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Policies

Purpose

 

The Board of Education requires that school-aged pupils enrolled in the schools of this District attend school regularly in accordance with the laws of the state. The educational program offered by this District is predicated upon the presence of the pupil and requires continuity of instruction and classroom participation in order for students to achieve academic standards and consistent educational progress.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]

 

All persons residing in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania between the ages of six (6) and twenty-one (21) years are entitled to a free and full education in the Commonwealth’s public schools. This right extends to migratory children and pregnant or married students. Specials needs children are also entitled to a public sponsored program of education and training appropriate to their learning disabilities.

 

Parents/Guardians of all children between the ages of six (6) and eighteen (18) are required by the compulsory attendance law to ensure that their children attend an approved educational institution, unless legally excused.

 

Authority

 

Attendance shall be required of all students enrolled in the schools during the days and hours that the school is in session, except that a principal or teacher may excuse a student for temporary absences when s/he receives satisfactory evidence of such mental, physical, or other urgent reasons which may reasonably cause the student's absence. Urgent reasons shall be strictly construed and do not permit irregular attendance.[2][7][9][10][11][12]

 

The parent/guardian of a school-age child is responsible to provide an explanation in writing for the pupil's absence from school. The mere fact that a parent/guardian has sent a written explanation to the teacher does not necessarily mean that the absence is "excused".

 

If a student is excessively absent from school fifteen (15) days per semester or twenty (20) days per year, the parent/guardian may be required to verify each additional illness/injury with a written excuse from a licensed practitioner of the healing arts. Days excused by a certified licensed practitioner of the healing arts will not count toward the 15-day/20-day limit. The administration has the right to excuse other absences as urgent conditions arise.

 

Any student who is absent, whatever the reason, is responsible to submit to the teacher (Attendance Office) a written explanation for his/her absence. All absences from school must be substantiated with a note signed by a parent/guardian.

 

The Board considers the following conditions to constitute reasonable cause for absence from school:

  1. Illness or recovery from accident.[10][11]
     
  2. Quarantine.
     
  3. Required court attendance.
     
  4. Death of family member, classmate, or other adult affiliated with Butler Area School District.
     
  5. Family emergency (unavoidable).
     
  6. Inclement weather/impassable roads.
     
  7. Other requests approved by the building principal.

Unlawful absence is the unexcused absence of all pupils of compulsory school age (6 through 18 years) for one (1) or more of the following reasons:

  1. Absence through parental neglect.
     
  2. Illegally employed.
     
  3. Truancy.

The School District does not recognize any day as a so-called senior skip day. Absences on such days are considered unlawful, and therefore make-up privileges are not granted.

 

All absences occasioned by the observance of the student's religion on a day approved by the Board as a religious holiday shall be excused, and no student so excused shall be deprived of an award or eligibility to compete for an award or the opportunity to make up a test given on the religious holiday. For the full or part-time excusal of a pupil from school or session of school to observe a religious holiday with his/her family, it is necessary that the pupil present a written request by the parent/guardian to the school official. A penalty shall not be attached to an absence for a religious holiday.[13]

 

Repeated infractions of Board policy requiring the attendance of enrolled students may constitute such misconduct and disobedience as to warrant the suspension or expulsion of the student from the regular school program.[14][15][16]

 

The Board shall excuse the following students from the requirements of attendance at the schools of this District:

  1. On certification by any licensed practitioner of the healing arts or submission of other satisfactory evidence and on approval of the Department of Education, children who are unable to attend school or apply themselves to study for mental, physical or other reasons so urgent as to preclude regular attendance.[11][12][17]
     
  2. Students enrolled in nonpublic or private schools in which the subjects and activities prescribed by law are taught, except that such students and students attending college who are also enrolled part-time in the schools of this District shall be counted as being in part-time attendance in this District.[2][18][19]
     
  3. Students fifteen (15) or sixteen (16) years of age whose enrollments in a private trade or business school have been approved.[2]
     
  4. Children fifteen (15) years of age, and fourteen (14) years of age who have completed sixth grade, who are engaged in farm work or private domestic service under duly issued permits.[12]
     
  5. Children sixteen (16) years of age regularly employed during the school session and holding a lawfully issued employment certificate.[12][20]
     
  6. Students receiving tutorial instruction in a field not offered in the District’s curricula from a properly qualified tutor approved by the Superintendent, when the excusal does not interfere with the student’s regular program of studies.[2][21][22]
     
