Attendance

Board Policy JH Student and Absences and Excuses and Administrative Rule JH-R Student Absences and Excuses establish the basic structure for allowing and excusing student absences. The district considers students present only when they are actually at school, on homebound instruction or attending an activity authorized by the school such as field studies, athletic contests, music festivals, student conventions, etc. Due to a federal law that governs the United States’ K–12 public education policy, the Every Student Succeeds Act, a student who is at school must be present for 51% or more of the school day (elementary) or period (secondary) to be considered present. Excessive absences, lawful or unlawful, exceeding 10 days can negatively impact academic performance. 

If absent, a parent/legal guardian must submit an excuse explaining the reason for the absence signed by a parent/legal guardian, physician or other appropriate person within three days after returning to school. If a proper excuse is not submitted, the excuse may be recorded as unexcused.

Absences and credit for high school courses
Students enrolled in a course for high school credit cannot accumulate more than three unexcused absences in a 45-day course, five unexcused absences in a semester-long course or 10 unexcused absences in a year-long course to receive credit. This includes absences covered by parent excuses.

Parent/legal guardian excuses for absences may be accepted for students to make up work missed. However, to assure course credit for students who have accumulated more than the allowable absences specified for the course duration, a doctor's excuse may be required for all medically related absences beyond the allowable absences. Principals have the authority to review the absences in excess of the allowable absences specified for the course duration and use their discretion as to what is in the best interest of the student.

Receiving notifications and submitting excuses
When a student is absent from school, parents will receive both email and text notifications the day of the absence sent using ParentSquare. Parents can use the ParentSquare app or the link provided in the text or email notification to submit an excuse. Any student who is absent from school is required to present a written excuse, signed by the parent/legal guardian or doctor. This excuse note must be presented within three school days of returning to school.

Parents can routinely monitor absences by accessing their students’ information in PowerSchool. If a parent has a question or concern about an absence, the parent should contact the school as soon as possible. Parent/legal guardian excuses for absences may be accepted for students to make up work missed. However, to assure course credit for students who have accumulated more than the allowable absences specified for the course duration, a doctor's excuse may be required for all medically related absences beyond the allowable absences. The doctor’s excuse will comply with the excuse note requirements referenced above. Principals have the authority to review the absences in excess of the allowable absences specified for the course duration and use their discretion as to what is in the best interest of the student.

Any student who provides a false excuse will be referred to an administrator for disciplinary action.

Excused/lawful absences

The district gives excused absences for:

• ill students whose attendance in school endangers their health or the health of others, as determined by a doctor or the school nurse.
• students who are chronically ill. A doctor’s statement explaining that the student does not need to see a doctor every time the illness occurs must be turned into the attendance office. Once the statement is on file with the school, the parent/legal guardian can inform the doctor of the occurrence of the illness and the doctor can fax the attendance office the excuse, or the original may be picked up from the doctor and given to the attendance office when the student returns to school. (Schools do not accept faxes from parents/legal guardians.)
• students who must keep medical or dental appointments. Called-in doctor’s notes are not accepted. The student must see the doctor for the absence to be excused except in cases where the student has been determined to be chronically ill as explained above. Sessions with the Lexington County Community Mental Health Center (LCCMHC) or other in-person, school-based mental health providers are considered medically excused absences. The attending mental health counselor will issue a written excuse.
• students who have prior permission from their high school administration to visit a college. Two excused absences in the junior year and two excused absences in the senior year are permitted. A note from the admissions office of the college visited must be turned into the attendance office.
• students who have an immediate family member who is seriously ill. A parent/legal guardian note stating that the family member is seriously ill must be turned into the attendance office.
• students attending a funeral of an immediate family member. A parent/legal guardian note must be turned into the attendance office.
• students participating in a recognized religious holiday of their faith.
• students who have prior permission to participate in school-sponsored or school-approved activities.
• students who have unusual or mitigating circumstances as determined by the school principal.

Unexcused/unlawful absences

The district gives unexcused absences for:

• A student willfully absent from school without the knowledge of his/her parent/legal guardian.
• A student absent from school without acceptable cause with the knowledge of his/her parent/legal guardian.
• A student whose reasons for being absent are not within the described provisions of this policy.

Absences because of suspensions may be classified as unexcused and students may be allowed to make up work missed while suspended.

Truancy
After three consecutive unexcused full-day absences or after a total of five unexcused full-day absences, the principal or designee will identify the reason(s) for the student’s continued absences and will, with the student and caregiver(s), develop an Attendance Intervention Plan    to improve that student’s attendance. A school may file an initial truancy petition with the Family Court if the child fails to comply with the Attendance Intervention Plan by accumulating additional unexcused absences. Before a principal takes legal action, the principal will notify the caregiver(s) and allow the caregiver(s) to present information for appeal. Suspension is not counted as an unlawful absence for truancy purposes.

High School Credit

Students taking courses for high school credit can accrue the following number of unexcused absences before losing course credit:
45-day classes 3 unexcused absences
90-day classes 5 unexcused absences
180-day classes 10 unexcused absences

SEARS Program

Lexington One’s School Extension for At-Risk Students program provides an attendance extension for high school students who receive a final grade of FA (failure for attendance) which is posted on the transcript with a grade of 50 due only to unexcused absences beyond the limit allowed for the course. To participate, the student must otherwise have a passing course grade and have submitted coursework.

Students are allowed to make up no more than two days of unlawful absences per term. Students with excessive absences in the first term must attend SEARS at the end of the first term. Students with excessive absences second term must attend SEARS at the end of the second term. The cost of the program is $25 per day.

Medical homebound is an instructional service. It does not excuse absences or alter compulsory attendance requirements. Students receiving medical homebound services are still participating in instruction, but in an alternate setting (i.e., home or hospital) during a period of medically necessary absence from school. Medical homebound services are intended for students recovering from an illness, accident, surgery, or childbirth that temporarily prevents school attendance.

Medical homebound is a short-term intervention designed to help eligible students maintain academic progress and support a successful transition back to the school setting when medically able. It is not intended to fully replicate the student’s regular school-based program and cannot replace the instructional, social, and developmental experiences available through in-person attendance. Medical homebound is not a long-term substitute for regular school attendance.

Medical homebound services can be provided on a full-time or intermittent basis:

• Full-time services are provided when a student is unable to attend school in any capacity for ten (10) or more consecutive school days due to illness, accident, or pregnancy.
• Intermittent services are intended for infrequent absences or partial school days that occur during short, recurring periods related to illness, accident, or pregnancy. As a general practice, intermittent homebound services are intended for situations in which a student misses school more frequently than the student is able to attend school during the identified period of medical need.

To be considered for medical homebound services, a licensed physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant must complete the Medical Homebound Application, certifying that the student is unable to attend school but may benefit from instruction delivered at home or in a hospital setting.

Participation in scheduled homebound sessions is the means by which students satisfy the state’s compulsory attendance requirements while receiving medical homebound services. Each hour of medical homebound instruction is counted as one full day of school attendance. 

Attendance at all scheduled sessions is expected while the student remains on homebound status. If a student misses scheduled homebound sessions for three (3) consecutive instructional days or for a total of five (5) instructional days without an approved excuse, the school will implement its standard truancy procedures. Continued failure to participate in scheduled homebound instruction may result in a review of the student’s eligibility for medical homebound services and possible revocation of services.

For additional information or to request an application, parents/guardians should email homebound@lexington1.net or call 803-821-1101