School Attendance Policy Students are required to attend classes in accordance with compulsory full-time education laws (Education Code 48200). Categories for attendance accountability include the following:
Excused Absence An excused absence is defined under Board Policy 5113. The teacher is to allow a student to make up the work missed during absences to the degree it is possible for such work to be completed. An excused absence shall be granted for the following reasons: ● Personal illness; ● Quarantine under city or county direction; ● Medical, dental, optometry, or chiropractic services . . . ● Attending funeral services of an immediate family member. ● Exclusion for not having been properly immunized . . . ● Jury duty; ● Participation in religious instruction or exercises in accordance with District policy; and ● Serving as a member of a precinct board for an election (Election Code Section 12302). Warranted Absence According to BP/AR 5113, a warranted absence must be requested in writing at least two (2) days prior to the absence, must be approved by a site administrator, and, unless otherwise designated below, signed by the teachers of the classes missed. Any absence that isn't requested in advance and in writing will be considered unexcused. Prior approval may be waived by the principal or designee only under exceptional, unanticipated circumstances. The administrator will consider student attendance patterns, current academic performance and previous requests when approving a request for a warranted absence. The teacher of any class from which the student is absent shall determine, pursuant to the regulations of the Board, what assignments the student shall make up and in what period of time the student shall complete such assignments. The tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the student missed during the absence. A warranted absence may be requested for justifiable personal reasons, including but not limited to, the following: ● Appearance in court; ● Attendance at a funeral service for an aunt, uncle or cousin, or a person other than a member of the student's immediate family; ● Observation of a holiday or religious ceremony . . . ● Attendance at religious retreats for no more than four (4) hours during a semester; ● Employment conference or interview; ● College visits. Limit of three (3) days per year; ● Bereavement beyond excused absence days; ● Tending to an illness or a medical appointment during school hours of a student's custodial child; ● Outdoor Education, or other educational programs sponsored by the school, District or county; ● Partial day absences caused by circumstances beyond the student's control (bus breakdowns highway flooding, etc.) ● Other justifiable personal reasons authorized by the school. FAMILY TRIPS AND VACATIONS WILL NOT BE WARRANTED UNDER THIS POLICY Parents/guardians are encouraged to plan family trips and vacations outside of the school year. Unexcused Absence According to AR 5113, students may not make up work missed during an unexcused absence except for suspensions. Unexcused absences may lead to loss of credit under school credit loss policies. Unexcused absences include, but are not limited to, the following: ● Cutting class or school; ● Oversleeping, car trouble, missing a ride, etc.; ● Any absence which is not cleared within one (1) day after the student returns to school; ● Extended weekends or family vacations; ● Detainment in juvenile hall; and, ● Suspensions.