7110R – Student Attendance and Absence

The Board of Education recognizes that consistent attendance is a critical factor in a student’s ability to achieve their fullest academic potential. Students have a right and responsibility to attend school on a daily basis. Consistent attendance contributes to a positive school climate while inconsistent attendance diminishes the student’s ability to effectively use school resources, as well as having a negative effect on the entire school community. The Board also recognizes that daily attendance increases the opportunities for a student to:

1. Participate fully in classes, athletics, activities, extra-curricular school programs and other school activities;
2. Improve their chances of high school graduation;
3. Understand and appreciate the importance of school and education;
4. Attain their personal goals;
5. Develop a sense of belonging at school;
6. Establish positive interactions with adults and fellow students; 
7. Develop more structure and discipline in their life.

The Board of Education will annually review attendance data included in the annual School Report Card. The Board designates the principal of each school to frequently, but at least quarterly, review pupil attendance records and to identify problems and trends related to unexcused absences, patterns of attendance, tardiness, and early departures.

Objectives

The Superintendent or their designee(s) shall adopt regulations, practices, and procedures consistent with this policy and in compliance with the Regulations of the Commissioner of Education to meet the following objectives:

1. To raise student achievement and close gaps in student performance; 
2. To identify attendance patterns in order to design attendance improvement efforts;
3. To know the whereabouts of every student throughout the school day for safety and other reasons;
4. To establish the expectation of daily attendance for all students;
5. To develop early intervention strategies;
6. To promote a partnership between school, students, and students’ families to encourage consistent attendance;
7. To verify that individual students are complying with education laws relating to compulsory attendance;
8. To determine the District’s average daily attendance for state aid purposes.

Strategies

Per New York State regulations, the District register, in written or electronic format, must account for each pupil’s presence, absence, tardiness, and early departure from every period/day that a pupil is scheduled to attend actual instructional or supervised study and other required activities throughout the school year. Attendance data shall be kept current, as well as archived, via the student information system.

The register shall include, at minimum:  

1. Name of pupil;
2. Date of birth;
3. Student ID#;
4. Family ID#;
5. Full names of parent/legal guardian; 
6. Address where pupil resides;
7. Phone number(s) where the parent/legal guardian may be contacted;
8. A record of the pupil’s attendance for each day of scheduled instruction;
9. The date when a pupil withdraws from enrollment or is dropped from enrollment will be recorded.

Recording of Absences

Excused Absences According to Commissioner’s Regs 175.6:

The reasons and applicable documentation deemed acceptable for an excused absence when school is in session, include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Personal illness; 
2. Illness or death in the family;
3. Impassable roads or weather;
4. Required court appearances;
5. Quarantine;
6. Attendance at medical appointments or health clinics;
7. Approved college visits;
8. Military obligations;
9. Religious observance;
10. Disciplinary detention of incarcerated youth.

All other absences for any other reasons will be deemed unexcused absences.

Coding System 

The coding system will accommodate the following categories:

• Left - Unexcused
• Late - Excused
• Late - Unexcused
• Excused Absence
• Unexcused Absence
• Field trip
• Personal appointment 
• Out-of-school suspension
• In school suspension
• Doctor appointment
• Dentist appointment
• Early dismissal
• Excused early by nurse
• Bereavement
• College visit
• Sport sectionals
• Internship
• Home district closure 

Recording of Tardiness, Early Departures

Any absence for the school day or portion thereof shall be recorded. In the event that a student arrives late for or departs early from scheduled instruction, then such tardiness or early departure shall also be recorded as excused or unexcused.

Elementary

For students enrolled in Pre-kindergarten through 6th grade, the presence or absence of each student shall be recorded once per day. A student is tardy if he or she arrives after the start of the instructional day. A student is recorded as having departed early if he or she departs anytime before the completion of the instructional day.

Jr./Sr. High School

Each student’s presence or absence shall be noted and recorded by the teacher each period of scheduled instruction as well as in the homeroom.  A student is tardy if he or she arrives after the start of the instructional day or class period. A student is recorded as having departed early if he or she departs anytime before the completion of the instructional day or class period.

Reporting of Absences

A parent/legal guardian is expected to call if a student will be absent.  A note is not required if a reason is provided by phone or Parent Square. For absences longer than one week, a health provider’s note may be requested as proof of an excused absence.

Late Arrivals and Early Departures

The reason for a late arrival or early departure should be noted when a parent/legal guardian signs in/out at the time the student arrives or is picked up.

Release Time

Recognizing that there are times when students need to leave school for various reasons, written requests from the parent/guardian for the release of students generally will be honored. The applicable time and reason for absence shall be recorded on the attendance record, and reported pursuant to state requirements and district record keeping procedures. The Building Principal and/or designee shall assume this responsibility or shall designate an individual to review and approve all requests.

Additional Requirements for Each Grade Level

The register must also include the date when any student withdraws from enrollment or is dropped from enrollment in the school.

School Closures

The District must also maintain a record of each scheduled day of instruction during which the school is closed for all or part of the day due to adverse weather or other emergency conditions.

Family Vacations (Unexcused Absence)

Vacations during other than school breaks will be recorded as unexcused and are strongly discouraged. Despite the best efforts of teachers and parents/legal guardians, it is impossible to make up for missing the teacher-directed instruction and class discussion. Make-up work may be provided.

