NOTIFICATION OF UNEXCUSED ABSENCE POLICY

California Compulsory Education Law requires students ages 6–18 years to attend school all day, therefore attendance is taken every period. SDUHSD observes and adheres to California Education Code 48205 when excusing student absences. An absence will only be excused if the reason for the absence, as reported by the educational rights holder (parent/guardian/18 year old student), meets the criteria specified in CA Ed. Code 48205. The State of California requires the educational rights holder to contact the school and verify the reason for, and the dates of, student absence. Absences not excused will be recorded as unexcused and may result in truancy.

As specified in California Education Code 48205, excused absences are only as follows:

  1. Personal illness or injury
  2. Quarantine under the direction of a county or city health official
  3. Medical, dental, optometric or chiropractic services in which student can present a note or evidence of appointment.
  4. Attendance of funeral service for a member of the IMMEDIATE family
  5. Jury duty in the manner provided by law
  6. Pupil is custodial parent of a child who is ill or has a medical appointment
  7. Exclusion for failure to present evidence of immunization
  8. Exclusion from school because student is either the carrier of a contagious disease or not immunized from a contagious disease
  9. Pupils in Grade 7 to 12 who leave school with prior approval of the principal or designee to obtain confidential medical services. The pupil is to return a copy of the medical professional’s appointment verification form.
  10. Upon written request of the educational rights holder, prior approval of the Principal or designee and pursuant to Board policy, a student’s absence may be excused for additional reasons. Such reasons include, but are not limited to:
  1. Appearance in court
  2. Observance of a religious holiday or ceremony
  3. Attendance at religious retreats, not to exceed 4 hours per semester
  4. Employment interview or conference
  5. Attendance at a funeral service for someone who is not a family member
  6. Family emergencies
  7. Appearance at School Attendance Review Board or School Attendance Review Team

Note: A pupil absent from school under this section shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence that can reasonably be provided and, upon satisfactory completion within a reasonable period of time, shall be given full credit. The teacher of any classroom from which a pupil is absent shall determine the tests and assignments reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence.

Unexcused absences occur when:

  1. Student is absent without educational rights holder (parent/guardian/18 year old student) verification.
  2. Absence is reported but reason for absence fails to meet State Education Code specifications; absence is verified but unexcused.
  3. Parent did not verify absence.

Note: Some examples of unexcused absences include, but are not limited to, family vacation, car trouble, alarm didn’t go off, missed bus/carpool, traffic, etc. It is important for educational rights holders to remember that even though you report/verify the student’s absence, if the reason given for the absence does not meet the criteria outlined by the State of California in the excused absence section, the absence will be coded as “verified” but will not be excused. Teachers are not required to provide students with assignments or tests for an unexcused absence.

Extended Unexcused Absence

When school officials are informed that a student will be out for more than 10 consecutive school days as unexcused absence, the student will be dis-enrolled until he/she returns to school. Upon returning to school from unexcused absence, the student will be re-enrolled. Students will not be provided with coursework prior to or during the extended unexcused absence. Upon the student’s return to school from the unexcused absence, each teacher will determine what assignments and/or tests the student must complete to demonstrate mastery of the content covered during the student’s extended unexcused absence in order to earn a grade/credits.

We have been notified of the attendance policy regarding an extended unexcused absence.

Student Name ______School ______

Dates of Extended Unexcused Absence ______Today’s Date ______

______

Educational Rights Holder Signature Administrator Signature