  7. Homebound children unable to attend school on the recommendation of the school physician and the school psychologist or a psychiatrist and approval of the Secretary of Education.[17]
     
  8. Students enrolled in special schools conducted by an Intermediate Unit or the Department of Education.[2]
     
  9. Students attending a home education program in accordance with the law.
     
  10. Students participating in a project sponsored by a state-wide or county-wide 4-H, FFA, or combined 4-H and FFA group upon written request prior to the event.[8][11]

Parents/Guardians may make application for a waiver of compulsory attendance regulations when they desire their children to enjoy vacation experiences which are educational in nature and also when parents/guardians must travel for other purposes and it would constitute a hardship to make arrangements to leave children at home or to curtail their trip because of the compulsory attendance laws. Applications for an exception to compulsory attendance requirements are available in each building principal's office. Prior notification, application, and approval by the building principal are required. Final approval rests with the Superintendent. The Board of School Directors may limit the number and duration of educational tours or trips for which excused absences may be granted to a student during the school term.[23]

 

Approval is given to the principal to excuse students in tenth through twelfth grades for the last period of the day if the student is scheduled for a study assignment for this period, has parental approval, and has transportation home at this hour. In unusual circumstances, a ninth grade student might qualify for an early dismissal.

 

The Board shall report to appropriate authorities infractions of the law regarding the attendance of students below the age of seventeen (17). The Board shall issue notice to those parents/guardians who fail to comply with the statutory requirements of compulsory attendance that such infractions of the statute will be prosecuted.[7][24][25]

 

Definitions

 

Absence - The non-attendance of a student on those days and half-days when school is in session.

 

Tardiness - When the student arrives later than the starting time of the scheduled instruction or supervised activity.  Tardiness is considered excused or unexcused for the same reasons as excused or unexcused absences.

 

Truancy – A child subject to compulsory school laws having three (3) or more school days of unexcused absence during the current school year.

 

Habitual Truancy – A child subject to compulsory school laws having six (6) or more school days of unexcused absences during the current school year.

 

General protective services are defined as services to prevent the potential for harm to a child. Under Title 55 PA Code, Chapter 3490.223, children who are habitually and without justification truant from school while subject to compulsory school attendance are subject to an assessment to determine if there is a need for general protective services. Children shall not be referred to the Butler County Children and Youth Agency for assessment as possibly needing services until after the School District has made a formal effort to involve the family and child in resolving the cause of the truant behavior.[26]

 

Delegation of Responsibility

 

The Superintendent shall enforce procedures for the attendance of students which:

  1. Ensure a school session which is in conformity with requirements of the rules of the State Board.[27][28][29][30][31][32]
     
  2. Impose on truant students such incremental disciplinary measures as may be appropriate for infractions of school regulations.[15][16][24][33]
     
  3. Indicate that the only acceptable excuses for tardiness to school are accident, doctor or dentist appointment with a written excuse, severe weather conditions, or transportation difficulties.
     
  4. Ensure that students absent for any reason have an opportunity to make up work they missed. Students must assume responsibility for making arrangements with the teacher on the first day of the student's return to each class to make up work missed during an excused absence, school-sponsored activity, waiver of compulsory attendance, or suspension.[34]
     
  5. Govern the keeping of attendance records in accordance with rules of the State Board.[35][36]
     
  6. Annually distribute to staff, students, and parents/guardians Board policies and school rules and regulations governing student attendance, absences, and excusals.[8]

A central attendance office in each of the three (3) secondary schools maintains attendance records for that school. The official attendance record for all elementary students is maintained in an office located in the Harriger Educational Services Center. The four (4) attendance clerks and the recordkeeping system are supervised by the Supervisor of Business Services and the building principal. Final reports to the Board and the state are prepared by the Supervisor of Business Services and signed by the Superintendent.

 

Guidelines

 

The Board shall, upon written request of the parents/guardians, release from attendance a student participating in a religious instruction program acknowledged by the Board. Such instruction shall not require the child's absence from school for more than thirty-six (36) hours per school year, and its organizers must inform the Board of the child's attendance record. The Board shall not provide transportation to religious instruction. A penalty shall not be attached to an absence for religious instruction.[13][37]

 

The Board will recognize other justifiable absences for part of the school day. In the interest of health, children may be excused for dental or medical appointments on receipt of a written request from the parent/guardian. However, such excuses should be infrequent, and a sincere attempt should be made by the child's parents/guardians to make such appointments during after-school hours or on Saturdays.[9][10]

 

Dismissal from school to attend church activities or religious holidays which do not coincide with vacation days on the school calendar can be permitted only upon presentation to the attendance office of a written request from the parent/guardian. Other justifiable absences for part of the school day include court appearance, family emergency, and other urgent reasons.

