I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to require regular school attendance. It is intended to positive and not punitive.
II. GENERAL STATEMENT
A. The Moorhead School Board believes that regular school attendance is directly related to success in academic work, benefits students socially, provides opportunities for important communications between teachers and students and establishes regular habits of dependability important to the future of the student.
B. This policy also recognizes that class attendance is a joint responsibility to be shared by the student, parent(s)/guardian(s), teacher(s) and administrators. This policy will assist students to understand their responsibility to attend class.
C. Responsibilities
1. Student's Responsibility
It is the student's right to be in school. It is the student's responsibility to attend all assigned classes every day that school is in session and to be aware of and follow the correct procedures when absent from an assigned class. Finally, it is the student's responsibility to request any missed assignments due to an absence.
2. Parent or Guardian's Responsibility
It is the responsibility of the student's parent(s)/guardian(s) to ensure the student is attending school, to inform the school in the event of a student absence, and to work cooperatively with the school and the student to solve any attendance problems that may arise. Parents/guardians are responsible to provide contact information to the building administrator's office or on InfoSnap.
Parent(s)/guardian(s) must contact the school on the day of the student's absence. The school will attempt to contact the parent(s)/guardian(s) in the case of absences on the day the absence occurs.
3. Teacher's Responsibility
It is the teacher's responsibility to take daily attendance and to maintain accurate attendance records in each assigned class. It is also the teacher's responsibility to be familiar with all procedures governing attendance and to apply these procedures uniformly. It is also the teacher's responsibility to provide any student who has been absent with any missed assignments upon request. Finally, it is the teacher's responsibility to work cooperatively with the student's parent(s)/guardian(s) and the student to solve any attendance problems that may arise.
4. Administration's Responsibility
a. It is the administration's responsibility to require students to attend all assigned classes. It is also the responsibility of the administration to be familiar with all procedures governing attendance and to apply these procedures uniformly to all students, to maintain accurate records on student attendance and to prepare a list of the previous day's absences stating the status of each. Finally, it is the administration's responsibility to inform the student's parent(s)/guardian(s) of the student's attendance and to work cooperatively with them and the student to solve attendance problems.
b. In accordance with the regulations of the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota Compulsory Instruction Law, Minn. Stat. Section 120A.22, the students of the school district are required to attend all assigned classes every day school is in session, unless the student has been excused by the School Board from attendance because the student has already completed state and school district standards required to graduate from high school, has withdrawn, or has a valid excuse for absence.
D. Attendance Procedures
Attendance procedures shall be presented to the School Board for review and approval.
1. Excused Absences
a. A parent, guardian, or other person having control of a child may apply to a school district to have the child excused from attendance for the whole or part of the time school is in session during any school year. Application may be made to any member of the board, a truant officer, a principal, or the superintendent. A note from a physician or a licensed mental health professional stating that the child cannot attend school is a valid excuse. Minnesota Statutes, section 120A.22
b. To be considered an excused absence the student's parent(s)/guardian(s) may be asked to verify in writing the reason for the student's absence from school. A note from a physician or a licensed mental health professional stating that the student cannot attend school is a valid excuse.
c. The board of the district in which the child resides may approve the application under subparagraph (a) above upon the following being demonstrated to the satisfaction fo the board:
d. Legitimate Exceptions
The following reasons shall be sufficient to constitute excused absences:
(1) That the child’s physician or mental health is such as to prevent attendance at school or application to study for the period required, which includes:
a. child illness, medical, dental, orthodontic, or counseling appointments; including appointments conducted through telehealth;
b. family emergencies;
c. the death or serious illness or funeral of an immediate family member;
d. active duty in any military branch of the United States;
e. the child has a condition that requires ongoing treatment for a mental health diagnosis; or
f. other exemptions included in this attendance policy.
(2) That the child has already completed state and district standards required for graduation from high school; or
(3) That it is the wish of the parent, guardian, or other person having control of the child, that the child attend for a period or periods not exceeding in the aggregate three hours in any week, instruction conducted by a Tribal spiritual or cultural advisor, or a school for religious instruction conducted and maintained by a church, or association of churches, or any Sunday school association incorporated under the laws of the state, or any auxiliary thereof. This instruction must be conducted and maintained in a place other than a public school building, and it must not, in whole or in part, be conducted and maintained at public expense. A child may be absent from school on days that the child attends upon instruction according to this clause. Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.22, subdivision 12.
b. Consequences of Excused Absences
(1) Students whose absences are excused are required to make up all assignments missed or to complete alternative assignments as deemed appropriate by the classroom teacher.
