Student Attendance: JH

One criteria of a student's success in school is regular and punctual attendance. Frequent absences may lead to poor academic work, lack of social development, and possible academic failure. Regular attendance is of utmost importance for school interest, social adjustment, and scholastic achievement. No single factor may interfere with a student's progress more quickly than frequent tardiness or absence.

Except as otherwise allowed by state law, all children between the ages of six (6) and 17 must enroll in and attend school. Parents, guardians and students are all responsible for making sure students are at school daily, on time and are ready to learn.

Continuity in the learning process and social adaptation is seriously disrupted by excessive absences. In most situations, the work missed cannot be made up adequately. Students who have good attendance generally achieve higher grades, enjoy school more, and are more employable after leaving school. For at least these reasons, the Board believes that a student must satisfy two basic requirements in order to earn full class credit: (1) satisfy all academic requirements and (2) exhibit good attendance habits as stated in this policy.

A parent or guardian must notify the school any time a student will be absent for either in person or virtual learning. In non-emergency situations this notification should occur prior to the beginning of the school day. If notification of a student’s absence is not received, attempts will be made by school staff to notify the parents or guardian of their student’s absence.

1. Attendance Recording

• 1.1 At minimum, attendance at the elementary level will be recorded within 10 minutes after class begins in the morning and within 10 minutes after class resumes after lunch.
• 1.2 Attendance at the secondary level will be recorded within the first 10 minutes of each attendance period.
• 1.3 If a student is not present in the classroom when attendance is taken, or when a virtual student has not made contact with teacher throughout the week, the student will be marked absent.
• 1.4 During days of remote instruction, teachers will take attendance and monitor student participation through Infinite Campus at a minimum of two (2) times weekly. For situations that are beyond control of the student, days of remote instruction will be treated with the same expectations as an excused absence in regard to work assigned.

2. Excused Absences

• 2.1 Excused absences are defined as absences due to one or more of the following:
  • 2.1.1 A student who is temporarily ill or injured or whose absence is approved by the administrator of the school of attendance on a prearranged basis. Prearranged absences will be approved for appointments or circumstances of a serious nature only which cannot be taken care of outside of school hours.
  • 2.1.2 Family emergency such as a serious illness or death of an immediate family member.
  • 2.1.3 Legal proceeding.
  • 2.1.4 A student who is suspended or expelled.
  • 2.1.5 Approved pre-arranged absences as defined later in this policy
  • 2.1.6 Religious observations
  • 2.1.7 A student who is attending any school-sponsored activity or activities of an educational nature with advance approval by the administration.
  • 2.1.8 A student who is pursuing a work-study program under the supervision of the school.
  • 2.1.9 A student who is absent for an extended period due to a physical, disability or a mental or a mental or behavioral health disorder.
  • 2.1.10 COVID related illness or quarantine.

As applicable, the district may require suitable proof regarding the above expectations, including written statements from medical sources.

• 2.2 Classes missed due to participation in a school sponsored activity are considered “exempt” absences. Such absences do not impact the student’s attendance record.
• 2.3 After 10 excused absences in a school year, verification may be required by school administration or a district attendance officer for further absences to be considered excused. Such verification may include written statements from medical providers or similar official documentation.

If a student is in out-of-home placement (as that term is defined by C.R.S. 22-32-138 (1)(h)), absences due to court appearances and participation in court-ordered activities will be excused. The student’s assigned social worker must verify the student’s absence was for a court appearance or court-ordered activity.

3. Unexcused Absences

An unexcused absence is defined as an absence that is not covered by one of the foregoing exceptions. Each unexcused absence will be entered on the student's record. The parents/guardians of the student receiving an unexcused absence will be notified orally or in writing by the district of the unexcused absence. In accordance with law, the district may impose appropriate penalties that relate directly to classes missed while unexcused.

Penalties may include a warning, school detention, or in-school suspension. Academic penalties, out-of-school suspensions, or expulsion will not be imposed for any unexcused absence.

The administration will develop procedures to implement appropriate penalties. The school administration will consider the correlation between course failure, truancy, and a student dropping out of school in developing these procedures and will implement research-based strategies to reengage students with a high number of unexcused absences.

• 3.1 All absences not otherwise excused per section 2 and its subsections of this policy will be considered unexcused.
• 3.2 For an absence to be excused for in person or virtual learners, a telephone call or signed note from the custodial parent/legal guardian, medical practitioner(s), or other authorized official must be submitted within two (2) school days of the school day absent. In the case of multiple consecutive absences, the excuse must be submitted within two (2) school days of the last school day absent.

4. Habitual Truancy

• 4.1 Habitual truancy is defined by law and policy as having four (4) unexcused absences in a calendar month, or 10 unexcused absences in a calendar year.
• 4.2 Habitually truant students will be subject to building attendance contracts and/or district truancy action plans, and may be referred to truancy court if truancy continues despite intervention efforts.

5. Chronic Absenteeism

• 5.1 A student will be considered chronically absent if he or she has missed 10% or more of the scheduled school days in a calendar year, regardless of whether the absences are excused or unexcused. Chronically absent students are subject to school and district attendance interventions.
• 5.2 Individual student needs and circumstances will be considered in determining appropriate interventions for chronic absence. For students with disabilities, the student’s Individual Education Team or Section 504 Team may be consulted regarding appropriate interventions.

