STUDENT ATTENDANCE REGULATIONS

JED STUDENT ATTENDANCE REGULATIONS Student attendance in class is an integral part of the learning process. Being a part of regular instruction and pa...
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JED STUDENT ATTENDANCE REGULATIONS Student attendance in class is an integral part of the learning process. Being a part of regular instruction and participating in class discussions are invaluable ingredients of education. The Deer Creek School District has an expectation that students will attend school every day. The District will comply with Oklahoma laws and the State Department of Education Accreditation Standards pertaining to compulsory school attendance. High school students, grades 9 through 12, must attend classes at least 89% of the time (10 absences – including both excused and unexcused absences – per semester) to earn a passing grade in any course in which they are enrolled. Therefore, even if a student has an academic average of 60% or better in a class, he/she cannot earn a passing grade for that class if his/her attendance is less than 89% for the semester. A high school student who fails to comply with the 89% attendance rule in any class will earn a failing grade in that class. Elementary and middle school students, grades K through 8, must be in attendance at least 89% of the total school year to be eligible for promotion. It is the responsibility of the parent to notify the school when a student is absent and to be aware of the number of absences the student has. It is the responsibility of the classroom teacher and principal to make every reasonable effort to notify the parent before failure caused by excessive absenteeism is enacted. When a student has an extended illness, the parents must make a formal request to the Director of Special Services to determine homebound eligibility. Students who are on homebound instruction will be counted present on school rolls. In order to implement the Board policy and to comply with the state statutes and regulations, the following procedures will be used: 1.

Existing procedures for reporting absences on a daily basis will be continued.

2.

When the term “principal” is used in these regulations, it designates responsibility and authority. The principal may delegate the outlined procedures to other employees, but the responsibility for implementing this regulation remains with the principal.

3.

No student who is absent more than three (3) hours on the day of a scheduled school activity due to personal illness or an unexcused absence will be allowed to participate in a school activity unless extenuating circumstance and just cause demonstrate to the building principal that student participation should be permitted. This decision is solely within the discretion of administrators.

4.

A student may accumulate only one absence per day for purposes of this policy and regulations, i.e., absence from a class in the morning and a class in the afternoon will count as one (1) absence.

5.

A school day consists of six hours (not periods), excluding a lunch period.

6.

A student’s attendance information is compiled on a half-day basis.

7.

In order to be present for a half day, a student must be present for two (2) of the three (3) hours in that half day.

8.

Work missed due to excused absence may be made up, and credit will be given for work that is timely turned in. Work must be made up within two (2) school days for the first day of absence and one (1) day for each subsequent day; i.e., for three (3) consecutive days of absence, work must be completed in five (5) school days. (Exceptions may be made by the teacher to extend the time but not to decrease the time within which work is to be made up.)

9.

Long term projects or assignments with two (2) or more weeks' notice may be assigned a definite due date. Students shall turn in long term projects and assignments on time even if they are not in attendance on that day. Application of this rule in situations involving long-term illness or extreme circumstances may be appealed to the principal. Teachers are required to outline these procedures in their class syllabus.

10.

If a student is absent for ten (10) consecutive school days and contact cannot be made with the student or parent/guardian, the student will be dropped from the attendance rolls on the eleventh (11) day. Existing procedures for reporting such cases will be followed.

11.

The student's parent/guardian must verify student absences by personally notifying the school on the day of the absence.

12.

In case the parent/guardian does not call, the principal will attempt to contact the parent/guardian on the day of the absence. Parent/guardian phone calls to the school do not automatically ensure that an absence is excused.

13.

The following are examples of excused absences: a) b) c) d) e) f)

Illness or injury to student; Doctor or dental appointment; Bereavement; Serious illness or emergency in immediate family; State Senator or Representative Page (as provided in State Statutes and not to be counted in the total 10 excused absences); Recognized religious holidays and associated travel (for example,

Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur – are not to be counted in the total absences). 14.

Principals will make the final determination as to whether or not an absence is excused or unexcused.

15.

Students will not be counted absent when they are participating in approved school activities.

16.

To be eligible to participate in extracurricular activities, students must maintain attendance and scholarship requirements as outlined in the Rules and Regulations of the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association and board policy JFK. For purposes of this section, an absence from three (3) or more classes during a day will be considered as one absence. a)

The school secretary will notify the principal when a student becomes ineligible due to nonattendance.

b)

Teachers, coaches, and sponsors of the various student organizations of the school will inform students of these provisions and will not permit students to participate in activities when the students have not fulfilled the necessary requirements.

17.

A student suspended out of school is dropped from the District’s attendance rolls on the first day of the suspension and is added back upon his/her return.

18.

