The Board believes that regular attendance is important to students and to the School System. Regular attendance by students facilitates development of the skills and knowledge necessary to function in a democratic society. Therefore, the Board endeavors to secure, in compliance with Alabama law, the prompt and regular attendance of students and to secure their proper conduct, and to hold respective parents/guardians responsible and liable for child’s/children’s non-attendance or improper conduct (See policies JBDC and JBDE).
Further, the Board directs that teachers and other applicable personnel shall maintain attendance records in accordance with directions set forth by Alabama laws, State Board of Education policies, State Department of Education regulations and Board policy.
ABSENTEEISM
School Day – A school day absence is defined as non-attendance for more than fifty (50%) percent of the regularly scheduled school day. To be counted present, a student must be present more than fifty (50%) percent of the scheduled school day.
Class – A class absence is defined as non-attendance for more than fifty (50%) percent of a regularly scheduled class. To be counted present, a student must be present more than fifty (50%) percent of the scheduled class time.
EXCUSES
In accordance with State Law, a parent/guardian MUST explain the cause of every absence of students under his/her control or charge. Every student MUST bring a written excuse signed by his/her parent/guardian within three (3) school days after he/she returns to school following an absence(s). Failure to present the signed note within the time noted will result in the absence being marked UNEXCUSED. All absences shall be designated as “excused” or “unexcused” in accordance with the following provisions:
Excused Absence – An absence will be marked as excused when the student presents an acceptable written explanation signed by his/her parent/guardian within three (3) school days upon returning to school, and the explanation meets one of the recognized reasons for absences as shown below.
Unexcused Absences – An absence will be marked as unexcused when the student fails to present a written explanation signed by his/her parent/guardian within three (3) school days upon returning to school. An absence will be marked unexcused when the explanation fails to meet one of the recognized reasons for absences as shown below.
NOTE: Principals or designees may require verification of any absence.
RECORDING ABSENCES
All absences for the following reasons shall be recorded as excused.
1. Illness
2. Death in the immediate family
3. Inclement weather which would be dangerous to the life and health of the student, as determined by the principal and /or Superintendent.
4. Legal reasons
5. Emergency conditions as determined by the principal and/or Superintendent.
6. Prior permission of the principal with the consent of the parent and Superintendent, not to exceed three (3) days; absences requiring longer than three (3) days also must be approved by the Superintendent.
DENIAL OF CREDIT BASED ON EXCESSIVE ABSENCES
Grades K-8 – A student in grades K-8 who accumulates more than 20 absences per year may be denied course credit and/or promotion based on rules and regulations established by the various schools.
Grades 9-12 – a student in grades 9-12, who accumulates more than eight (8) absences per term, may be denied course credit and/or promotion based on rules and regulations established by Carroll High School.
MAKE-UP WORK – EXCUSED ABSENCES
If a student is absent for any excused reason as defined above, the student shall be allowed to make up all major assignments and other work missed during said absence or absences at a time agreeable to the teacher(s). Teachers shall not be required to reteach lessons, but students shall be given a reasonable opportunity to learn the lessons missed due to excused absences.
GRADE K-5 – The parent/guardian or student shall be responsible for arranging necessary make-up work.
GRADE 6-12 – The student shall be responsible for contacting the teacher or teachers to arrange to make up the work.
TIME LIMIT – The student must contact his/her teacher(s) to make arrangements for make-up work within two (2) days after returning to school from an excused absence. Make-up work must be completed within five (5) school days not including the two (2) day arrangement period, however, for long-term absences, additional days to make-up the work may be approved by the teacher(s) and principal or designee.
MAKE-UP WORK – UNEXCUSED ABSENCES
GRADES K-5 – Make-up work for unexcused absences may be approved on a case-by-case basis by the principal or designee.
GRADES 6-12 – Teachers may not provide make-up work or examinations for students absent for unexcused reasons. Teachers may assign zeroes to students absent for unexcused reasons; zeroes may be assigned to such students only when other students in general receive grades for homework, examinations, recitation, etc.
