Excused and Unexcused Absences
Excused and Unexcused Absences
Excused Absences
The State of California Code of Ed has identified the following as valid for absence from school:
Illness: Verified quarantine, medical, dental or optometry services are defined by state law as excused absences. Students are permitted to make up work missed.
Non-Illness: Absences for the funeral of student's immediate family member or a court-mandated appearance may be excused upon proper verification. These absences are considered excused and warranted. Students are permitted to make up all missed work if the absence is excused.
Religious Reason: Students with the consent of their parent/guardians, through phone call or in person to the Attendance Office, may be excused from school in order to participate in religious or moral exercises and instruction as provided by the Education Code. Students are permitted to make up work missed.
Suspension: When a student is suspended, a reasonable effort will be made to contact the parent/guardian in person or by phone. A suspended student is not permitted to be on any district campus or attend any school event in the district. Police may be contacted. Upon request, the teacher may provide assignments to students on suspension; however, giving credit for these assignments is at the teacher's discretion (ED.Code 48913). Students who are suspended may not attend or participate in school-related events for 10 calendar days from the date of the suspension. Any student under the influence or in possession of alcohol or drugs at a school event may not attend or participate in school-related events for 60 calendar days from the date of suspension.
Alternative to Suspension: As a district and a school, we are exploring additional interventions and options to the suspension process. Students assigned to an Alternative to Suspension (ATS) program will be removed from their regular classes on campus for one day to attend a program focused on assisting students in identifying unhealthy behaviors and reflecting on how to behave in a more positive and healthy manner. Students missing class to attend an ATS assignment will be able to make up any work missed.
Unexcused Absences
Unexcused Absences & Truancies: Ed. Code 48260, 48261, 48262, 48913
An unexcused absence is a any absence that does not fall under the excuse absences list above (illness, medical excuse, religious holidays, court mandated appearance, or funeral of a close family member). A truant (or cut) is an absence that occurred without office notification.
- A student will receive a cut/truancy when the absence is not cleared. A cut/truancy is marked as a "T" on a student's attendance report.
- No credit is allowed for work missed as a result of a cut/truancy or unexcused absence.
- A student's grade may will be severely affected by work missed due to a cut/truancy or unexcused absence.
- Cutting/truant students are not allowed to participate in any extracurricular activities for that same day
NOTE: Once a student has arrived on campus, he/she may not leave campus except with a permit to leave from the attendance office. Students leaving campus prior to checking out of the attendance office will be marked as a 'CUT'.