Attendance
Students have the right to a free and appropriate public education, but they assume the responsibility to attend regularly and on time. Parents/guardians are responsible for the attendance of their children within the compulsory attendance age, 6 to 16. Parents have the responsibility to inform the school of their child’s absences and to explain the cause of each absence. Learn more about Florida State Statues, Part II, School Attendance.
Regular and punctual school attendance is crucial for a student’s academic success. The research findings make a clear case for engaging families to reduce chronic absenteeism. Good attendance habits begin at home with the right messages from parents and caregivers.
Attendance Standard
- All students are required to be on time and present each day school is open during the school year.
- Students may not be absent from school without permission of the principal/designee.
- The school principal or designee is the only person authorized to excuse a student’s absence.
- A note from a parent/guardian is a request that a student’s absence be excused.
- A pattern of non-attendance is, missing 10% to 19% or more of school, whether the absences are excused or not. At such time the principal shall refer the student to the Attendance Review Committee to determine if early patterns of truancy are developing and identify root causes. An intervention plan will be put in place to identify potential remedies and improve the student’s attendance.
- For enforcement of school attendance purposes, unless acceptable documentation is submitted, an accumulation of daily unexcused absences that equal five (5) days in a calendar month or ten (10) days within a ninety (90) calendar day period, may be exhibiting a pattern of non-attendance as determined by the Attendance Review Committee.
- If the student exceeds the ten (10) parent/guardian notes in a school year, principals may request additional documentation for subsequent absences.
- Chronic tardiness is defined as six (6) or more tardies to school or to an individual class per quarter.
Make-Up Work
A student who is absent and the absence is determined to be an excused absence is required to make up all course work missed. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain assignments from the appropriate teacher(s) upon returning to class immediately following an absence. The student will be given the number of days absent plus one additional day to make up all work missed for full credit.