Daily, punctual attendance is an integral part of the learning experience. The education that goes on in the classroom builds from day to day and absences can cause disruption in the educational progress of the absent student. Irregular attendance or tardiness by students not only limits their own studies, but also interferes with the progress of those students who are regular and prompt in attendance. Attendance is a shared responsibility that requires cooperation and communication among students, parents and the school.
This regulation is divided into two sections: Section I addresses legal requirements related to chronic absenteeism and truancy for students of compulsory age, and Section II addresses additional academic, disciplinary and extracurricular consequences that all students may face due to chronic absenteeism and truancy. It is important for students to recognize that chronic absenteeism and truancy impacts all these facets of their educational experience.
SECTION I – Legal Requirements
Chronic Absenteeism
When a student meets the threshold to be considered chronically absent (10%), the school official will send notice by mail or e-mail to the county attorney where the district’s central office is located. The school official will also notify the student, or if a minor, the student’s parent, guardian or legal or actual custodian via certified mail that includes information related to the student’s absences from school and the policies and disciplinary processes associated with additional absences.
School officials will send notice when the student’s absences meet the following threshold: K-8 eight (8) days in a semester and high school four (4) days in a term.
School Engagement Meeting
If a student is absent from school for fifteen percent of the days in the grading period, the school official will attempt to find the cause of the absences and start and participate in a school engagement meeting. All of the following individuals must participate in the school engagement meeting:
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The student;
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The student’s parent, guardian or legal or actual custodian if the student is an unemancipated minor; and
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A school official.
The purpose of the meeting is to understand the reasons for the student’s absences and attempt to remove barriers to the student’s ongoing absences; and to create and sign an absenteeism prevention plan. Fifteen percent of the days for K-8 is twelve (12) days per semester and high school is six (6) days per term.
Absenteeism Prevention Plan
The absenteeism prevention plan will identify the causes of the student’s absences and the future responsibilities of each participant. The school official will contact the student and student’s parent/guardian at least once per week for the remainder of the plan to monitor the performance of the student and the student’s parent/guardian under the plan. If the student and student’s parent/guardian do not attend the meeting, do not enter into a plan or violate the terms of the plan, the school official will notify the county attorney.
SECTION II – Academic and Disciplinary Requirements
Elementary & Middle School
Students are required to be in attendance, pursuant to board policy, for 170 days per school year unless their absences have been excused by the principal for illness, family emergencies, doctor, dental, or other professional appointment, recognized religious observances and school sponsored or approved activities. Reasonable excuses may also include family trips or vacations approved by the building principal if the student's work is finished prior to the trip or vacation. Absences that do not fall within the categories listed above will be considered unexcused unless approved by the principal. Parents are expected to telephone the school office to report a student's absence prior to 9:00 a.m. on the day of the absence.
School work missed because of absences must be made up within two times the number of days absent, not to exceed 10 days. The time allowed for make-up work may be extended at the discretion of the classroom teacher.
If a student has an unexcused absence, they may be required to make up classwork during recess, before, or after school. If additional unexcused absences occur, the Student Success Coordinator will be notified. A meeting with parents may be scheduled if the student continues to accumulate unexcused absences. The purpose of the meeting will be to collaborate and enact an attendance cooperation agreement. The attendance cooperation agreement will set attendance parameters for the child for the remainder of the school year.
This process starts over each semester.
High School
Students are required to be in attendance, pursuant to board policy, for 170 days per school year unless their absences have been excused by the principal for illness, family emergencies, doctor, dental, or other professional appointment, recognized religious observances and school sponsored or approved activities. Reasonable excuses may also include family trips or vacations approved by the building principal if the student's work is finished prior to the trip or vacation. Absences that do not fall within the categories listed above will be considered unexcused unless approved by the principal. Parents are expected to telephone the school office to report a student's absence prior to 9:00 a.m. on the day of the absence.
School work missed because of absences must be made up within two times the number of days absent, not to exceed 10 days. The time allowed for make-up work may be extended at the discretion of the classroom teacher.
If a student reaches 8 unexcused absences, the student will receive a written warning of loss of credit. If after the written warning the student accumulates 2 additional unexcused absences (10), it may result in loss of credit for the course. Prior to imposing the loss of credit in one or more classes, the principal will provide the student and parent/guardian an opportunity for a meeting with counselor and administrator.
A student who loses credit due to excessive absences will be assigned to supervised study hall for the block in which the course(s) meets, and the student may be reassigned an online course to be completed prior to re-enrolling in the course for which the student lost credit.
Students will remain in class until the high school administration makes a decision regarding loss or restoration of credit. Full credit is awarded to all assignments and tests submitted that meet the teacher's specifications until a decision regarding credit has been made.
If a student loses credit, this will be recorded in the student's record as an "AW" [administrative withdrawal].
The administration and guidance staff will make reasonable efforts to advise and counsel and may impose discipline upon any student approaching 8 unexcused absences in a grading period. Such advice, discipline and counseling is in addition to the requirements listed in Section I of this regulation and includes, but is not limited to, oral or written notices to the student and his or her parents, conferences with the student and parents, written contracts, or loss of non-academic privileges such as extracurricular activities, open campus, late arrival, early dismissal, or others as added by the district.
This process starts over at the beginning of each term (grading period).