NOTE: STUDENTS ON OUT-OF-SCHOOL SUSPENSION ARE CONSIDERED AS ABSENT UNEXCUSED.
STUDENT TARDIES –CHECK OUTS
All tardies shall be recorded. A tardy is defined as a student’s arrival after the official time set for the commencement of a school’s regular daily activities, i.e. bell, homeroom, roll call, etc. Tardies shall be considered unexcused time from class periods missed unless explanation is presented to the principal or designee by the parents/guardians that the tardy was for an excused reason. Local school principals may establish and approve additional sanctions for tardies.
All check outs shall be recorded. A check out is defined as leaving school prior to the end of the respective school’s regular daily activities. Checkouts shall be considered unexcused absences from those class periods missed unless evidence is presented to the principal or designee by the parents/guardians that the checkout was for an excused reason. Students must check out through the school office.
RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY EXCUSES
A student will be excused for an official religious holiday when the student’s parent/guardian notifies the principal in advance of the absence. Students shall be allowed to make up work missed during such absences. The principal and superintendent must approve request for religious absences in excess of three (3) school days.
PERFECT ATTENDANCE AWARD
Perfect attendance awards may be given by schools if a student has no absences and no more than two (2) tardies.
ABSENTEE REFERRALS
The following provision shall apply:
Teachers shall refer all cases of known truancy, parental neglect, and chronic absenteeism to the principal or designee. The principal or designee shall refer any such students to the Truant Officer in accordance with the Early Warning Truancy Prevention Program.
EARLY WARNING TRUANCY PREVENTION PROGRAM
A parent, guardian, or other person having charge of any child officially enrolled in Alabama public schools (K-12) shall explain in writing the cause of any and every absence of the child no later than three (3) school days following return to school. A failure to furnish such explanation shall be evidence of the child being truant each day he is absent. The child shall also be deemed truant for any absence determined by the principal to be unexcused based upon the State Department of Education’s current School Attendance Manual. The Interagency Committee on Youth Truancy Task Force recommendations known as the Early Warning Truancy Prevention Program timeline for reporting truancy shall define the truancy status of any student as follows:
1. FIRST TRUANCY/UNEXCUSED ABSENCE (WARNING)
a. Parent/guardian shall be notified by the school principal or his/her designee that the student was truant and the date of the truancy.
b. Parent/guardian shall also be provided with a copy of Alabama’s compulsory school attendance laws and advised of the penalties that can be applied and the procedures that shall be followed in the event that other unexcused absences occur.
2. THE FIFTH UNEXCUSED ABSENCE OR AS DEEMED NECESSARY BY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL OR HIS/HER DESIGNEE (CONFERENCE)
3. The parent, guardian, or person having control of the child shall (1) attend a conference with the attendance officer and principal or his/her designee and/or (2) participate in the Early Warning Truancy Prevention Program provided by the juvenile court.
a. Attendance at one of these conferences shall be mandatory except where prior arrangements have been made or an emergency exists.
b. Failure to appear at the school conference and/or to appear at the Early Warning Truancy Prevention Program shall result in the filing of a complaint/petition against the parent under Code of Alabama (1975), § 16-28-12 (failure to cooperate), or a truancy against the child, whichever is appropriate.
4. THE SEVENTH UNEXCUSED ABSENCE OR AS DEEMED NECESSARY BY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL OR HIS/HER DESIGNEE.
a. File complaint/petition against child and/or parent/guardian.
5. CHILD UNDER PROBATION
a. The school attendance officer should be notified by the juvenile probation officer of all children in the school system under probation supervision by the juvenile court as consistent with state statute, Code of Alabama (1975), § 12-15-100 and 105.
b. Where a child under probation is truant, the school attendance officer should immediately notify the juvenile probation officer.
SOURCE: Ozark City Board of Education, Ozark, AL
Alabama State Department of Education Prevention and Support Services
ADOPTED: January 8, 1991. REVISED: January 11, 2005