In California, a school age child working on a film, television or commercial production must get at least three hours of schooling on set on days their own school is in session, taught by a studio teacher certified by the state Labor Commissioner. The child needs an entertainment work permit, which depends on a school official certifying satisfactory attendance, health and grades, and which must be renewed at least every six months. The three hours on set are the schooling the rules require on a work day, but the student still has to keep up with the home school’s coursework. This guide explains the rules in plain language and how families keep school from slipping. It is general information, not legal advice.
How many hours can a young performer work, and how much school do they get?
California’s regulations set two limits for each age band: total time at the place of employment, and hours of actual work inside that time. For school age minors, the rest of the day includes schooling and rest and recreation (Title 8, Section 11760).
| Age | Most time at the workplace | Most actual work | Schooling when school is in session |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 to under 9 | 8 hours | 4 hours | At least 3 hours |
| 9 to under 16 | 9 hours | 5 hours | At least 3 hours |
| 16 to under 18 | 10 hours | 6 hours | At least 3 hours |
The same regulation requires 12 hours between the end of one work day and the next call time. If that turnaround would cut into the child’s regular school start the next morning, the child must be schooled that day at the employer’s place of business instead.
To see every limit for a specific age and day, including the latest wrap time and the 12 hour turnaround, try our free young performer work hours calculator.
What a studio teacher does
A studio teacher holds a California teaching credential in a core subject and a separate certification from the Labor Commissioner, renewed at least every three years with an exam on child labor law. Studio teachers teach on set and are responsible for the health, safety and morals of minors under 16, and can stop work or remove a minor if conditions are dangerous. Employers must provide one studio teacher for every ten minors or fewer, and for minors under 16 the ratio can be one for every twenty on weekends, holidays and school vacations (Labor Commissioner, Studio Teachers).
What a studio teacher does not do is set your child’s curriculum. They teach from the work the child brings. A child who arrives with no assignments, the wrong textbook or no idea what the class covered loses most of the value of those hours.
Work permits run on school records
For students in grades 1 to 12, the permit application includes a school record form completed by an authorized school official certifying that attendance, health and scholastic records are satisfactory. Students in online, virtual or private programs get that certification from the program’s main office, and homeschooling families have their own route (Labor Commissioner, Entertainment Work Permit Required Documents). A permit is valid for no more than six months, and renewal follows the same conditions (Title 8, Section 11753).
That means a bad semester is not only an academic problem for a working child. It can become a work problem at the next renewal. The families who handle this best treat attendance and grades as part of the career plan.
Longer shoots, travel and independent study
When a booking pulls a student away from their regular classroom for days or weeks, many California public schools offer independent study, a voluntary alternative where the student completes assigned work under a signed agreement. The California Department of Education describes a short term option of fewer than 16 school days, and says participation must always be voluntary (California Department of Education, Independent Study Quick Guide). Each district runs its own program, so ask your school early, before the booking starts rather than after.
The money side: Coogan accounts in brief
Under California law, 15 percent of a minor’s gross earnings under covered entertainment contracts must be set aside by the employer in trust, usually with a parent or guardian as trustee (Family Code Section 6752). The details, including when the law applies, belong with your attorney, business manager or the production. We mention it here because many parents first meet these rules at the same moment they first meet the school rules.
A parent checklist before the first long booking
- Ask the school who signs the work permit school record form and how quickly they turn it around.
- Ask about independent study or other absence options for the dates you expect to miss.
- Get every teacher’s preferred contact method and a list of upcoming tests and projects.
- Build a “set bag” with textbooks, chargers, a planner and printed assignments.
- Agree on how finished work gets back to school each week, and who checks it.
- Put permit renewal dates on the family calendar with a reminder a month ahead.
- Protect sleep: decide in advance what gives way when a week is overloaded.
Where a mentor helps
Most of that checklist is not hard; it is hard to keep doing every week while also driving to auditions and running a household. A mentor works one on one with the student to own their side of it: the planner, the set bag, the teacher emails, the work sent back on Friday, and a calm plan for the week after a big shoot. Sessions are by video, so they continue on location, with in person sessions available in Los Angeles. Read more about mentoring for young performers.
Related
- Mentoring for young performers
- Mentoring for entertainment industry families
- Performing arts teens balancing school
- Arts high schools explained
- Time management coaching for students
Common questions
Do child actors go to regular school?
Many do. On work days when their school is in session, California requires at least three hours of schooling on set with a studio teacher, and the student keeps up with their regular school or program’s coursework.
Who teaches a child actor on set?
A studio teacher: a credentialed teacher certified by the California Labor Commissioner, who teaches from the work the student brings and looks after the welfare of minors on set.
How long is a California entertainment work permit valid?
No more than six months. Renewal follows the same conditions, including the school record certification for school age minors.
Can a child actor do independent study?
Many California public schools offer independent study, including a short term option. It is voluntary and run by each district, so ask your school before the booking starts.
What is a Coogan account?
A trust account used to hold the portion of a minor’s entertainment earnings that California law requires an employer to set aside, generally 15 percent of gross earnings under covered contracts. Ask your own attorney or business manager about your situation.
Is this legal advice?
No. This page summarizes public rules in plain language. Rules change, so check the Labor Commissioner and your school, and ask a qualified professional about your situation.
Get started
Want help keeping school on track around bookings? Call (888) 305-5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free 20 minute intro call.
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