COMPULSORY STUDENT ATTENDANCE

The Tyler County Board of Education maintains a belief that regular school attendance is a necessary, vital, and mandatory component of every student’s educational program. Consistent attendance fosters the development of positive personal qualities such as punctuality, self-discipline, and responsibility. The basic intent of this attendance policy is to champion a school climate that expects students to attend school regularly and to be on time for each class in order to realize maximum instructional benefits.

Therefore, the Tyler County Board of Education hereby adopts a A zero tolerance@ policy regarding school attendance violations. The County Attendance Director and principals shall be expected to carry out the maximum penalties allowed by state law, against any parents who fail to require their children to attend school.

The Tyler County Board of Education intent is to increase student attendance by:

< < providing for input from teachers, principals, attendance directors, parents,

and community leaders when developing or revising the attendance policy.

< < creating a positive safe environment conducive to learning and committed to

helping students develop responsibility, self, discipline and other good work habits.

< < developing a system enlisting parental support for daily school attendance by students.

< < conducting an annual attendance evaluation to determine the effectiveness of the policy.

PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION

Responsibilities

< < Tyler County Schools will employ a certified half-time county director of attendance to implement and execute the duties defined as such in West Virginia School Laws Code ' 18-8-4. The attendance director shall also serve as the liaison for homeless children and youth as defined in West Virginia Code

' 18-8-4 and State Policy 4110. Duties of the liaison for homeless children and youth are as defined in Subtitle B of the Title VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act.

ü ü Each school will appoint a designated school attendance coordinator(principal or designee) who collects classroom attendance data and makes appropriate referrals to the county attendance director.

ü ü Each school will report attendance information, which reflects the allowable deductions as, defined by the West Virginia Department of Education.

ü ü Each school will report attendance information, which reflects the allowable deductions as defined by the West Virginia Department of Education. These allowable deductions include absences that result from school-approved curricular / co-curricular activities; failure of the bus to run due to hazardous conditions, and absences resulting from the suspension of a student due to a Safe Schools violation.

Definitions: The following definition for excused and unexcused absences is in accordance with state law and West Virginia Board of Education Policy 4110.10 :

Absence - Not being physically present in the school facility for any reason.

Required Full / Half Day Attendance Minutes

Full-day attendance is being present at least .74 percent of the school day.

Half-day attendance is being present at least .26 percent of the school day.

Excused Absences

Illness or injury of the student requiring physician=s written verification.

Medical and/or dental appointment which cannot be scheduled outside the school day with a physician=s written verification.

Illness or injury of the student verified by parents/guardian not to exceed three (3) consecutive days or a total of five (5) days per semester. If a child is absent for more than three (3) consecutive days or for more than five (5) days in any semester, a physician=s note is required for such absences. Failure to do so will result in those extended days to be counted as un-excused absences.

Illness or injury of the student when the parent / guardian is called to the school resulting in a recorded absence. The parent / guardian=s signature in the school sign-out log book will serve as written verification.

Illness or injury in the family when the student absence is verified in writing as essential by a doctor.

Calamity, such as fire in the home, flood, or family emergency upon approval by the school principal.

Death in the family with a limit of three (3) days except in extraordinary circumstances. AFamily@ will be defined as mother, father, brother, sister, grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, brother=s children, sister=s children, student=s children, or any person living in the same household.

Leaves of educational value adhering to these stipulations;

A. Prior approval of school principal.

B. Prior submission and approval of education plan detailing objectives and activities to be determined by the school principal.

C. Leave not to exceed (5) days - verification of implementation of the

education plan upon student=s return.

D. Students in grades 6-12 may be required to attend ALOP (if available) for tutorial sessions on missed instruction at the discretion of the school

principal.

E. All student make-up work must be completed in a timely fashion, as determined by school policy.

School approved curricular or extracurricular activities.

Legal obligations with written verification.

Failure of a bus to run or extremely hazardous conditions.

Observance of religious holidays.

13. Participation in home/hospital instruction due to an illness/injury or other extraordinary circumstance that warrants home or hospital confinement.

