A Guide for Parents
Student Attendance Policy & Procedures
Supporting student success through consistent attendance.
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Policy Guidelines
State & District Criteria
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Absence Coding
Excused vs. Unexcused
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Family Support
Partnership for Success
Key Attendance Terminology
Understanding the specific terms used in our attendance policy is the first step to ensuring your student remains on track. The district categorizes attendance records using the following standard definitions:
check_circleExcused Absence
An absence that meets specific State or District criteria and is formally approved. These are recognized reasons for a student to miss school without penalty.
warningChronic Absenteeism
A status reached when a student is absent for 10% of the school year. This metric tracks overall missed instructional time.
cancelUnexcused Absence
Any absence that does not fall under the specific State or District approved categories.
gavelTruancy
Unexcused absences that accumulate to a level requiring formal intervention or legal action. Excused absences do not count toward truancy.
Excused Absences: State vs. District Guidelines
State-Approved Excused Absences
Does NOT count toward truancy, loss of credit, or chronic absenteeism
District-Approved Excused Absences
Does NOT count toward truancy & loss of credit, but DOES count toward chronic absenteeism
Understanding Unexcused Absences
Any absence outside specific State or District exemptions is recorded as "unexcused." This term is purely an administrative classification—not a punitive label or judgment on your family.
Administrative Coding Requirement
"Unexcused" is an administrative tracking term used to record missed instructional time. It is a data point, not a punishment.
Medical Absences Update: Policy Clarification
To maintain accurate attendance records and adhere strictly to existing district policy, we are clarifying the guidelines surrounding medical and dental appointments.
Under district policy, necessary and unavoidable medical or dental appointments that cannot be scheduled outside of the school day are considered excused, provided there is documentation from the doctor’s office. However, this excused status applies ONLY to the specific day and time of the appointment itself.
Additional days spent recovering at home following a medical appointment, or days kept home for general illness without a specific concurrent medical appointment, do not qualify for as an excused absence as per policy. They will be recorded as unexcused unless they meet other criteria. This clarification, and change from prior years, ensures we are applying Regulation 5200 and Policy 5200 consistently across the district.
Attendance Support & Interventions
Our district utilizes a tiered support system to ensure students do not fall behind. When unexcused absences accumulate, we initiate the following action steps to partner with families:
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Unexcused Absences
Preliminary Awareness
A preliminary notification letter is released to parents via the Genesis parent portal to ensure awareness of the accumulated absences.
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Unexcused Absences
Evaluation and planning by Attendance Review Committee
A notification letter is released in Genesis and a copy is mailed to the home.
The building-based Attendance Review Committee (ARC) meets to evaluate the student's case and develop a collaborative improvement plan. Students and families are encouraged to be included in this process.
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Unexcused Absences
Formal Action & Review
Following further notifications, the ARC meets againto review the case.. At this stage, the district must consider more serious consequences, which may include: