Regulation 0515-10
Attendance Expectations
Students perform best when they receive in-person instruction, and we encourage every student to be in class ready to learn every day. However, we do recognize that perfect attendance is not always possible, and so the following guidelines are provided to understand attendance expectations, outline the absence recording framework, and detail when and how the administration responds to excessive absences.
Unexcused Absences
An Unexcused absence occurs when a student is absent from any class without justifiable cause and support. Excessive Unexcused absences may result in additional administrative actions up to and including loss of credit or retention. See the Unexcused absence thresholds below for more detail on absenteeism levels.
Truancy Absences
A Truancy absence occurs when a student is absent from any class without parental permission or school knowledge. Truancies not only count as Unexcused (see above), but are also subject to disciplinary procedures outlined in Policy 520-10. Moreover, any child under the age of sixteen (16) who accrues ten (10) Truancies may be referred to the Ada County prosecuting attorney pursuant to Idaho Code 33-206.
Absence Reporting
Keeping Unexcused and Truancy in mind, absences are recorded based on the following criteria: 1. Whether or not Advanced Notice was provided to the school. 2. Whether or not Supporting Documentation was provided to the school.
Advanced Notice
Advanced Notice means that the school was notified the student would be absent from class for that particular time before the absence actually occurred. Examples that allow for Advanced Notice include but are not limited to:
* Day-of Illness Notification
* Vacations
* Scheduled Medical/Dental Appointments
Club Sport Events
Religious Observation
* Familial Obligations
Parents/Guardians are encouraged to provide Advanced Notice whenever possible.
Supporting Documentation
Supporting Documentation means that the school was provided acceptable documentation supporting the absence. Examples of Supporting Documentation include but are not limited to: * Completion of a Self-Directed Learner (SDL) form (see below for details) * Doctor or dental appointment verification (doctor's note, portal record, or provider confirmation) * Court documentation or official notice to appear * Bereavement verification (e.g., obituary, family statement, or administrative confirmation) * Other documentation supporting extenuating circumstances approved by the building administrator.
Parents/Guardians are encouraged to provide Supporting Documentation whenever possible.
Absence Codes
The intersection of Advanced Notice and Supporting Documentation results in four possible absence codes.
A (Absent)
This happens when neither Advanced Notice nor Supporting Documentation is provided. Absences encoded as A do count as Unexcused, and they do count as Truancy.
PRC (Parent Communication)
This happens when Advanced Notice is provided but Supporting Documentation is not provided/not completed. Absences encoded as PRC do count as Unexcused, but they do not count as Truancy.
WAI (Waived)
This happens when Advanced Notice is not provided, but Supporting Documentation is provided after the absence. (The most common case for WAI is illness supported by a doctor's note.) Absences encoded as WAI do not count as Unexcused and they do not count as Truancy.
SDL (Self-Directed Learner)
This happens when Advanced Notice is provided along with an SDL form as Supporting Documentation. Absences encoded as SDL do not count as Unexcused, and they do not count as Truancy. (See below for details.)
Note: These four codes are the most common. However, be aware that there are other codes that are used to describe less common scenarios which are handled by attendance secretaries manually, such as Suspensions, Activities, etc.) See below for a description of those less common codes.
Self-Directed Learner (SDL) Details
A self-directed learner designation allows a student to request a flexible option to meet immediate educational needs. A student is eligible to be designated as a self-directed learner if they meet at least one of the following criteria, as stipulated in Idaho Code 33-512:
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Demonstrated mastery of content knowledge through overall grades.
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Starting in grade 5, demonstrated mastery of addition and multiplication for numbers 0-10, as well as related subtraction and division problems, known collectively as "math facts” as evidenced by a passing grade in the students’ math class.
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Starting in grade 8, demonstrated an informed choice of post-secondary career and education goals by completing and updating their personalized student learning plan.
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Administrator approval
Self-Directed Learner (SDL) activities allow a planned event to avoid being recorded as an Unexcused absence. These SDL activities are over-and-above normal classwork, and are not considered a substitute for in-person instruction. An absence may be coded as SDL only when Advanced Notice is provided and the following process is completed:
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Parent/Guardian Notification: Parents or guardians must notify the school in advance of the planned absence. Upon notification, the absence is initially coded as
PRC(Parent Communication). -
SDL Assignment Plan: The SDL teacher communicates to the parent and student the required learning assignment(s), which may include study, research, a project, and/or a presentation aligned to instructional standards.
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Submission Timeline: All SDL work must be completed and submitted to the SDL teacher within 10 school days following the student’s return from the absence.
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Attendance Coding Determination: The SDL work is then reviewed for completeness.
- If the SDL work is completed satisfactorily and accepted by the SDL teacher, the absence is re-coded from
PRCtoSDL. - If the work is not completed or is not accepted, the absence remains coded as
PRC.
Note: The SDL process is designed as a flexible alternative but is not a substitute for regular class attendance, nor does it exempt students from completing all regular classwork, assessments, or instructional expectations missed during the absence.
Any questions related to the SDL process can be directed to the school administration. It is important to recognize that although an SDL assignment may be reviewed for completeness beyond the actual date of the absence, the SLD request itself must be submitted in advance.
