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 email 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 10% threshold of the grading term, but before the student is deemed chronically absent.
School Engagement Meeting
After 10% of absences, if a student is absent from school multiple times with unexcused absences 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:
- 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 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
Students are required to be in attendance, pursuant to board policy, for a designated amount of days or hours per school year. Preschool students have a requirement of 10 hours per week of scheduled instruction, and students in kindergarten through 12th grade have a requirement of 176 per school year. The number of hours or days a student is required to be in attendance may be adjusted if their absences have been excused by the principal for illness (absences of five or more consecutive days due to illness require a doctor’s note), family emergencies, doctor or dental 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.
If a student accumulates five unexcused absences in a class at the high school level, they may lose credit for the class if the student was previously warned at two unexcused absences that two more may result in loss of credit. Prior to imposing the loss of credit in one or more classes, the principal will provide the student an opportunity for an informal hearing.
School work missed because of absences must be made up within two times the number of days absent, not to exceed five days. The time allowed for make-up work may be extended at the discretion of the classroom teacher.
Students will remain in class until the principal makes a decision regarding loss or restoration of credit. Full credit is awarded to all assignments and test 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 administrative drop (AD).
A student who loses credit due to excessive absences is assigned to supervised study hall, in-school suspension, or online course work for the period(s) in which the course(s) meets or the student may be reassigned to another class or location. A student who receives an administrative drop (AD) in all courses due to unexcused absences will not be allowed to participate in any school activities until the following quarter/semester. However, the student is eligible to participate in practice if all other eligibility criteria have been met.
The administration and school counseling staff will make reasonable efforts to advise and counsel and may impose discipline upon any student approaching five 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 their 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 principal.
Related Policy: 501.1; 501.11
Legal Reference (Iowa Code): §§ 294.4; 299; 281 IAC 12.3(4); 34 CFR Sec 300; 28 CFR Pt 35
Iowa Senate File 2435
IASB Reference: 501.09-R(1) Option II