JH - Student Absences and Excuses

One criterion of a student's success in school is regular and punctual attendance.  Frequent absences may lead to poor academic work, lack of social development and possible academic failure.  Regular attendance is of utmost importance for school interest, social adjustment and scholastic achievement. No single factor may interfere with a student's progress more quickly than frequent tardiness or absence.

According to state law, it is the obligation of every parent/guardian to ensure that every child under his/her care and supervision receives adequate education and training and, if of compulsory attendance age, attends school.

Continuity in the learning process and social adaptation is seriously disrupted by excessive absences.  In most situations, the work missed cannot be made up adequately.  Students who have good attendance generally achieve higher grades, enjoy school more and are more employable after leaving school.  For at least these reasons, the Board of Education believes that a student must satisfy two basic requirements in order to earn full credit: (1) satisfy all academic requirements, and (2) exhibit good attendance habits as stated in this policy.

Excused Absences

The following shall be considered "excused":

1. Student who is temporarily ill or injured or whose absence is approved by the administrator of the school of attendance on a prearranged basis.  Prearranged absences shall be approved for appointments or circumstances of a serious nature only which cannot be taken care of outside of school hours.;

2. Student who is absent for an extended period due to physical or behavioral health disorder.

3. Student who is pursuing a work-study program under the supervision of the school;

4. Student who is absent due to a religious observance, as approved by the principal or designee, on a prearranged basis;

5. Student who is absent due to a family emergency or hardship as approved by the principal or designee;

6. Student who is absent due to attendance at any school-sponsored activity or activities of an educational nature with advance approval by the administration;

7. A student who is suspended or expelled.

8. Student who is a junior or senior and is absent for college visits (this absence requires prior approval of an administrator)

As applicable, the district may require suitable proof regarding the above exceptions, including written statements from medical sources.

When a student has a sudden, unplanned absence, the parent/guardian must call or email the school with the reason and length of the absence no later than 10AM on the day of the absence. Any student absence that does not receive parent notification will remain unexcused and may result in loss of make-up assignment privileges.

If a family has a planned absence of three or more school days, the parent/guardian may apply for a pre-arranged absence. The pre-arranged absence notification form can be found on the webpage of each school, and submitted to the building administration for approval, at least 72 hours before the planned absence. An approved pre-arranged absence does not require a follow up phone-call or email notification of the absence.

If a student is in out-of-home placement (as that term is defined by C.R.S. 22-32-138(1)(e)), absences due to court appearances and participating in court-ordered activities shall be excused.  The student's assigned social worker must verify the student's absence was for a court appearance or court-ordered activity.

Unexcused absences

An unexcused absence is defined as an absence that is not covered by one of the foregoing exceptions. The parents/guardians of the student receiving an unexcused absence will be notified by the district of the unexcused absence.

In accordance with law, the district may impose appropriate penalties that relate directly to classes missed while unexcused.  Penalties may include a warning, a parent/student conference, school detention, or in-school suspension. Academic penalties, out-of-school suspensions, or expulsion shall not be imposed for any unexcused absence.

The administration will develop procedures to implement appropriate penalties. The school administration shall consider the correlation between course failure, truancy and a student dropping out of school in developing these procedures and will implement research-based strategies to re-engage students with a high number of unexcused absences.

The maximum number of unexcused absences a student may incur before judicial proceedings and/or contact with community agencies are initiated to enforce compulsory attendance is ten (10) days during any calendar year or school year.

Students and parents/guardians may petition the Superintendent or designee for exceptions to this policy provided that no exception will be sustained if the student fails to abide by all requirements imposed by the Superintendent or designee as conditions for granting any such exception.

Chronic absenteeism

When a student has an excessive number of absences, these absences negatively impact the student's academic success. For this reason, a student who has ten (10) total absences in a school year, whether the absences are excused or unexcused, may be identified as "chronically absent" by the principal or designee. Absences due to suspension or expulsion will not be counted in the total number of absences considered for purposes of identifying a student as "chronically absent."