Written verification must be provided by a physician and approved by the

Attendance Director.

14. (Grades K-5) If a parent requests that his/her child not attend a specific school-wide activity, that student may be excused from school, if all of the following conditions are met:

the parent requests, in writing, that the child (children) be excused because the activity conflicts with their religious beliefs;

the parent picks the child (children) up at school just prior to the beginning of the special activity. The appropriate dismissal time will be determined by the principal;

if it is a morning activity with instruction resuming for the remainder of the day, the student must return at the appropriate time;

the school does not provide an alternative instructional plan for students who do not wish to attend the special activity.

Unexcused Absences

Such absences will include, but are not be limited to:

1. 1. Truancy

2. 2. Failure to submit written documentation detailing the reason of an absence within 48 hours of return to school .

3. 3. Missing the school bus.

4. 4. Oversleeping

In case of truancy, (student leaves school grounds unauthorized), the case shall be

investigated by the Principal in cooperation with the Attendance Director. The

student=s parent or guardian shall be notified and, if appropriate, the proper authorities, upon finding that the child is truant.

Allowable Deductions

Absences that result from school-approved curricular/co-curricular activities; failure of the bus to run/hazardous conditions; excused student absences; students not in attendance due to disciplinary measures; and absent students for whom the attendance director has pursued judicial remedies to compel attendance (filed a criminal complaint or juvenile petition) due to provisions in W.Va. Code 18-8-4.

Dropout

A dropout is an individual who was enrolled in school at some time during the previous school year and was not enrolled on October 1 of the current school year; or was not enrolled on October 1 of the previous year although expected to be in membership; has not graduated from high school, obtained a GED diploma, or completed a state-or-district-approved education program; and/or does not meet any of the exclusionary conditions:

$ $ transfer to another public school district, private school, registered home school, or state-district-approved education program;

$ $ temporary school - recognized absence due to suspension or illness; or

$ $ death.

Dropout Date - For student of ages 16 or older, the dropout date is defined as the school day after the student=s last day of attendance.

Enrollment

A student is officially enrolled when one of the following conditions occur:

$ $ student was enrolled the previous year.

$ $ student appears at school to enroll with or without a parent/guardian.

$ $ student and/or parent /guardian appears at school to enroll with or without records.

Withdrawal

For the purposes of this policy withdrawal is defined as more than ten consecutive, or fifteen days total, unexcused absences during a school year. Suspension or expulsion from school or imprisonment in a jail or a West Virginia correctional facility is not a circumstance beyond the control of a person. If suspended, the West Virginia Division of Motor Vehicles may not reinstate a license before the end of the semester following that in which the withdrawal occurred.

Homeless Children and Youths

Will be defined in accordance with Subtitle B of the Title VII of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act meaning individuals who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence.

Home / Hospital Instruction

Criteria used in determining extenuating circumstances which may require home / hospital instruction is defined in Tyler County Board of Education Policy IM.

Tardiness

Tardiness is defined as any arrival of a student anytime following home room or first period in accordance with each school=s policy. Tyler County Schools will set reasonable preventions and consequences for student tardies. Reasonable preventive measures will include, but are not be limited to:

< < Phone calls and/or letters to the parent or guardian

< < Referrals to the school guidance department.

< < Referrals to the school=s Student Assistance Program.

< < Excessive tardies will result in the student being assigned either lunch detention, after school detention, or in-school suspension.

Student Release Precautions

No student shall be sent from the school building or grounds during school hours on errands, without permission from the principal and parent/guardian.

Students must have a note from their parents if they are to be released early from school for an appointment.

Assurances

Tyler County Schools assures that a student may not be suspended solely for failure to attend class.

Tyler County Schools will report all dropouts to the West Virginia Department of Education in accordance with the state reporting requirements.

Tyler County assures that students with excessive patters of absenteeism will be referred to appropriate student assistance teams / programs.

PROCEDURES / RECORDS REGARDING STUDENT ABSENCES

Documentation of absence reasons will be maintained for every student.

An up-to-date register of attendance for every student enrolled in the school will be maintained.

A record of students who are physically absent from school as absent will be maintained.

