Attendance promotes success and positive outcomes for all learners. Regular attendance by students at school is essential for students to obtain the maximum opportunities from the education program. Parents, guardians, or those responsible for making educational decisions on behalf of the student and students are encouraged to ensure regular and timely attendance at school.

The District recognizes the following as Excused Absences:

• School Sponsored Activities - School related activities that take a student out of their scheduled classes, i.e. field trips, competitions, athletic events, school matinees, speakers, testing, etc.
• Bereavement - Parent/guardian notifies the school the student is attending a funeral.
• Court/Legal Appearance - Parent/guardian notifies the school the student is required to attend a court or legal proceeding. This is specific to only the student.
• Illness - Parent/Guardian notifies the school the student is ill.
• Medically Excused - A medical provider's note is required to verify the absence to include: a medical appointment, hospitalization, or a long term chronic physical or mental illness; or the school nurse is required to send the student home.
• Military Leave - Parent/guardian notifies the school the student absence is specific to deployment and/or military leave activities.
• Office - The student is in the school, but has written authorization from a school administrator or nurse identify the reason the student was not in class.
• Post-Secondary Visit - Parent/guardian notifies the school the student is visiting a post-secondary program.
• Religious Holiday Observance- Parent/guardian notifies the school of the religious holiday observance.
• Student Success Center - Student attending the Student Success Center.
• Suspension - Student absence while on suspension.
• Bus - The Principal, or designee, provides notice that there has been a delay due to District provided transportation.
• Interim – The student is in an interim school setting.
• Senior Release – The student is a 12th grader and not required to attend at the end of the school year – graduation.
• Technology – The student had technology issue preventing them from participating in remote learning.

All other absences are Unexcused.

To improve attendance, the District will take a holistic approach, utilizing school, family, and community resources to identify and address the reasons students are absent from school. When concerns arise about a student’s attendance, the District will work with the person or persons who have legal or actual charge and control of any child or the person who is responsible for making educational decisions on behalf of the child if that person is someone other than the person who has legal or actual charge or control of the child.

After a student has accumulated FIVE days of unexcused absences or its hourly equivalent, the District shall render services to address barriers to that student's attendance. Such services shall include, but are not limited to, verbal or written communication by school officials to the person or persons who have legal or actual charge and control of any child or the person who is responsible for making educational decisions on behalf of the child. 

After a student has accumulated TEN days of unexcused absences or its hourly equivalent, the student’s records will be reviewed by the School Attendance Team, which shall be comprised of a School Support Liaison (SSL)/Elementary Assistant Principal/Attendance Designee, a School Counselor, a School Social Worker, and a School Administrator. The District shall render services to address barriers to that student’s attendance. Such services may include, but are not limited to, individualized problem solving, a meeting with the family and a member of the school's Attendance Team and development of a collaborative plan as needed.

After a student has accumulated FIFTEEN days of unexcused absences or its hourly equivalent, the designated school official shall send written communication to the parent/guardian or the person who is responsible for making educational decisions on behalf of the child providing notice of available resource and that the District may refer the absences of the child to the county attorney upon twenty days of unexcused absences, or its hourly equivalent. 

After a student has accumulated TWENTY days of absences or its hourly equivalent, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THOSE ABSENCES ARE EXCUSED OR UNEXCUSED, the District shall render services to address barriers to that student’s attendance. Such services shall include, but not be limited to: 

1. Written communication by school officials to the person or persons who have legal or actual charge and control of any child or the person who is responsible for making educational decisions on behalf of the child. 

2. One or more meetings of the Student Attendance Team along with the parent/guardian or the person who is responsible for making educational decisions on behalf of the child, and, when appropriate, the student, to address the barriers to attendance. The result of the meeting or meetings shall be to develop a collaborative plan to reduce barriers identified to improve regular attendance. The plan shall include, if agreed to by the person who is responsible for making educational decisions on behalf of the child, an educational evaluation to determine whether any intellectual, academic, physical, or social-emotional barriers are contributing factors to the lack of attendance. The plan shall also consider, but not be limited to: