The Board of Education believes that regular attendance plays an important role in student achievement. The Board shall work with parents/guardians and students to ensure their compliance with all state attendance law, and may use appropriate legal means to correct problems of chronic absence or truancy.
(cf. 5112.1 - Exemptions from Attendance)
(cf. 5112.2 - Exclusions from Attendance)
(cf. 5113.1 - Chronic Absence and Truancy)
(cf. 5121 - Grades/Evaluation of Student Achievement)
(cf. 6154 - Homework/Makeup Work)
Absence from school shall be excused only for health reasons, family emergencies, and justifiable personal reasons, as permitted by law, Board policy, and administrative regulation. (Education Code 48205)
Student absence for religious instruction or participation in religious exercises away from school property may be considered excused subject to law and administrative regulation. (Education Code 46014)
Inasmuch as school attendance and class participation are integral to students' learning experiences, parents/guardians and students shall be encouraged to schedule medical and other appointments during non-school hours.
Parents/guardians shall be required to provide a statement giving the reason for each period of absence from school. Verification of the reason for an absence may be a written statement signed by parent/guardian, a telephone call to the school, or may be made verbally to proper school personnel.
The Superintendent shall provide administrative regulation regarding the management of attendance records.
(cf. 5145.6 - Parental Notifications)
Students shall not be absent from school without their parents/guardians' knowledge or consent, except in cases of medical emergency or, as authorized pursuant to Education Code 46010.1 for a confidential medical appointment.
The Board shall, by resolution entered into its minutes, approve reasonable methods that may be used to verify student absences due to illness or quarantine. (5CCR 421)
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
1740 Employment of personnel to supervise attendance (county superintendent)
37201 School month
37223 Weekend classes
41601 Reports of average daily attendance
42238-42250.1 Apportionments
46000 Records (attendance)
46010-46014 Absences
46100-46119 Attendance in kindergarten and elementary schools
46140-46147 Attendance in junior high and high schools
48200-48208 Children ages 6-18 (compulsory full-time attendance)
48210-48216 Exclusions from attendance
48240-48246 Supervisors of attendance
48260-48273 Truants
48292 Filing complaint against parent
48320-48324 School attendance review boards
48340-48341 Improvement of student attendance
48980 Parental notifications
49067 Unexcused absences as cause of failing grade
49701 Provisions of the interstate compact on educational opportunities for military children
ELECTIONS CODE
12302 Student participation on precinct boards
FAMILY CODE
6920-6929 Consent by minor for medical treatment
VEHICLE CODE
13202.7 Driving privileges; minors; suspension or delay for habitual truancy
WELFARE AND INSTITUTIONS CODE
601-601.4 Habitually truant minors
11253.5 Compulsory school attendance
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5
306 Explanation of absence
420-421 Record of verification of absence due to illness and other causes
ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINIONS
87 Ops.Cal.Atty.Gen. 168 (2004)
66 Ops.Cal.Atty.Gen. 244 (1983)
COURT DECISIONS
American Academy of Pediatrics et al v. Lungren et al (1997) 16 Cal.4th 307
Management Resources:
CSBA PUBLICATIONS
Improving Student Achievement by Addressing Chronic Absence, Policy Brief, December 2010
WEB SITES
CSBA: http://www.csba.org
Policy UKIAH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
adopted: November 12, 2013 Ukiah, California
revised: June 13, 2017