(2) School work missed because of an excused absence must be made up within one (1) calendar week from the date of the student's return to school. This applies to school work assigned during the time period the student was absent from school. Any previously assigned work is due on the day of the student's return. The student will be required to make arrangements with the teacher to make up any school work missed and receive a grade. A teacher may require additional assignments to compensate for any loss of class discussion and information.
(3) School work not turned in to a teacher within the one calendar week guidelines may result in the assignment receiving a lower grade or no credit. In the case of a prolonged (3 or more days) excused absence, the teacher and student should mutually agree upon a deadline. An administrator will mediate if mutual agreement is not reached.
(4) Student Activities: Students in school-sponsored activities should not assume that they have the right to an extended deadline for schoolwork.
(5) Advance Make-up: In the event that students are aware they will be absent from school for more than two (2) days, it is the students' responsibility to make arrangements with classroom teachers to make up the work.
2. Unexcused Absences
a. The following are examples of absences which will not be excused:
(1) Truancy. An absence by a student that was not approved by the parent(s)/guardian(s) and/or the school district.
(2) Any absence in which the student failed to comply with any reporting requirements of the school district's attendance procedures.
(3) Work at home, including babysitting or running errands.
(4) Work at a business, except under a school-sponsored work release program.
(5) Absences resulting from cumulated unexcused tardies (3 tardies equal one unexcused absence).
(6) Missing the bus, car trouble, oversleeping, need for extra sleep, hair appointments, shopping, visiting friends, not returning to school following the lunch period, leaving school ill without checking out with the health office, falsifying notes or explanations for absence.
(7) Any other absence not included under the attendance procedures set out in this policy.
b. Consequences of Unexcused Absences
(1) Absences resulting from official suspension will be handled in accordance with the Pupil Fair Dismissal Act, Minn. Stat. 121A.40-121A.56.
(2) School work missed because of an absence must be made up within one (1) calendar week from the date of the student's return to school.
(3) Days during which a student is suspended from school shall not be counted in a student's total cumulated unexcused absences.
(4) On the third unexcused absence the student will be referred to a truancy intervention or counseling program. Once the referral has been made, attendance will be closely monitored, attendance contracts may be held and detention and in-school suspension will be used to enforce school district policy (refer to Section IV.).
E. Tardiness
1. Definition: Students are expected to be in their assigned area at designated times. Failure to do so constitutes tardiness.
2. Reporting Tardiness
a. Students tardy at the start of school must report to the school office for an admission slip.
b. Tardiness between periods will be handled by the teacher.
3. Excused Tardiness
Valid excuses for tardiness are:
a. Illness;
b. Serious illness in the student's immediate family;
c. Death or funeral in the student's immediate family or of a close friend or relative;
d. Medical, dental or orthodontic treatment or mental health appointment;
e. Court appearances occasioned by family or personal action;
f. Physical emergency conditions such as fire, flood, storm, etc;
g. Any tardiness for which an administrator or faculty member has excused the student in writing.
4. Unexcused Tardiness
a. Unexcused tardiness is failing to be in an assigned area at the designated time class period commences without a valid excuse.
b. Students who accumulate excessive unexcused tardies shall, along with their parent(s)/guardian(s), be referred to the school counselor or social worker to try to eliminate those reasons for truancy.
5. Illness During School
a. All students who become ill during the school day, except in case of an emergency are to report to their regular classroom and then get a pass to the health office. Parent(s)/guardians(s) should be contacted and should make arrangements for the well-being of the student. The school will not release a student to go home without a parent/guardian contact and arrangement made for release of the student into the care of the parent(s)/guardian(s) or approved others.
F. Participation in Extracurricular Activities and School-Sponsored On-the-Job Training Programs
1. This policy applies to all students involved in any extracurricular activity scheduled either during or outside the school day and any school-sponsored on-the-job training programs.
2. School-initiated absences will be accepted and participation permitted.
3. Coaches and advisors will be advised of team members/students who have unexcused absences. When an unexcused absence is verified a student will not be permitted to participate in that day's extra-curricular activity(s) (e.g. practice, game, rehearsal, program, match, meet or performance) following notification of coach/advisor.
4. If a student is suspended from any class, he or she may not participate in any activity or program that day.
5. If a student is absent from school due to medical reasons, he or she must present a physician's statement or a statement from the student's parent(s)/guardian(s) clearing the student for participation that day. The note must be presented to the coach or advisor before the student participates in the activity or program.
