503 Policy: Student Attendance

1. PURPOSE
   1. The school board believes that regular school attendance is directly related to success in academic work, benefits students socially, provides opportunities for important communications between teachers and students, and establishes regular habits of dependability important to the future of the student. The purpose of this policy is to encourage regular school attendance. It is intended to be positive and not punitive.
       
   2. This policy also recognizes that class attendance is a joint responsibility to be shared by the student, parent or guardian, teacher, and administrators. This policy will assist students in attending class.
       
2. GENERAL STATEMENT OF POLICY
    
   1. Responsibilities
       
      1. Student’s Responsibility
         
         It is the student’s right to be in school. It is also the student’s responsibility to attend all assigned classes and study halls every day that school is in session and to be aware of and follow the correct procedures when absent from an assigned class or study hall. Finally, it is the student’s responsibility to request any missed assignments due to an absence.
          
      2. Parent or Guardian’s Responsibility
         
         It is the responsibility of the student’s parent or guardian to ensure the student is attending school, to inform the school in the event of a student absence, and to work cooperatively with the school and the student to solve any attendance problems that may arise.
          
      3. Teacher’s Responsibility
         
         It is the teacher’s responsibility to take daily attendance and to maintain accurate attendance records in each assigned class and study hall. It is also the teacher’s responsibility to be familiar with all procedures governing attendance and to apply these procedures uniformly. It is also the teacher’s responsibility to provide any student who has been absent with any missed assignments upon request. Finally, it is the teacher’s responsibility to work cooperatively with the student’s parent or guardian and the student to solve any attendance problems that may arise.
          
      4. Administrator’s Responsibility
          
         1. It is the administrator’s responsibility to require students to attend all assigned classes and study halls. It is also the administrator’s responsibility to be familiar with all procedures governing attendance and to apply these procedures uniformly to all students, to maintain accurate records on student attendance, and to prepare a list of the previous day’s absences stating the status of each. Finally, it is the administrator’s responsibility to inform the student’s parent or guardian of the student’s attendance and to work cooperatively with them and the student to solve attendance problems.
             
         2. In accordance with the Minnesota Compulsory Instruction Law, Minn. Stat. § 120A.22, the students of the school district are REQUIRED to attend all assigned classes and/or study halls every day school is in session, unless the student has been excused by the school board from attendance because the student has already completed state and school district standards required to graduate from high school, has withdrawn, or has a valid excuse for absence.
             
   2. Attendance Procedures
      
      Attendance procedures shall be presented to the school board for review and approval. When approved by the school board, the attendance procedures will be included as an addendum to this policy
       
      1. Excused Absences
          
         1. To be considered an excused absence, the student’s parent or legal guardian may be asked to verify, in writing, the reason for the student’s absence from school. A note from a physician or a licensed mental health professional stating that the student cannot attend school is a valid excuse.
             
         2. The following reasons shall be sufficient to constitute excused absences:
             
            1. Parent verified illness. (up to 3 consecutive days or 8 total per year)
                
            2. Doctor verified illness. (up to 3 consecutive days or 8 total per year)
                
            3. Family emergencies or serious illness in the family. (up to 3 days per year)
                
            4. A death or funeral in the student’s immediate family or of a close friend or relative. (up to 4 days per year)
                
            5. Family vacation with advanced notice (up to 5 days per year)
                
            6. A student’s condition that required ongoing treatment for any health related issue (physical or mental) with a note from provider.
                
            7. Medical, dental or orthodontic treatment or counseling appointment.
                
            8. Court appearances occasioned by family or personal action.
                
            9. Religious instruction or holiday with advanced notice.
                
            10. Physical emergency conditions such as fire, flood, storm, etc.
                 
            11. Serving a suspension.
                 
            12. Active duty in any military branch of the United States.
                 
            13. School bus arrived late
                
                 
         3. Consequences of Excused Absences
             
            1. Students whose absences are excused are required to make up all assignments missed or to complete alternative assignments as deemed appropriate by the classroom teacher.
                
            2. Work missed because of absence must be made up within 2 days from the date of the student’s return to school. Any work not completed within this period shall result in “no credit” for the missed assignment. However, the building principal or the classroom teacher may extend the time allowed for completion of make-up work in the case of an extended illness or other extenuating circumstances.
               
