Form J-13A

Overview

The Request for Allowance of Attendance Due to Emergency Conditions, Form J-13A is used to obtain approval of attendance and instructional time credit pursuant to Education Code (EC) sections 41422, 46200, 46391, 46392, 46393 and California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 5, Section 428. Approval of a Form J-13A request from the California Department of Education (CDE), combined with other attendance records, serve to document a local educational agency’s (LEA) compliance with instructional time laws and provide authority to maintain school for less than the required instructional days and minutes without incurring a fiscal penalty to the LEA’s Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) funding.

In the event of a closure due to emergency conditions there is not an immediate impact to LCFF funding and there is not a specific deadline to submit a Form J-13A, thus there is not an urgent need to file Form J-13A in the midst of the emergency event.

For additional information on the Form J-13A process, please review the frequently asked questions (FAQs) below. All Form J-13A submission documents may be found in the ‘Forms’ Section below.

Legislative Changes to Form J-13A Submittals

Senate Bill (SB) 153 (Chapter 38, Statutes of 2024) was passed and approved by the Governor on June 29, 2024. AB 176 (Chapter 998, Statutes of 2024), a clean-up bill to SB 153, was approved by the Governor on September 30, 2024.

This legislation made two significant changes to the Form J-13A submittal process beginning in fiscal year 2026–27.

1. The requirement to include the Certification Form for Independent Study and a certified independent study plan with Form J-13A submissions applies to events occurring from September 1, 2021, through June 30, 2026.
2. Beginning with events occurring on or after July 1, 2026, LEAs will no longer submit an independent study plan and certification. Instead LEAs must include an instructional continuity plan as part of their comprehensive school safety plan (CSSP). This plan must address how the LEA will continue to provide instruction to students affected by emergency events. When submitting a Form J-13A for events on or after July 1, 2026, LEAs must include a Certification Form for Instructional Continuity Plan and Implementation. Please see the 2024–25 Attendance Accounting and Instructional Time Requirements Presentation(PDF; Dated 14-Aug-2024) for more information.

These requirements apply to all types of LEAs.

As a resource, CDE published the Instructional Continuity Plan Guidance web page to support LEAs.

Resources

FAQs - Form J-13A (Updated 08-May-2026)
FAQs about the submittal and approval process of Form J-13A for all years, with the exception of school years 2021–22, 2020–21, and 2019–20 (after declaration of the COVID-19 state of emergency).

J-13A School Closure Quick Reference Guide (for school closures occurring on or after July 1, 2026)(PDF; Created 24-Jun-2026)
Abbreviated resource that provides an overview of the Form J-13A for a school closure and highlights the pertinent information for LEAs experiencing an emergency situation, including the Certification Form for Instructional Continuity Plan and Implementation.

J-13A School Closure Quick Reference Guide (for school closures from September 1, 2021 through June 30, 2026)(PDF; Revised 21-Jul-2023)
Abbreviated resource that provides an overview of the Form J-13A for a school closure and highlights the pertinent information for LEAs experiencing an emergency situation.

Webinar - Form J-13A(PDF; Revised 13-Feb-2024)
The School Fiscal Services Division hosted a webinar on January 25, 2023 to provide an overview of the procedures that allow LEAs to obtain credit for days and minutes lost to emergency closures and material decreases in attendance through submittal of a Request for Allowance of Attendance Due to Emergency Conditions – Form J-13A. Please note, information regarding the Certification Form for Independent Study included in this webinar is applicable for Form J-13A submissions for events occurring from September 1, 2021 through June 30, 2026. For events on or after July 1, 2026, all Form J-13A submissions must include a Certification Form for Instructional Continuity Plan and Implementation.

Letter Announcing Electronic Signatures and Submission of Form J-13A(Revised 21-Jul-2023)
Information about the acceptance of electronic signatures and Form J-13A submissions by email.

Instructions for Zipping Files and Attaching to Email(DOCX; Revised 21-Jul-2023)
Instructions detailing how to zip large files for attachment to email prior to sending to CDE.

Forms

Form J-13A Submission Documents
Request for Allowance of Attendance Due to Emergency Conditions, Form J-13A (Revised December 2017), and, Certification Form for Instructional Continuity Plan and Implementation (for events beginning on or after July 1, 2026) Certification Form for Independent Study plan for the offering of Independent Study (for events from September 1, 2021-June 30, 2026).

2021–22, 2020–21, and 2019–20 School Years

FAQs about the submittal and approval process of the Form J-13A for the 2021–22 and 2020–21 school years. See Form J-13A FAQs above for current information.

2021–22 Form J-13A FAQs

2020–21 Instructional Time and Attendance Accounting Overview and FAQs

FAQs – COVID-19
FAQs about the closure of schools in response to COVID-19 and reporting of ADA for the 2019–20 school year.

L.A. County 2025 Wildfires

2025 L.A. County Wildfires Form J-13A Resources