Absences and Excuses Policies

Students will be expected to attend school regularly and will present a written excuse on a district absence excuse form, signed by a parent/guardian in all cases of absences. All excuses will be handled confidentially.

An excused absence (including excused tardiness) will permit a student to make up work missed during the absence.

Any student who fails to bring a valid excuse to school will automatically receive an unexcused absence. A valid excuse must be written on the district absence form and returned to the school within 3 days of the absence. The excuse must list the dates of the absences, the reason for the absence, telephone number and signature of the parent/guardian. Attach doctor excuses when appropriate. District absence forms will be included in school agenda/handbooks. (Additional forms may be obtained at the school office.)

Students will be considered lawfully absent when a District Five absence form is returned within 3 days for one of the following reasons:

The student is ill and his/her attendance in school would endanger his/her health or the health of others.

There is a serious illness in his/her immediate family as verified by medical excuse.

There is a death in the immediate family. Documentation must be provided.

There is a recognized and approved religious holiday of his/her faith (must be verified and approved by the principal(s) prior to the event.)

The parent/guardian sends a written request prior to the absence and the principal feels the reason justifies the child not being in school.

A medical professional provides a valid excuse for the student’s absence (attach the excuse to a district absence excuse form.)

Students will be considered unlawfully absent when:

The unlawful excuses will be referred to the school administration for appropriate disciplinary action.

Students who are habitually truant will be continuously tracked for the purpose of early intervention as they transition from school to school within the district.

Any student who attends a class fewer than 42/45 days or 85/90 days in the instructional period will not be eligible to receive credit in the class unless the local board grants approval for each excessive absence in accordance with local board policy.

In order to implement this policy the Board of Trustees directs the administration to develop and enforce appropriate intervention strategies.

The District Board of Trustees appoints the principal of each school as its designee. The principal will promptly approve or disapprove any student’s absence in excess of ten (10) days.

Adopted 1974; Revised 8/27/84, 4/25/94, 11/25/96, 4/2001

Constitutional and Statutory Provisions:

S. C. Code, 1976, as amended:

Section 59-65-90 – State Board to establish rules and regulations defining lawful and unlawful absences.

State Board of Education Regulations:

1. R-43-274 Student attendance.

The Code of Laws of South Carolina, Section 59-65-10 as amended reads: "All parents or guardians shall cause their children or wards who are in the age group office to sixteen years, inclusive, to regularly attend a public or private school or kindergarten of this state..."

In order to encourage and assist students in attending school regularly the school administrator or his/her designee will implement the following intervention procedures:

The principal is responsible for evaluating and approving the following

lawful absence situations:

School principals will exert every realistic effort to provide assurance that these regulations are adhered to in a fair and consistent manner. When students in the same family are affected, the principals will place special emphasis on coordinating implementation.

In addition, the principal or his/her designee will be responsible for implementing and expediting the homebound programs for students experiencing a prolonged illness or injury requiring them to be absent from school.

SCHOOL PROCEDURES - High School

In order to encourage and assist students in attending school regularly the school administrator or his/her designee will implement the follow intervention procedures:

• A computerized system will call parents:
  1. Daily
  2. At two consecutive absences
  3. On the third absence
  4. On the fifth absence
• The attendance clerk will send a letter to parents:
  1. On the third absence
  2. On the fifth absence
• Teachers will call parents on the 3rd absence from their class
• The career specialist will follow up on students who are dropped from enrollment.  Findings will be forwarded to the grade counselor, who will look at relevant factors and make recommendations for futures educational services.  These recommendations will be sent to the attendance supervisor, who will make contact with the student and the Middle Tyger Community Center.  Results of this contact will be forwarded back to the grade counselors and the registrar.
• Grade principals will call the parents of students who have been absent 5 days (excluding medicals, funerals, etc.)
• Students denied credit during the past year will be monitored by the administration.  Conferences will be held following the third absence.

In order to encourage and assist students in attending school regularly, the district plan for improving students’ attendance will include, but not be limited to, the following:

On the seventh (7th) unlawful absence the district attendance supervisor will deliver a letter to the parent giving notification of a Student Attendance Review Board meeting.

During the School and District Intervention Team meetings the following will be discussed: