Attendance Law
Attendance Law
Students and parents must be informed of the compulsory attendance law each year.
A student's parents or guardian will be informed in writing or by phone if the juvenile has one unexcused absence within any month during the school year.
A conference with the parents/guardian and juvenile will be scheduled after two unexcused absences within any month during the current school year; if a regularly scheduled parent-teacher conference day is to take place within thirty days of the second unexcused absence, the district may schedule the required conference on that day. In addition, quarterly attendance letters are sent to parents of students not making the required 90% attendance for all students. Letters are also sent to parents of students with excessive tardies.
The law permits a school to take one of the following actions after five or more unexcused absences:
- Attendance officer may petition the juvenile court to assume jurisdiction for the purpose of alleging a violation of the compulsory attendance law by the parent.
- A petition alleging a violation of the compulsory attendance law by a child may be filed with the juvenile court by the child's parent or the school attendance officer at the parent's request.
The law authorizes the court to order the child be punished by detention or alternatives to detention such as community service hours or participation in dropout prevention programs, or referral to a community truancy board if available.