Abuse
While the goal of the above is to provide a simple and flexible reporting process for parents, students, and staff knowing that absences will occur, any abuse of the system (including excessive WAI submissions or SDL requests) may result in reduction or elimination of future opportunities to avoid Unexcused absences.
Educational Program Attendance Thresholds
The State of Idaho maintains minimum attendance requirements for all public school students. Accordingly, the following definitions have been established to outline thresholds and remediation processes to ensure that all students remain on track. These thresholds are reset every semester.
Elementary School
| State | Unexcused Absences | Process |
|---|---|---|
| Good Standing | 3 or fewer full days | |
| Acute Absenteeism | 4 full days | Intervention |
| Chronic Absenteeism | 7 full days | Possible Retention |
| Extended Absenteeism | 11 or greater full days | Possible Disenrollment |
Traditional Middle
| State | Unexcused Absences | Process |
|---|---|---|
| Good Standing | 3 or fewer class periods | |
| Acute Absenteeism | 4 class periods | Intervention |
| Chronic Absenteeism | 7 class periods | Possible Retention |
| Extended Absenteeism | 11 or greater class periods | Possible Disenrollment |
Traditional High Single-Period
| State | Unexcused Absences | Process |
|---|---|---|
| Good Standing | 3 or fewer class periods | |
| Acute Absenteeism | 4 class periods | Intervention |
| Chronic Absenteeism | 6 class periods | Possible Credit Loss |
| Extended Absenteeism | 11 or greater class periods | Possible Disenrollment |
Traditional High Double-Block
| State | Unexcused Absences | Process |
|---|---|---|
| Good Standing | 3 or fewer class periods | |
| Acute Absenteeism | 4 class periods | Intervention |
| Chronic Absenteeism | 6 class periods | Possible Credit Loss |
| Extended Absenteeism | 11 or greater class periods | Possible Disenrollment |
Alternative Middle
| State | Unexcused Absences | Process |
|---|---|---|
| Good Standing | 4 or fewer class periods | |
| Chronic Absenteeism | 5 class periods | Possible Retention |
| Extended Absenteeism | 8 or greater class periods | Possible Disenrollment |
Alternative High
| State | Unexcused Absences | Process |
|---|---|---|
| Good Standing | 4 or fewer class periods | |
| Chronic Absenteeism | 5 class periods | Possible Credit Loss |
| Extended Absenteeism | 8 or greater class periods | Possible Disenrollment |
Process Descriptions
Crossing any of the above thresholds activates one of the processes as follows:
Intervention
Counseling or administration arranges for a meeting between the parent/guardian and student to discuss:
- The importance of regular attendance for both learning and credit.
- Identification of any barriers to regular attendance.
- Implementation of possible support structures to improve attendance.
- The potential impact if absences continue.
Retention
Retention is when a student is held back a grade, which can happen when students miss so much school that they do not effectively master the required material. As with the Intervention, a meeting is arranged between the parent/guardians and students to discuss the ramifications of continued absences, at which the following happens: - Academic Progress and engagement indicators are reviewed to identify the likelihood of retention. - Establishing clear expectations for performance and attendance to avoid retention. - Progress monitoring with an assigned staff mentor. - Discussion of available support structures, including alternative placement opportunities. - Implications of not meeting the benchmarks established at the meeting, including formal retention.
Please be aware that we want to do everything possible to promote every student at the end of every year, but attendance is a central part of this process and must be addressed.
Credit Loss
Idaho Statute requires a certain amount of instructional hours to qualify for credit, and if absences exceed these thresholds credit may be deducted from the student's transcript. When a student is at risk of losing credit, the administration will arrange for a meeting to discuss the following:
- Review of current absence status and risk of Credit Loss.
- Arrange for any structural supports as needed to avoid continued absences, including alternative education environments, counseling or other assistance.
- Assignment of a staff member to directly monitor on further absences.
- Develop a plan outlining all of the above, with ramifications for lack of adherence.
Our goal is for every student to gain credit and achieve his or her diploma, and regular attendance is central to this goal.
Disenrollment
Disenrollment due to attendance means that a student may be withdrawn from a school if they have been absent for an extended period of time. When a student is not attending regularly and the school is unable to confirm their enrollment or educational placement, the school may remove the student from its enrollment records. As part of the disenrollment process, the administrator is responsible to: - Review student status with district or building administration as required. - Provide formal notice of extended absenteeism and intent to disenroll. - Follow district procedures for disenrollment and/or transition to alternative education location process - When appropriate, provide guidance on alternative educational options or re-enrollment procedures.
Uncommon Codes
Following are some absence codes that are handled directly by the Administration, all of which do not count as Unexcused and do not count as Truancy.
- Alternative (ALT): When a student's attendance is verified in an alternative facility.
- Activities (ACT): When a student participates in a school-sponsored activity such as sports or field trips with a teacher/coach supervision.
- In-School Suspension (ISS): When a student is suspended in class.
- Out-School Suspension (OSS): When a student is suspended at home.
Tardy to Absence Threshold
For students enrolled in middle school or high school, a student who misses more than twenty percent (20%) of a scheduled class period for any reason shall be marked absent for that class period. Any absence recorded pursuant to this provision shall be handled using the same protocols as other class-period absences, based on notification from parents or guardians.