Three (3) tardies will be equal to one (1) unexcused absence in individual classes each semester.

High School: 1.

Principals and staff will determine methods to promote attendance after the first unexcused absence. Acceptable methods include, but are not limited to, contact with parent, counseling, schedule changes, make-up time, AM/PM/Lunch detention, and Saturday detention. However, the principal will counsel with a student, explain state laws and District policies concerning attendance when a student has the first unexcused absence and maintain records of the counseling session.

2.

When a student has three (3) unexcused absences or a total of five (5) days of absence within a four-week period, or eight (8) days within a semester, the principal will schedule a conference with the student, parent/guardian, the school counselor, and other persons the principal deems necessary, such as the District's attendance officer.

a)

The principal will inform the student and parent/guardian of the state law and District policy on attendance and attempt to develop a plan to improve attendance. Such a plan may include, but is not limited to, an alternative education plan, curriculum changes, and involvement of community programs, schedule changes, and Parent Effectiveness Training for the parent.

3.

The principal will develop a plan for follow-up and will monitor attendance of the student to determine if there is improvement in attendance.

4.

If there is improvement, the student and parent/guardian should be advised.

5.

If there is no improvement, the principal, in consultation with the Special Services Director, shall determine if the student should be referred for evaluation.

6.

If it is determined that the student should be evaluated the established procedure for testing will be followed.

7.

If it is determined that the student should not be evaluated, there is no improvement in attendance, and the student has been absent eight (8) days or parts of days in a semester or four (4) days or parts of days in a four (4)-week period without a valid excuse, the principal will make an investigation and inform the parent/guardian and student of noncompliance with state statutes.

8.

If there is not improvement in attendance, the principal will follow Oklahoma law, Okla. Stat. tit. 70, § 10-106; that if a child is absent without a valid excuse for four (4) or more days within a four (4) week period or for ten (10) or more days or parts of days within a semester, the District’s attendance officer must notify the parent or guardian of the child, as well as the District Attorney.*

9.

When the student returns to school, a conference will be scheduled by the principal with persons deemed appropriate to develop an educational program for the student. *The complaint may also be filed against students’ between the ages of 16 and 17. 5.

Semester Test Exemptions: • •

If a student is enrolled in an End of Instruction (EOI) class, he/she is required to take the fall semester final. The EOI subjects are: Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Biology, English 2, English 3, Geometry, US History.

• • • •

All students must take a final for a minimum of two (2) cores classes and one (1) elective class each semester. Even though Health and Financial Literacy are required courses, they may not count as a core class. Students taking a core class at Francis Tuttle or concurrent enrollment core class can count that class semester test as a required core final. Study Skills and Academic Enhancement classes do not offer a final, and therefore, cannot be a class chosen for exemption. A student can be exempt from a final if he/she has the following grades/absences in that class: Grade A B C

Absences 3 excused absences (or less) 2 excused absences (or less) 0 excused absences

*College visits and Activity excused absences do not count in the total against semester exemptions. All excused absences other than college visits and Activity excused do count towards loss of semester exemptions. Note that three (3) tardies equal one (1) unexcused absence. •

A student may elect to take a final, even if eligible for exemption, in an effort to raise the grade for the class. To Ensure Student Attendance During Final Examinations To avoid students trying to skip final exams, any student not in his or her classroom during final exams will be counted absent. The office then will be able to check attendance to ensure a student is taking the required number of final exams. If a student has been suspended, either in school or out-of-school, then that student will not be exempt from taking any final exams. Students may still choose to take final exams to raise their final grades if they so choose. Elementary and Middle School: 1.

The principal and staff will develop a plan for record keeping and notification of parents/guardians for each student’s absence. a)

The plan must have the approval of the Superintendent.

b)

The plan must include provisions for notifying parents/guardians of state statutes and District policy concerning truancy, which can be done through the newsletter.

c)

The building secretary will record absence/tardy information in the school’s registers, as directed by the principal

2.

Principals and staff will determine methods to promote attendance after the first unexcused absence. However, the principal will counsel with a student, when appropriate, explain state laws and District policies concerning truancy when a student has one (1) unexcused absence.

3.

When a student has three (3) unexcused absences or a total of five (5) days of absence within a four-week period or eight (8) days' absence in a semester, the principal will schedule a conference with the student, parent/guardian and other persons the principal deems necessary.

4.

A plan for follow-up will be developed and monitored to determine if there is improvement in attendance.

5.

If there is no improvement, the principal, in consultation with the Special Services Director, shall determine if the student should be referred for evaluation.

6.

If the principal determines that the student should be evaluated, the established procedure for testing will be followed.

7.

