STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES 4020

A. Generally
School attendance is critical to academic achievement and preparing students for the world of work and personal success.  Each parent or guardian having charge of a child within the compulsory attendance age shall be responsible for the child’s regular and punctual attendance at school as required under provisions of state law.  For students age 18 or over, the requirements of this policy will apply to the student rather than the parent or guardian.  Every teacher in every Chesterfield County school shall keep an accurate daily or class record of attendance of all children assigned.  The Superintendent shall provide a copy of the compulsory school attendance law and this attendance policy to the parent or legal guardian of each student within the first calendar month of each school year.

B. Expectations
The School Board expects students and their parents or guardians to actively take responsibility for ensuring attendance, with support from the school.  A student is expected to arrive on time and attend class for the full instructional period at a rate of at least 95 percent.  In terms of instructional days, the student is expected to be in attendance for 173 days during the school year in order to meet the standard of 95 percent; for block classes, a student is expected to be in attendance for 86 days in order to meet the standard.

A student who is approved to participate in a school-sponsored field trip or other approved activity shall be counted as in attendance.  Students shall attend school for a full day unless otherwise excused.  Secondary students shall be scheduled for a full school day unless they are enrolled in a cooperative work-study program. The Superintendent or the Superintendent's designee must approve all other exceptions to a full day schedule on an individual basis.

A student who is tardy to school or leaves early from school, regardless of whether it is excused or not, may disrupt the learning environment for all.  For elementary and middle school students, the principal or his/her designee must approve tardies to school or early dismissals from school. Any three unapproved tardies to school or early dismissals from school in a nine-week grading period will count as the student missing a full instructional day.  Tardies to school or early dismissals from school may be considered excused for the same reasons as are listed for absences in Section C.  The Directors of Elementary and Middle Schools shall establish and communicate guidelines on the length of time that constitutes a tardy to school or early dismissal from school.

C. Absences
There are times when a student is unable to attend school.  Each parent or legal guardian having charge of a child enrolled in Chesterfield County Public Schools shall inform the school each day his or her child is absent all or part of any school day.  Schools will make reasonable effort to contact a parent or legal guardian of each absent student every day and a log will be kept of contact attempts.
Absences that may be considered excused upon receipt of a valid written note or other form of notice approved by the school from the parent or guardian on the day of the student’s return to school include:

1. Illness (if over two days, the school may require a note from the physician);
2. Medical and dental appointments;
3. Court appearance;
4. Death in the family;
5. Observance of a religious holiday; and
6. Extenuating circumstances as determined by the school administration.

For a day of absence for which there is no valid written excuse, the principal or his/her designee will make a reasonable effort to directly contact the parent or guardian.  

D.  Excessive Absences
Excessive absences are those, which cause a student’s attendance, at any point during the year, to be lower than the expectations stated in Section B.  A student who displays a pattern of excessive absences, tardies or early dismissals, whether excused or not, may be referred to the principal or his/her designee who shall investigate and recommend appropriate corrective action, including a conference with the parent or guardian, alternative placement or referral to the appropriate agencies.

For any student whose absences exceed, during a school year, more than ten school days or ten class periods of a course scheduled daily or five class periods of a course on the block schedule, the principal or his/her designee may require a conference with the parent or legal guardian to discuss the implications for learning and achievement, the consequences of failure to attend, and any corrective actions to be made.  Further, the principal or his/her designee may require documentation beyond the written excuse.

Any student whose absences exceed, during a school year, 20 school days in a year or 20 class periods of a course scheduled daily or 10 class periods for a block class will not receive credit for the course unless the student completes tutoring or an alternate learning module as prescribed by the principal or his/her designee.  The principal may require the parent, guardian or student to pay for the costs associated with tutoring or the alternative-learning module. 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.  For elementary and middle school students, excessive absences may be a factor in decisions regarding a student’s promotion to the next grade.

For any student whose absences exceed five scheduled school days for the school year and there is no indication that the parent is aware of and supports the student’s absence, the principal or his/her designee shall make a reasonable effort to directly contact the parent to obtain an explanation and explain the consequences of nonattendance.  A plan will be developed jointly with the parent and student to resolve the student’s nonattendance.  If the student is absent for an additional day after the direct contact and again the parent is unaware, a conference shall be scheduled with the parent and student within 10 days and held no later than 15 days after the sixth absence.  Upon the seventh absence of which the parent is unaware, the principal or his/her designee will notify the Office of Student Services to take the actions prescribed by Va. Code § 22.1-258.  Actions include either or both of the following:  (i) filing a complaint with the juvenile and domestic relations court alleging the student is a child in need of supervision, or (ii) instituting proceedings against the parent pursuant to Va. Code §§ 18.2-371 or 22.1-262.

In addition to any other actions taken pursuant to this policy, if a student who is under 18 years of age has 10 or more unexcused absences from school 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.

E. Make-Up Work
It is the student’s responsibility, or the parent or guardian of an elementary student, to communicate with the teacher on the day he or she returns to class to schedule the make-up of missed work. Students are expected to make up all work missed immediately, and in a time period not to exceed six school days from return to school.  For students in grades three through 12, all missed work that is not made up within the time limit will receive no higher than a failing grade of 63; a student whose work earns a grade below 63 will receive the grade earned. The principal or his/her designee, however, may consider extenuating circumstances in extending the time limit.

1. Elementary
Elementary students must bring a note from the parent or guardian stating the reason for the absence or follow other notice procedures as determined by the school.  Because of the formative aspect of elementary instruction, all elementary school students are expected to make up work missed because of absence, regardless of reason.  Refer above to the timeline for make-up work.

2. Secondary
Secondary students will be permitted to make up work missed for any absence up to ten class periods of a course scheduled daily or five class periods of a course on the block schedule and will receive the grade earned. Once a student has missed in excess of ten class periods of a course scheduled daily or five class periods of a course on the block schedule, the student will be permitted to make up work for full credit only for those absences that are excused. A student who is absent without being excused or for disciplinary reasons in excess of ten class periods of a course scheduled daily or five class periods of a course on the block schedule may make up the work, but will receive no higher than a failing grade of 63 and no lower than the actual grade earned, if below 63. A teacher, with prior notice to students and authorization of the principal or his/her designee, may lower the grade on work that is submitted after it is due, whether or not the late work is the result of absence.

F. Release of Students
Principals shall not release a student during the school day to any person not authorized by the student’s parent or legal guardian.  Students shall be released only on the request and authorization of the parent or legal guardian.  The burden of proof that the release is authorized is on the person receiving the student.  Schools will maintain a formal checkout system to ensure this requirement is met.

Adopted: December 8, 2009 
Legal Ref.: Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, §§ 22.1-254, 22.1-279.3.
Cross Ref.: 3050 Alternative Instructional Options   3090 Field Trips 4010 Rights and Responsibilities  4010-R Standards for Student Conduct 6137 Parental Rights and Responsibilities
[VSBA: IC/ID, JEA, JED]