REGULATION-JED-R
STUDENT ABSENCES/EXCUSES/DISMISSALS
Attendance
School attendance is critical for academic achievement and the preparation of students for the world of work and personal success. State law requires each parent or guardian whose child is within the compulsory attendance age be responsible for the child's regular and punctual attendance at school. For students age 18 or over, the requirements will apply to the student directly. Every teacher shall keep an accurate, daily class record of attendance of all assigned students during face-to-face learning. During distance learning, student attendance is tracked by meaningful interactions with a teacher. . The Superintendent shall provide a copy of the compulsory school attendance law and this attendance policy within the first calendar month of each school year.
- Expectations
A student is expected to participate in a full instructional day in accordance with the school calendar. The length of the instructional day is impacted by school and instructional delivery model. Student athletes must comply with the VHSL attendance requirements for eligibility.
James Monroe High School students in grades 9-11 shall be scheduled for a full school day unless they are enrolled in a cooperative work-study program or college program (Gladys P. Todd Academy). Seniors may request administrative approval for a shortened schedule based on their progress towards graduation requirements. The high school principal must approve exceptions to a full day schedule on an individual basis. Any student who is approved to participate in a school-sponsored field trip or other activity shall be counted as present.
- Absences
There are times when a student is unable to attend school. Each parent or legal guardian shall inform the school each time his or her child is absent for all or part of any day. Schools will make a reasonable effort to notify a parent or legal guardian of each student's absence. Parents can access attendance records through the student information system for the school.
Absences may be considered excused as described in FCPS board policy JED, but require receipt of a note, phone call or email from the parent or guardian :
- Distance/Hybrid Learning
During times that FCPS offers distance and/or hybrid learning, students may be asked to provide proof of daily attendance in different ways. Such examples include:
- Participation in an approved online instructional platform
- Emailing the homeroom teacher using a school provided email address
- Messaging the teacher using an approved online platform
A student who is participating in hybrid learning may be considered present if the student receives face-to-face instruction as scheduled. A student participating in hybrid learning who does not attend face-to-face as scheduled will be marked absent unless the parent/guardian provides a note indicating the child participated in distance learning that day. In these cases, the absence code will be changed from “absent” to “distance learning present.”
Attendance codes
DLP= Distance learning present
DLA= Distance learning absent
blank = Present
A= Absent
AE= Absence excused
AU= Absence unexcused
AEX= Absence, admin excused
NEX=Nurse sent home
UAT=truancy
TE=tardy excused
TU=tardy unexcused
FT=field trip
ISS=in-school suspension
OSS=out of school suspension
HB=homebound
AET=Testing
T30=tardy30
EPU=early pickup
DSI=display symptoms of illness
QUR=self or mandatory quarantined
INF=confirmed positive
EO = Early Dismissal
D. Excessive Absences
Excessive absences may lead to actions that could include a conference with the parent or guardian, participation in an Attendance Recovery Program l, or referral to the court system.
Once a student fails to report for a total of 5 days for the year and no excuse or acknowledgement has been received from the home, the principal or the principal's designee shall make a reasonable effort to contact the parent or guardian directly, through telephone a conversation, or through the use of other communication devices in order to get an explanation of the absences, to explain the consequences of continued absences, and to develop a plan to resolve the nonattendance. Reasons for the current absences shall be included in the plan. Upon the sixth unexcused absence, the principal or his designee shall schedule a conference, which must take place no later than 15 days after the sixth absence, to resolve the issue. Following the seventh unexcused absence, the principal or principal's designee shall enforce the compulsory rules as noted in Policy JED. A 7-absence letter should also be sent.
Following more than one additional day of absence with no excuse being received, the principal or principal's designee shall schedule a conference with the student, the student's parent or guardian, and school personnel or services providers to resolve the issue. The conference shall be held no later than 10 school days following the tenth absence, regardless of whether the parent approves of the conference. The committee shall continue to monitor the student's attendance and plan further interventions if the attendance does not improve. If the parent is intentionally non-compliant or the student is resisting efforts to comply with compulsory attendance, the principal or designee shall notify the attendance officer. The attendance officer shall schedule a conference with the student and parent within 10 school days and may file a complaint with the juvenile and domestic relations court that the child is in need of supervision. That complaint should include written documentation of the school's efforts to date.
In addition to the actions listed in policy, if a student is under 18 years of age and has 10 or more unexcused absences on consecutive school days, the principal may notify the juvenile and domestic relations court, which may take action to suspend the student's driver's license.
K-5 (Hugh Mercer Elementary and Lafayette Upper Elementary) Students with twenty-five (25) absences (excused or unexcused) may be retained. This decision may be appealed as described in Section H.
Walker-Grant Middle School Students with sixteen (16) absences (excused or unexcused) may be retained. This decision may be appealed as described in Section H. Students may be directed to make up missed days by attending an Attendance Recovery Program, participating in Summer School for the entire session, or completing an approved online/correspondence course with commensurate hours.
James Monroe High School and any high school credit course in which a Walker-Grant student participates - Any student whose absences exceed 8 days in a course may not receive credit for the course unless the student completes an Attendance Recovery Program as prescribed by the principal or designee. The principal may waive this requirement upon consideration of extenuating circumstances. This consequence complies with the state Standards for Accrediting Public Schools that define the standard for awarding course credit for graduation. A student may be an attendance failure until the student makes up the absences as described in Section G.
E. Make-up Work
It is the student's responsibility to communicate with the teacher on the day he or she returns to class to schedule the make-up of missed work. All missed work that is not made up within the specified time limit will receive a grade of no less than 50. The principal or designee may consider extenuating circumstances in extending the time limit.
K-5 (Hugh Mercer Elementary and Lafayette Upper Elementary) students will be permitted to make up work. At Hugh Mercer, the parent/guardian must request assignments through the teacher. At Lafayette, the parent/guardian must request assignments through the school counseling office.
Walker-Grant Middle School students will be permitted to make up work for excused absences to school. In the event that a student will be absent from school (for two or more days), work may be requested from the counseling department.
James Monroe High School students will be permitted to make up work missed for any absence A student who is absent without being excused in excess of 8 class periods must make up work as described above in Section G. Work may be requested from the counseling department.
F. Release of Students
Principals shall not release a student during the school day to any person not authorized by the parent or legal guardian. The burden of proof that the release is authorized is on the person receiving the student.
Students with their own transportation shall be released only on the written request and authorization of the parent or legal guardian. All schools will maintain a formal checkout system to ensure this requirement is met.
G. Attendance Recovery Program
Students who are excessively absent from school may be required to participate in an Attendance Recovery Program as prescribed by the principal or designee. The principal may waive this requirement upon consideration of extenuating circumstances.
H. Appeals
Parents may appeal, in writing, an attendance failure within ten school days. The Principal, or designee, will present the written appeal to the Attendance Committee . The attendance committee will include a school administrator, a teacher from the school and a school counselor. Parents will be notified, in writing, of the decision of the Attendance Committee within five school days. The decision of the Committee may be appealed to the Superintendent or their designee.
R 4/21