501.09-R(1) - Chronic Absenteeism and Truancy - Regulation

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 and Section II addresses additional academic, disciplinary and extracurricular consequences students 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, 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 U.S. mail, electronic mail, electronic message or in person delivery that includes information related to the student’s absences from school and the policies and disciplinary processes associated with additional absences.

School Engagement Meeting

If a student is absent from school for at least fifteen percent of the school days in the grading period, the school official will attempt to find the cause of the absences. If the school official determines that the child's absences are negatively affecting the child's academic progress, the school official will start and participate in a school engagement meeting. All of the following individuals must participate in the school engagement meeting:

• The student;
• The student’s parent, guardian or legal or actual custodian if the student is an unemancipated minor; and
• 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.

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 school year 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

[The language in Section II should reflect your individual district's academic and disciplinary consequences for chronic absenteeism and truancy that exist separate from the legal consequences listed in Section I above. The two samples below can be adapted or replaced in their entirety with your district's preferred process.}

Students who are absent without a reasonable excuse, as determined by the principal, will be assigned to supervised study hall, detention, in-school suspension, or other appropriate disciplinary sanction.  Reasonable excuses include illness, family emergencies, 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. It is the student’s responsibility to work with the teacher to arrange a plan for missed learning opportunities.   Upon the student’s return to school, they will have up to 6 days to make up missed learning.

A student who is unexcused for one or more classes for less than a whole school day, will be assigned to an appropriate disciplinary sanction for the time missed. If a student is unexcused for a whole day of class periods, he or she will receive appropriate disciplinary action and have up to 6 days to make up the missed assignments.  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.  Students with unexcused absences may also be referred to the at-risk coordinator.

School work missed because of absences must be made up within two times the number of days absent, not to exceed 6 days. The time allowed for make-up work may be extended at the discretion of the classroom teacher.

Students will be allowed to make up all work missed due to any absence and will receive full credit for make-up work handed in on time. Teachers will not have attendance or grading practices that are in conflict with this provision.

A student who loses credit due to excessive absences is assigned to a supervised study hall for the period(s) in which the course(s) meets or the student may be reassigned to another class or location.  A student who, after a hearing before the board, loses credit in all courses due to unexcused absences, will not be allowed to participate in any school activities until the following semester. However, the student is eligible to participate in practice if all other eligibility criteria have been met.

The administration and guidance staff will make reasonable efforts to advise and counsel and may impose discipline upon any student approaching unexcused absences. 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 and/or early dismissal.