 

Tardiness to School

 

Every student should be in his/her classroom before the tardy bell rings.

 

When a student has accumulated a total of five (5) tardies to school without a written legal excuse, s/he will receive a warning. Progressive disciplinary action will be taken for all additional tardies.

 

School time missed due to chronic tardiness to school without a written legal excuse may be accumulated and converted to an equivalent number of days of unexcused absence. Upon the approval of the building principal, a citation may be issued to those parents/guardians who fail to comply with the statutory requirements of compulsory attendance through their children's chronic, unexcused tardiness to school.

 

Unexcused Absence

 

Student does not provide a written excuse for an absence within five (5) school days.

 

Although the absence is noted as unexcused, the student will not receive detention for this infraction. When the student has an unexcused absence, s/he is not permitted to request the make-up of tests, quizzes, or activities. Chronic unexcused absences warrant parental notification and possible disciplinary and/or legal consequences if the problem is not resolved.

 

An out-of-school suspension may not be considered an unexcused absence.

 

Proceedings and Penalties for Violation of Compulsory Attendance Requirements

 

When a student has been absent for three (3) days during the current school year without a lawful excuse, District staff shall provide notice to the parent/ guardian who resides in the same household as the student within ten (10) school days of the student's third unexcused absence.

 

The notice shall:

  1. Be in the mode and language of communication preferred by the person in parental relation;
     
  2. Include a description of the consequences if the student becomes habitually truant; and
     
  3. When transmitted to a person who is not the biological or adoptive parent(s)/guardian(s), also be provided to the child's biological or adoptive parent(s)/guardian(s), if the mailing address of the parent(s)/guardian(s) is on file with the school and the parent(s)/guardian(s) is not precluded from receiving the information by court order.
     
  4. The notice may include the offer of a School Attendance Improvement Conference.

If the student incurs additional unexcused absences after issuance of the notice and a School Attendance Improvement Conference was not previously held, District staff shall offer a School Attendance Improvement Conference.

 

School Attendance Improvement Conference

 

District staff shall notify the person in parental relation in writing and by telephone of the date and time of the School Attendance Improvement Conference.

 

The purpose of the School Attendance Improvement Conference is to examine the student's absences and reasons for the absences in an effort to improve attendance with or without additional services.

 

The following individuals shall be invited to the School Attendance Improvement Conference:

  1. The student.
     
  2. The student's person in parental relation.
     
  3. Other individuals identified by the person in parental relation who may be a resource.
     
  4. Appropriate school personnel.
     
  5. Recommended service providers. Neither the student nor the person in parental relation shall be required to participate, and the School Attendance Improvement Conference shall occur even if the person in parental relation declines to participate or fails to attend the scheduled conference.

The outcome of the School Attendance Improvement Conference shall be documented in a written School Attendance Improvement Plan. The Plan shall be retained in the student's file. A copy of the Plan shall be provided to the person in parental relation, the student and appropriate District staff.

 

The District may not take further legal action to address unexcused absences until after the date of the scheduled School Attendance Improvement Conference has passed.

 

Student is Habitually Truant

 

When a student under fifteen (15) years of age is habitually truant, District staff:

  1. Shall refer the student to:
     
    1. A school-based or community-based attendance improvement program; or
       
    2. The local children and youth agency.
       
  2. May file a citation in the office of the appropriate judge against the person in parental relation who resides in the same household as the student.

When a student fifteen (15) years of age or older is habitually truant, District staff shall:

  1. Refer the student to a school-based or community-based attendance improvement program; or
     
  2. File a citation in the office of the appropriate judge against the student or the person in parental relation who resides in the same household as the student.

District staff may refer a student who is fifteen (15) years of age or older to the local children and youth agency, if the student continues to incur additional unexcused absences after being referred to a school-based or community-based attendance improvement program, or if the student refuses to participate in such program.

 

Regardless of age, when District staff refer a habitually truant student to the local children and youth agency or file a citation with the appropriate judge, District staff shall provide verification that the school held a School Attendance Improvement Conference.

 

Filing a Citation

 

A citation shall be filed in the office of the appropriate judge whose jurisdiction includes the school in which the student is or should be enrolled.

 

Additional citations for subsequent violations of the compulsory school attendance requirements may only be filed against a student or person in parental relation in accordance with the specific provisions of the law.

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