Attendance

School Attendance Regulations

School Attendance is required by law. Education Code 48200 of the State of California requires every child six through 18 years of age to attend school every day and on time. Studies prove that student attendance increases student achievement.

Parents/Guardians are responsible for their child's school attendance. Parents/Guardians must let the school know if their child is not in school and give a specific reason for the absence. Acceptable reasons for excused absences include, but are not limited to, illness or quarantine, doctors" appointments, and attendance at family funeral services. Attendance at religious retreats shall not exceed four (4) hours per school semester. Absences due to activities such as babysitting, accompanying parents on errands, and attending concerts or sporting events are unexcused.

Effective January 1, 2011, parents/guardians can be fined and jailed for their child's chronic truancy. Read more.

Absences from school for five or more days may be excused if a parent 1) requests a contract for independent study at least one week prior to the absence and 2) the child completes a school contract within the set timeline. After any absence, students must report to the appropriate school office to obtain readmission before returning to class.

No pupil shall have his/her grade reduced/lose credit for any excused absence, for missed assignments or tests that can reasonably be provided or satisfactorily completed within a reasonable time. A pupil absent from school for an excused absence shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence that can be reasonably provided. Upon satisfactory completion of the assignment or test, within a reasonable amount of time, the pupil shall be given full credit. The tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence (Education Code Section 48205).

If an attendance problem arises and cannot be resolved by school staff, the school may refer the student and family to the School Attendance Review Board (SARB). If the SARB cannot resolve the attendance problem, it has the authority to refere cases to Juvenile Court. For additional details, refer to District Procedure Nos. 4705 Section 17b and 6166.

Excused Absences

Notwithstanding Education Code 48200, a pupil shall be excused from school when the absence is:

  1. Due to his/her illness;
  2. Due to quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer;
  3. For the purpose of having medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic services rendered;
  4. For the purpose of attending the funeral service of a member of his/her immediate family, so long as the absence is not more than one day if the service is conducted in California and not more than three days if the service is conducted outside California;
  5. For the purpose of jury duty in the manner provided for by law;
  6. Due to the illness or medical appoinment during school hours of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent. Under state law schools may excuse pupils from school in grades 7-12 for the purpose of obtaining confidential medical services without the consent of the pupil"s parent or guardian;
  7. For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of his or her religion, attendance at a religious retreats, or attendance at an employment conference, when the pupil"s absence has been requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board.
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