If the principal determines that the student should not be evaluated, there is no improvement in attendance, and the student has been absent eight (8) days or parts of days in a semester or four (4) days or parts of days in a four (4)-week period without a valid excuse, the principal will make an investigation and inform the parent/guardian of noncompliance with state statutes.

8.

If there is not improvement in attendance, the principal will follow Oklahoma law, Okla. Stat. tit. 70, § 10-106; that if a child is absent without a valid excuse for four (4) or more days within a four (4) week period or for ten (10) or more days or parts of days within a semester, the District’s attendance officer must notify the parent or guardian of the child, as well as the District Attorney.

9.

When the student returns to school, a conference will be scheduled by the principal with persons deemed appropriate to develop an educational program for the student.

10.

Students will be carried as absent (for any reason) on the school register through their tenth consecutive absence unless they have officially withdrawn from school. On the eleventh day of consecutive absences, the student will be dropped, and the appropriate loss code will be entered in the register. Students who have withdrawn officially will be dropped on the next school day.

Special Excused Absence: The Deer Creek School District and parents share responsibility under state law to have students attend school every day unless they are excused, as covered in Board Policy JED. All absences

are potentially of concern because they affect how students succeed in school. The two-fold intent of this section of policy is to assist families with conflicts that may arise during the school year and to provide students with flexibility to pursue educational opportunities without penalty. Parents may remove a student from school for reasons other than illness, medical appointments, death in the family, or religious holidays. These days may be classified as a “Special Excused Absence”. The Principal will have sole discretion in granting a “Special Excused Absence”. The Board of Education and the administration strongly discourage absences during nine weeks and semester test periods. Parental requests for a Special Excused Absence will be granted during those testing periods only in extraordinary circumstances and only with approval of the Principal. Requests for a Special Excused Absence must be submitted in writing to the principal prior to the upcoming absence. This includes requests for absences for local activities easily scheduled outside of normal school attendance hours; however, requests for students to miss school for local activities easily scheduled outside of normal school attendance hours will generally be denied and such absences will be counted as unexcused. Students shall make up all missed assignments within three (3) days after the student’s return from the Special Excused Absence. For the first three (3) days of a Special Excused Absence in each school year make up work will be graded at full value. All work made up for a Special Excused Absence in excess of three (3) days in each school year will be graded with a penalty of a one (1) letter grade (10 points) reduction. Homework or tests not made up within three (3) days after return shall be counted as zero and the full impact of the Special Excused Absence shall be calculated into the nine weeks and semester grade. Special Excused Absences may not be used to extend the due date of longterm assignments. All Special Excused Absences shall be counted against the semester requirements of 89% attendance each semester to earn a passing grade for each course or promotion to the next grade. Attending Co-Curricular Activities: 1.

The Superintendent’s School Administrative Staff and Advisory Team will work with the school staffs to develop monitoring and review procedures to keep conflicts between academic activities and co-curricular activities to a minimum. Each principal will review activity schedules, including athletics, to ensure that students will miss no more than ten (10) periods of any class.

2.

The head coach of each sport and co-curricular sponsors will submit a list of state and national competitions, including all contests for which students must earn the right to compete, to the building principal for review. The state and national contests will not count in the ten (10) days maximum that students can miss class for activities.

3.

The Superintendent’s Administrative Staff and the School Advisory Team will serve as the Activities Review Committee for reviewing and recommending any deviation from these regulations to the Board of Education.

4.

Principals will maintain a record of student absences for co-curricular activities in the office. Principals will prepare an addendum to attendance records, i.e., school registers that will explain why any student missed more than ten (10) days for cocurricular activities, excluding state and national contests.

5.

The School Advisory Team will serve as the on-site review committee to hear any complaints related to these regulations. After hearing a complaint, a report will be made to the Superintendent, who is the next level of appeal. Anyone filing a complaint must include, in writing, the name(s) of the student(s), date(s), and class(es) missed which exceed the ten (10) days allowed. The complaint must be signed by the person bringing the complaint to the attention of the District. No anonymous complaints will be considered. The next level of appeal will be to the Board of Education.

State and National Athletic and Academic Contests Will Be Exempt From the Ten (10) Day Rule.

AMENDED: MAY 14, 2012 AMENDED: JUNE 9, 2008 AMENDED: APRIL 23, 2008 AMENDED: MAY 14, 2007 AMENDED: SEPTEMBER 11, 2006 AMENDED: MARCH 24, 2003 AMENDED: MAY 13, 2002

AMENDED: SEPTEMBER 11, 2000 AMENDED: FEBRUARY 12, 1996 AMENDED: AUGUST 10, 1992 AMENDED: FEBRUARY 12, 1990 APPROVED: JANUARY 11, 1988 DEER CREEK SCHOOL DISTRICT