Exemption

A student shall be excluded from attendance whenever he/she shows symptoms of any infectious disease reportable under the Public Health Law.

Incentives and Sanctions

The Board of Education recognizes that student attendance may be positively affected by the use of incentives to encourage student attendance and disciplinary sanctions to discourage unexcused absences, tardiness and early departures.  In this regard, each school shall make available to students incentives to promote attendance.  These may include quarterly or annual perfect/improved attendance certificates or luncheons or other incentives determined by the building shared decision making team.  

On all levels, the importance of daily attendance is stressed, and inconsistent attendance must be addressed until a resolution is established.  Juniors are advised in advance of the senior year that a parking permit may be denied based on the junior year attendance record. Once issued, a permit may be rescinded based on a student’s senior year attendance record. 

Student Dismissal Precautions

On each day that a student will be picked up by someone other than a parent/legal guardian, it is necessary for a parent/legal guardian to send a note for the attendance clerk or by a verifiable phone call to the attendance clerk or school principal identifying the name of the person to whom the school should release the student.  Release may be denied without proper identification.  

Student Participation/Course Credit 

In recognition of the important relationship between class attendance/participation and student performance, students are expected to attend all scheduled classes.  Participation in class discussions and activities is expected and may “count” as a percentage of the grade attained.

Withdrawal from School

Parents/legal guardians are expected to notify school when withdrawing their child(ren) from the District by completing a Withdrawal Form.  The information provided includes the school the child(ren) will be attending.  If, after two weeks, records have not been requested, a call should be placed to the new school by appropriate school personnel.  If information is not available, the District attendance officer should be contacted to visit the home address to determine if the family continues to reside within the Broadalbin-Perth district.  If it appears that the family has moved, the Superintendent should be contacted.

Students over the age of compulsory attendance may be dropped from enrollment if they have been absent twenty (20) consecutive days and the district has complied with procedures of BPCSD Policy 7112, Excessive Pupil Absence.

Elementary Level Expectations 

At the beginning of each school year, the expectation of daily attendance shall be reinforced in various ways: a letter home, the parent/legal guardian “handbook,” and by teachers at open house and similar occasions. This expectation should continue to be emphasized throughout the year. 

Jr./Sr. High School Expectations

The expectation of daily attendance is reinforced in many ways. Homeroom, Advisory and classroom teachers  reinforce and follow-up on attendance concerns.  The Teacher Handbook and the Student Handbook explain attendance expectations and procedures. The Code of Conduct includes truancy and cutting classes as infractions, which may result in consequences such as oral/written warning, detention, mandatory supervised study, long-term loss of privileges and possible withdrawal of participation in school or extracurricular activities. Each student’s report card reflects his/her overall attendance and individual class attendance. Each student’s transcript reflects overall attendance and does not differentiate between excused and unexcused tardiness. This practice is reviewed with all students at the beginning of the school year.

Attendance Follow-up

The classroom teacher or a designated staff member shall follow-up with the family to learn the reasons for the continued absence no later than after two days of consecutive absence. Best practice dictates that parents/guardians are contacted on the day of each absence.

Each school building shall establish an attendance committee which shall be charged with monitoring overall pupil attendance and determining and addressing specific patterns of unexcused pupil absence, tardiness or early departure. The committee shall be composed of the building principal, school nurse, and school counselors.  The building principal of each school shall be charged by the Board of Education to be the person responsible for reviewing pupil attendance records and initiating appropriate actions at the building level to address attendance issues consistent with this comprehensive attendance policy.  

Letters may be sent in the first quarter for students with 5 absences (see form 7110F).  Parents/legal guardians should also be notified in writing when a pattern of tardy arrivals or early dismissals develops.  Follow-up action will continue as needed including phone calls and parent/legal guardian conferences. 

Attendance letters will be sent to parents/legal guardians from the principal after 10, 15 and 20 absences (see forms 7110F.2 and 7110F.3) to inform them of their child’s attendance.  A letter will be sent from the Superintendent of Schools after 30+ days of absence.  Unless there are some known mitigating circumstances documented and confirmed with appropriate

administration, New York State Child Protective Services may be contacted for investigation of possible educational neglect.

Athletic Participation

Coaches are responsible for monitoring a student athlete’s absence and tardiness. A student may not participate in practice and/or competitions on days he or she has been absent for the entire school day unless there are special circumstances and permission is granted by the Director of Athletics and Physical Education and/or Building Principal.

Eligibility for Summer School

To be eligible for summer school, a student must achieve a grade point average of 50 or higher and miss no more than 36 classes (18 classes for a half-year course), unless waived by the principal or designee.

School Community Awareness

A plain language summary of the attendance policy will be provided to parents/legal guardians at the beginning of each school year. Understanding of such a policy will be promoted to students and their parents/legal guardians. Each teacher will be provided with a copy of the policy at the beginning of each school year or upon employment.

References

• Education Law Sections 3024, 3025, 3202, 3205, 3206, 3210, 3211 and 3213
• 8 New York Code of Rules and Regulations (NYCRR) Sections 104.1, 109.2 and 175.6