G. Homebound Instruction
1. A student who is absent for 10 consecutive days is eligible for homebound or hospital-bound instruction. Authorization from a physician must be on file requesting the same. All requests for homebound instruction are to be directed to the health office and then to the department of special services and can be initiated before the timelines are in effect.
III. RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCE ACCOMMODATION
Reasonable efforts will be made by the school district to accommodate any student who wishes to be excused from a curricular activity for religious observance. Requests for accommodation should be directed to the building principal.
IV. DISSEMINATION OF POLICY
1. Copies of this policy shall be made available to all students and parents/guardians at the commencement of each school year in the student handbook and the district's website (www.moorheadschools.org). This policy shall also be available upon request in each building administrator's office.
2. The school district will provide annual notice to parents of the school district's policy relating to a student's absence from school for religious observance.
V. REQUIRED REPORTING
A. Continuing Truant
Minnesota Statutes Section 260A.02 provides that a continuing truant is a student who is subject to the compulsory instruction requirements of Minnesota Statutes Section 120A.22 and is absent from instruction in a school, as defined in Minnesota Statutes Section 120A.05, without valid excuse within a single school year for:
1. three days if the child is in elementary school; or
2. three or more class periods on three days if the child is in middle school or high school.
B. Reporting Responsibility
When a student is initially classified as a continuing truant, Minnesota Statutes Section 260A.03 provides that the designated school official shall notify the student's parent(s)/guardian(s), by first class mail or other reasonable means, of the following:
1. that the child is truant;
2. that the parent(s)/guardian(s) must notify the school if there is a valid excuse for the child's absences;
3. that the parent/guardian is obligated to compel the attendance of the child at school pursuant to Minnesota Statutes Section 120A.22 and parent(s)/guardian(s) who fail to meet this obligation may be subject to prosecution under Minnesota Statutes Section 120A.34;
4. that this notification serves as the notification required by Minnesota Statutes Section 120A.34;
5. that alternative educational programs and services may be available in the district;
6. that the parent/guardian has the right to meet with appropriate school personnel to discuss solutions to the child's truancy;
7. that if the child continues to be truant, the parent(s)/guardian(s) and child may be subject to juvenile court proceedings under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 260C; and
8. that if the child is subject to juvenile court proceedings, the child may be subject to suspension, restriction, or delay of the child's driving privilege pursuant to Minnesota Statutes 260C.201.
C. Habitual Truant
1. A habitual truant is a child under the age of 17 years who is absent from attendance at school without lawful excuse for seven school days per school year if the child is in elementary school or for one or more class periods on seven school days per school year if the child is in middle school, junior high school, or high school, or a child who is 17 years of age who is absent from attendance at school without lawful excuse for one or more class periods on seven school days per school year and who has not lawfully withdrawn from school.
2. A school district administrator or designee shall refer a habitual truant child and the child's parent(s)/guardian(s) to appropriate services and procedures, under Minnesota Statutes Chapter 260A.
Legal References:
Minn. Stat. 120A.05 (Definitions)
Minn. Stat. 120A.22 (Compulsory Instruction)
Minn. Stat. 120A.24 (Reporting)
Minn. Stat. 120A.26 (Enforcement and Prosecution)
Minn. Stat. 120A.34 (Violations; Penalties)
Minn. Stat. 120A.35 (Absence from School for Religious Observance)
Minn. Stat. 121A.40 - 121A.56 (Pupil Fair Dismissal Act)
Minn. Stat. 260C.007, Subd. 19 (Habitual Truant Defined)
Minn. Stat. 260A.02 (Definitions)
Minn. Stat. 260A.03 (Notice to Parent or Guardian When Child is a Continuing Truant)
Minn. Stat. 260C.201 (Dispositions; Children in Need of Protection or Services or Neglected and in Foster Care)
Goss v. Lopez, 419 U.S. 565, (1975)
Slocum v. Holton Board of Education, 429 N.W.2d 607 (Mich. App. Ct. 1988)
Campbell v. Board of Education of New Milford, 475 A.2d 289 (Conn. 1984)
Hamer v. Board of Education of Township High School District No. 113, 66 Ill. App.3d 7, 383 N.E.2d 231 (1978)
Gutierrez v. School District R-1, 585 P.2d 935 (Co. Ct. App. 1978)
Knight v. Board of Education, 38 Ill. App. 3d 603, 348 N.E.2d 299 (1976)
Dorsey v. Bale, 521 S.W.2d 76 (Ky. 1975)
Cross References:
Moorhead School Board Policy 508: Student Discipline
MSBA/MASA Model Policy 503 (Student Attendance)