees the disciplinary hearing process. The office also reviews and responds to appeals for disciplinary hearing decisions, bullying and harassment findings.

Student Attendance & Truancy

The Office of Attendance and Truancy serves to offer training and supportive services to all members of the school community, to help improve student attendance, to account for all District students, and to comply with the compulsory school attendance laws.

Foster Care – School Stability

Foster Care Services serves as the liaison between children and youth agencies and the District to reduce both academic and non-academic barriers for youth in foster care. They also serve as the District representative for Best Interest Determination meetings.

Student Engagement and Achievement

The Office of Student Engagement and Achievement’s mission is to inspire, engage, and support student achievement by creating systems that allow students to become authentic co-owners of our schools, sharing responsibility for every student becoming college and career ready. Students having the power to inform, influence and shape reforms, policies and practices to be reflective of the realities, needs, and solutions from the student perspective.

Student Transition Center

The School District of Philadelphia is dedicated to providing support and services to students that are returning from delinquent, dependent, or mental health facilities. When students are provided with educational and community resources, social emotional skills, mental health services and restorative practices, they are more likely to be successful. Quality educational programs and services are critical for the positive development of all youth.

Education for Children & Youth Experiencing Homelessness

Education for Children and Youth Experiencing Homelessness (ECYEH) works to reduce and remove educational barriers for youth experiencing homelessness in Philadelphia.  ECYEH is here to help students obtain any assistance they might be eligible for, including education resources, transportation help, and uniform assistance. If your living situation is in transition, our office is here to help you.

Title IX

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal law that prohibits sex based discrimination, including sexual harassment, in education programs.

Bullying, Harassment and/or Discrimination

The School District of Philadelphia strives to provide a safe and positive educational environment for all school community members, free from bullying, harassment, and discrimination in any form.

Contact Us

Students Experiencing Homelessness
215-400-4830, Option 4

Discipline matters, Appeals,
and Disciplinary Hearings
215-400-4830, Option 2

Student Transition Center
215-400-4830, Option 5
transitioncenter@philasd.org

Attendance & Truancy
215-400-4830, Option 1
General Questions:
attendanceandtruancy@philasd.org
Truancy Referrals:
truancyreferrals@philasd.org