TRUANCY & EXCESSIVE ABSENCE NOTIFICATION

Truancy

Any student who is absent from school without valid excuse three full or partial days in one school year or tardy or absent for more than any 30-minute period during the school day without a valid excuse on three occasions in one school year or any combination thereof is truant. Truant students and their parents or guardians are in violation of the law and are subject to prosecution and other penalties.

Students may have driving privileges suspended or delayed. Habitually truant students may have work permits revoked. Seniors with “cut” periods totaling the equivalent of six days may lose graduation commencement privileges. When school attendance is a problem, state law encourages parents or guardians to accompany their student to school and attend classes with the student. (EC § 48260, 48273; VC § 13202.7)

Excessive Absence Notification

Families will receive a letter if their student has three unexcused absences and/or truant tardies. A second letter will be sent if the student has two additional unexcused absences. Families will receive a third letter if the student has a sixth unexcused absence. A conscientious effort will be made to hold at least one conference (either in person or by phone) with the family and the student to review the student’s status. An unexcused tardy is any absence of more than any 30-minute period during the school day without a valid excuse as noted by law.

If a student has five days of excused absences due to illness that are not verified by a medical professional or school employee, the family will receive a letter reminding them they have 10 days of verified excused absences due to illness available in one school year. When 10 days of verified excused absences due to illness are recorded, the family will receive a letter requesting verification of illness from a medical professional for any day thereafter when the student is too ill to attend school. Thereafter absences due to illness without verification from a medical professional or school employee will be recorded as unexcused. (EC § 48260.5 and 46011)