                
         4. Unexcused Absences
            
            All absences and tardies are unexcused by default. Students and families have 48 hours from the time a student returns to school to contact the school or produce a letter, note, or any documentation verifying a valid excuse reason in order to convert an unexcused code to an excused code. In cases of recurring unexcused absences, administration may also request the county attorney to file a petition with the juvenile court, pursuant to Minnesota statutes. Students attending Stillwater Area Public Schools who attain 7 or more unexcused absences are considered a habitual truant and may be referred to the county attorney’s office.
             
         5. Tardiness
            
            Tardiness Students are expected to be in their assigned area at designated times. Failure to do so constitutes tardiness. Students who accumulate multiple unexcused tardies will be subject to the discipline rules found within their school handbook.
             
3. DISSEMINATION OF POLICY
   
   Copies of this policy shall be made available to all students and parents or guardians at the beginning of each school year. This policy shall be posted on the district website and also be available upon request in each principal’s office. Any updates to this policy will be posted on the district website.
    
4. REQUIRED REPORTING
    
   1. Continuing Truant
      
      Minn. Stat. § 260A.02 provides that a continuing truant is a student who is subject to the compulsory instruction requirements of Minn. Stat. § 120A.22 and is absent from instruction in a school, as defined in Minn. Stat. § 120A.05, without valid excuse within a single school year for:
       
      1. Three days if the child is in elementary school; or
          
      2. Three or more class periods on three days if the child is in middle school, junior high school, or high school.
          
   2. Reporting Responsibility
      
      When a student is initially classified as a continuing truant, Minn. Stat. § 260A.03 provides that the school attendance officer or other designated school official shall notify the student’s parent or legal guardian, by first class mail or other reasonable means, of the following:
       
      1. That the child is truant
          
      2. That the parent or guardian should notify the school if there is a valid excuse for the child’s absences;
          
      3. That the parent or guardian is obligated to compel the attendance of the child at school pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 120A.22 and parents or guardians who fail to meet this obligation may be subject to prosecution under Minn. Stat. § 120A.34;
          
      4. That this notification serves as the notification required by Minn. Stat. § 120A.34;
          
      5. That alternative educational programs and services may be available in the child’s enrolling or resident district;
      6. That the parent or guardian has the right to meet with appropriate school personnel to discuss solutions to the child’s truancy;
          
      7. That if the child continues to be truant, the parent and child may be subject to juvenile court proceedings under Minn. Stat. Ch. 260;
          
      8. That if the child is subject to juvenile court proceedings, the child may be subject to suspension, restriction, or delay of the child’s driving privilege pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 260C.201; and
          
      9. That it is recommended that the parent or guardian accompany the child to school and attend classes with the child for one day.
          
   3. Habitual Truant
      1. A habitual truant is a child under the age of 17 years who is absent from attendance at school without lawful excuse for seven school days per school year if the child is in elementary school or for one or more class periods on seven school days per school year if the child is in middle school, junior high school, or high school, or a child who is 17 years of age who is absent from attendance at school without lawful excuse for one or more class periods on seven school days per school year and who has not lawfully withdrawn from school.
          
      2. A school district attendance officer shall refer a habitual truant child and the child’s parent or legal guardian to appropriate services and procedures, under Minn. Stat. Ch. 260A.

Legal References

Minn. Stat. § 120A.05 (Definitions)
Minn. Stat. § 120A.22 (Compulsory Instruction)
Minn. Stat. § 120A.24 (Reporting)
Minn. Stat. § 120A.26 (Enforcement and Prosecution)
Minn. Stat. § 120A.34 (Violations; Penalties)
Minn. Stat. §§ 121A.40-121A.56 (Pupil Fair Dismissal Act)
Minn. Stat. § 260A.02 (Definitions)
Minn. Stat. § 260A.03 (Notice to Parent or Guardian When Child is a Continuing
Truant)
Minn. Stat. § 260C.007, Subd. 19 (Habitual Truant Defined)
Minn. Stat. § 260C.201 (Dispositions; Children in Need of Protection or Services
or Neglected and in Foster Care)