Attendance is vital to your student’s success
Regular attendance is an integral part of the learning experience and is required of all students to receive the maximum benefit of the educational program. Daily punctual school attendance must be a high priority for the student and the parent. It is the priority of the District to foster regular student attendance throughout the school year and reduce barriers to regular school attendance.
Chronic absences/absenteeism means any absence from school for more than ten percent of the days in the grading period established by the District. The Board appoints the Directors of Elementary and Secondary Education as individuals tasked with collecting information on the number of children in the District who are chronically absent.
Truant/Truancy means a child of compulsory attendance age who has been absent from school, for any reason, for at least twenty percent of the days in the grading period. Truant or truancy does not apply to any student:
Who has completed the requirements for graduation in an accredited school or has obtained a high school equivalency diploma;
Who is excused for sufficient reason by any court of record or judge;
Who is attending religious services or receiving religious instruction;
Who is unable to attend school due to legitimate medical reasons;
Who has an individual education program that affects the child’s attendance;
Who has a plan under section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act that affects the child’s attendance;
Who is excused under Iowa Code § 299.22;
Who is exempt under Iowa Code § 299.24 (religious group exemption); or
Who is attending a private college preparatory school accredited or probationally accredited.
School Official: A “school official” means any employee of the District whose job duties involve identifying children who are at risk for becoming chronically absent, creating interventions to limit the rate of student absenteeism, and participating in the legal process related to student absenteeism.
Grading Period: Is defined as one semester (approximately 90 days).
Truancy will not be tolerated by the Board. The Board appoints the Directors of Elementary and Secondary Education as the individuals tasked with collecting information on the numbers of children in the District who are truant.
Students are subject to disciplinary action for truancy. It is within the discretion of the Building Administrator to determine whether a student may make up work missed because of truancy. Students receiving special education services will not be assigned to supervised study hall or in-school suspension unless the goals and objectives of the student’s Individual Education Program are capable of being met.
A student who fails to comply with the compulsory attendance requirements shall not receive an intermediate or full driver’s license until age 18. It is a student’s responsibility to meet any eligibility requirements for a driver’s license.
It is the responsibility of the Superintendent, in conjunction with designated school officials, to develop an administrative regulation regarding this policy (AR501.10). The administrative regulation will indicate the disciplinary action to be taken for truancy.
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 Woodbury County attorney. 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 Engagement Meeting
If a student is absent from school for at least fifteen percent of the days 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 child is not an emancipated minor; and
A school official.
The purpose of the school engagement meeting is to understand the reasons for the student’s absences, attempt to remove barriers to the student’s ongoing absences, and to create and sign an “absenteeism prevention plan.” The participants may initiate any referrals to any services or counseling that the participants believe may be appropriate under the circumstances to improve the student’s attendance.
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 the 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 the 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.
Academic and Disciplinary Requirements
Parents are expected to telephone the school office to report a student’s absence prior to 8:00 am on the day of the absence. Students with unexcused absences may also be referred to the at-risk coordinator.
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 unless their absence is not exempt (under the truant definition) and the student and/or legal guardian has failed to report the reason for the absence. Schoolwork missed because of absences must be made up within two times the number of days absent unless the time for submission is extended by the classroom teacher. Teachers will not have attendance or grading practices in conflict with this provision.