6. Tardies, Early Departures and Partial Absences

• 6.1 Leaving class without permission and/or leaving class with a pass but not returning in a timely manner may result in a partial absence being recorded.
• 6.2 Tardies, early departures and partial absences will be determined to be excused or unexcused based on the same criteria as all other absences.
• 6.3 Tardy is defined as a student’s arrival within 10 minutes of the scheduled start time for the class.
• 6.4 Early departure is defined as a student’s departure from class within the last 10 minutes of the class.
• 6.5 Partial absence is defined as a student arriving 10 or more minutes late to class, or leaving 10 or more minutes before the end of class.
• 6.6 For district purposes of calculating truancy and chronic absenteeism, three (3) tardies or early departures will be considered a partial absence and three (3) partial absences will be considered an absence.
• 6.7 Excessive tardies, excessive early departures and/or excessive partial absences may result in building level interventions, consequences or restrictions, including but not limited to the initiation of a building attendance contract.

7. Pre-Arranged Absences

• 7.1 Planned, non-emergency activities should be scheduled for days or times when students are not scheduled to be in school. Requests for absences to be excused for non-emergency reasons will be approved if the student has a 95% or higher attendance rate over the prior two (2) grading periods, and if the student is otherwise meeting academic performance expectations as determined by school administration. For students who do not meet the criteria noted, pre-arranged absence requests will be reviewed at the discretion of school administration.

8. Makeup Work

• 8.1 Students will be given the opportunity to make up assignments for credit for excused absences. Makeup assignments should be requested on the day the student returns from the absence. Once provided by the teacher, makeup work should be completed within the same number of school days after the absence that the student originally missed. For example, a student who misses three days of school should have three school days to complete the makeup work after the teacher provides the work.
• 8.2 For excused absences, including suspensions, makeup work completed within the allotted makeup window will be awarded full academic credit.
• 8.3 Credit for makeup work for unexcused absences, or for makeup work turned in late, may result in reduced credit or in no credit being awarded at the discretion of the teacher with approval of school administration.
• 8.4 Some assignments such as labs or group projects are not conducive to makeup work. In such situations for excused absences only, teachers may provide an alternate assignment or may adjust the student’s grade accordingly to avoid placing an undue burden on the teacher without otherwise penalizing the student.

9. Absences and Extracurricular Activity

• 9.1 Students who are absent for part or all of a school day may be restricted or prohibited from participation in after school or extracurricular events on the day of absence.

10. Attendance Recognition

• 10.1 Perfect attendance is defined as having no tardies, early departures, partial absences or absences. Individual schools may recognize perfect or otherwise exemplary attendance of students based on criteria established by the schools’ administration.

11. Withdrawal for Non-Attendance

• 11.1 Students who are 17 years of age or older may legally withdraw from school (i.e. “drop out”) prior to graduating. Such students should not be formally withdrawn until school administration has attempted to contact parents or guardians by phone and in writing to discuss educational options that may be available, and until otherwise approved by District Administration.
• 11.2 Students of any age who miss 10 consecutive school days without prior approval of school administration may be reported to the District Attendance Officer for investigation. The attendance officer may direct the school to implement truancy interventions or may otherwise approve the student being withdrawn after 15 consecutive days of non-attendance provided there is documentation verifying the schools’ efforts to reengage the student in school.
• 11.3 Students under the age of 17 who seek to withdraw with a stated intent of enrolling in a different school or educational program, including homeschooling, may not be officially withdrawn without receipt of request for educational records from the new school or otherwise without permission of District Administration.
• 11.4 Students who are withdrawn for non-attendance, or students who withdraw after turning 17 but prior to graduating, should not be on campus without administrative approval.

12. Homeschooling

• 12.1 Students with a history of habitual truancy within the past six (6) months of the school calendar are not eligible to withdraw from school for the purpose of homeschooling until parents have satisfied application and planning requirements described in Superintendent Policy IHBH, Homeschooling.

13. Homebound Instruction for Students with Medical Needs

• 13.1 Parents of a student who is anticipated to be absent for more than 15 school days due to a verifiable physical, mental or emotional disability may request assessment by district staff for homebound instruction or other education support services. Superintendent Policy IHBF, Homebound Instruction, provides guidelines regarding homebound instruction eligibility and services.

 

Adopted August 14, 1979

Last revision July 12, 1983

Revised October 1, 1984

Revised July 16, 1985

Updated November 11, 1986

New Policy Adopted June 12, 1990

Revised October 11, 1993

Revised June 27, 1995

Revised June 26, 2007

Revised October 28, 2008

Updated May 2009

Revised July 14, 2015

Revised August 7, 2020



LEGAL REFS.:

C.R.S. 22-32-109. C.R.S. 22-32-109.1

C.R.S. 22-33-101 et. seq

C.R.S. 22-33-104

C.R.S. 22-33-107

C.R.S. 22-33-108 1 CCR 301-78



CROSS REFS.:

IHBF, Homebound Instruction IHBH, Homeschooling

JEA, Compulsory Attendance JK, Code of Conduct