If a student is identified as "chronically absent," the principal or designee will develop a plan to improve the student's attendance. The plan will include best practices and research-based strategies to address the reasons for the student's chronic absenteeism. When practicable, the student's parent/guardian shall participate in the development of the plan.

Nothing herein will require the principal or designee to identify a student as "chronically absent" prior to declaring the student as a "habitual truant" and pursuing court proceedings against the student and his or her parents/guardians to compel the student's attendance in accordance with state law.

Parental Notification for Absent Students

•  When a secondary student has accumulated seven non-school related absences for any one class within a semester the principal's designee shall make contact home.

•  When any student has accumulated ten non-school related absences for any one class in a semester, the attendance office will make contact home and mail out an attendance notice detailing the concern.

After a student has accumulated ten or more non-school related absences a conference with the parents/guardians may be requested and the student may be placed on an attendance contract or plan.

Make-up Work

Make-up work will be provided for any class in which a student has an excused absence unless otherwise determined by the building administrator or unless the absence is due to the student's expulsion from school.  It is the responsibility of the student to pick up any make-up assignments permitted on the day returning to class.

There will be one (1) day allowed for make-up work for each day of absence, up to a maximum of six (6) days.

Make-up work may be allowed following an unexcused absence or following a student's suspension from school with the goal of providing the student an opportunity to keep up with the class and an incentive to attend school. This work may receive full or partial credit to the extent possible as determined by the building grading procedure.

Unless otherwise permitted by the building administrator, make-up work will not be provided during a student's expulsion. Rather, the district will offer alternative education services to the expelled student in accordance with state law. The district shall determine the amount of credit the expelled student will receive for work completed during any alternative education program.

Tardiness

Tardiness is defined as the appearance of a student without proper excuse after the scheduled time that a class begins.  Because of the disruptive nature of tardiness and the detrimental effect upon the rights of the non-tardy students to uninterrupted learning, appropriate penalties may be imposed for excessive tardiness. Parent/Guardians will be notified of the penalties regarding tardiness.

In an unavoidable situation, a student detained by another teacher or administrator shall not be considered tardy provided that the teacher or administrator gives the student a pass to enter the next class. Teachers will honor passes presented in accordance with this policy. The provisions of this policy shall be applicable to all students in the district, including those above and below the age for compulsory attendance as required by law.

Adopted:  June 1990
Revised:  May 2000
Revised and recoded:  December 11, 2008
Revised and recoded:  March 26, 2010
Revised and adopted:  May 10, 2016 
Revised: November 13, 2018
Revised: June 28, 2022

LEGAL REFS.:  C.R.S. 22-14-101 et seq. (dropout prevention and student re-engagement)

C.R.S. 22-32-109 (1)(n) (length of school year, instruction & contact time)

C.R.S. 22-32-109.1 (2)(a) (conduct and discipline code)

C.R.S. 22-32-138 (6)  (excused absence requirements for students in out-of-home placements)

C.R.S. 22-33-101 et seq. (School Attendance Law of 1963)

C.R.S. 22-33-105 (3)(d)(III) (opportunity to make up work during suspension)

C.R.S. 22-33-108 (judicial proceedings to enforce school attendance laws)

C.R.S. 22-33-203 (educational alternatives for expelled students and determination of credit)

1 CCR 301-78 Rules 1.00 et seq. (standardized calculation for counting student attendance and truancy)

C.R.S. 22-33-104(4)(a)

CROSS REFS.:  IC/ICA, School Year/School Calendar/Instruction Time

JEA, Compulsory Attendance Ages

JF-R, Admission and Denial of Admission (Procedures for Students in Out-of-Home Placements)

JHB, Truancy

JK, Student Discipline

JKD/JKE, Suspension/Expulsion of Students

JLIB, Student Dismissal Precautions