Attendance Overview

One of the most important things parents can do is make sure that their children attend school regularly and on time. While some absences for illnesses are unavoidable, nothing can replace the educational, cultural and social contacts that students experience through regular participation in class. All students between ages 7 and 16 are required by law to attend school. Every child is expected to be at school every day unless sick or otherwise excused.

 

Parents should notify the school office by early morning when their children will be absent from school. If no call is received by the school, the office will contact the parent or guardian by mid-morning.

 

The State Board of Education allows excused absences for these reasons:

• Illness or injury
• Quarantine
• Death in the immediate family
• Medical or dental appointments
• Court or administrative proceedings
• Religious observances
• Educational opportunity

If possible, absences other than those for illness should be arranged in advance so that the student can begin to make up the work which will be missed. After a student has been absent, he or she should bring a written excuse, signed by the parent, stating the cause of the absence. All students are required to attend at least 83 percent of the total school days in an academic year in order to graduate or to be promoted to the next grade. Exceptions could be made in the case of excused absences and made-up work. 

 

Note: Our high schools have developed their own policies on class attendance and credit.

 

 

After any student has accumulated three unexcused absences in a school year, the principal or his/her designee will notify the parent, guardian or custodian of the student that the student has been absent an excessive number of times.

 

After six unexcused absences, the principal will notify the parent, guardian or custodian by mail that he/she may be in violation of the Compulsory Attendance Law and may be prosecuted if the absences cannot be justified under the established attendance policies of the state and district boards of education.

 

After ten accumulated unexcused absences in a school year, the principal will review any report or investigation on the student’s absence and also confer with the student and his/her parent, guardian or custodian to determine whether the parent, guardian or custodian has received notification and made a good faith effort to comply with the law. If the principal determines that the parent, guardian or custodian has not made a good faith effort to comply with the law, the principal will notify the district attorney.

 

Three unexcused tardies of fifteen minutes or more shall be treated as one unexcused absence under the State’s Compulsory Attendance Law.