Students and parents shall be informed of the school=s policy at the beginning of each school year through an attendance policy pamphlet, newsletter, and/or student handbook;

Any student absent from school, regardless of the reason, shall be marked absent in the West Virginia Education Information System (WVEIS). Permanent record cards, as well as report cards, shall also carry a record of attendance.

Parents need to call the school when their child is absent.

Efforts will also be made by school officials to contact parents when students are absent, as deemed necessary by the principal.

Upon returning to school, the student shall bring a written excuse from the parent / guardian, doctor, or other party as required, giving the reason for absence. Student written excuses must be returned within the allowable time restraints as identified in the county attendance policy.

The principal shall determine when a students has accumulated unexcused absences for five (5) instructional days during any school year. The principal shall contact the parent / guardian in writing and shall conduct a meeting in seeking a resolution to the problem.

A student will be afforded five (5) total parent / guardian excuses per semester.

Absences may result in a referral to the Attendance Director for appropriate legal action, a referral to the guidance department for counseling, a referral to alternative programs that may be deemed essential to improve the student=s attendance, and/or a possible referral to the school attendance committee.

Grades K-5

Five (5) consecutive or ten (10) total unexcused absences during a school year shall result in the Attendance Director serving written legal notice to the parent / guardian that attendance at school is required and that, within ten (10) days of receipt of such notice, the parent or guardian and the child shall report to the school for a conference with the principal or designee. The purpose of the conference shall be to discuss and correct the circumstances causing the absences of the child. If the parent / guardian fails to report to the school as specified, the Attendance Director shall file a formal complaint against the parent / guardian with a county magistrate. For any similar subsequent offense in any school year, no notice shall be required.

Grades 6-12

Five (5) consecutive or ten (10) total unexcused absences during a school year shall result in the Attendance Director serving written legal notice to the parent / guardian that attendance at school is required and that, within ten (10) days of receipt of such notice, the parent or guardian and the child shall report to the school for a conference with the principal or designee. The purpose of the conference shall be to discuss and correct the circumstances causing the absences of the child. If the parent / guardian fails to report to the school as specified, the Attendance Director shall file a formal complaint against the parent / guardian or a student who has reached eighteen years of age with a county magistrate. For any similar subsequent offense in any school year, no notice shall be required.

Continued absences after legal notice has been served may result in the Attendance Director recommending to the principal a disciplinary measure that will require the student to attend an alternative placement in order to receive and complete assignments. (Ex. Alternative Learning Opportunities Program / ALOP) Continued unexcused absences after legal notice has been served may result in the Attendance Director filing a complaint with a county magistrate or through the Juvenile Court System)

Drivers License Revocation

West Virginia School Law section 18-8-11 requires county attendance directors to notify the division of motor vehicles whenever a student fifteen years of age but less than eighteen years of age withdraws from school, and/or accumulates more than ten (10) consecutive or fifteen (15) unexcused absences during one school year. The student will receive a notification letter advising him/her that they have forfeited their driving privileges and that they have a right to request a hearing. At such time the student will be given an opportunity to present facts that validate the student=s withdraw / unexcused absences were due to circumstance beyond their control. Reinstatement will require that a student maintain satisfactory attendance during one complete semester following the revocation of his/her driver=s license.

Make-Up Work

In all cases of absence, whether excused or unexcused, it is the student=s responsibility to make up work that he/she has missed during the absence. Each student is responsible for obtaining all assignments from his/her teacher(s).

In order to provide students with a reasonable amount of time to complete make-up work, the following schedule shall be followed:

Grades K-5: The student will receive three (3) calendar days to make up work for the first day missed and one (1) additional day for each consecutive absence thereafter. Days will include weekends and holidays. However, the teacher shall consider extenuating circumstances and will be encouraged to use good judgement in allowing additional time.

If an assignment was made or a quiz/test scheduled at least two (2) days before the student=s absence, the student will be responsible for the assignment or quiz/test upon returning to school. However, the teacher shall consider extenuating circumstances and will be encouraged to use good judgement.

Grades 6-12: The student will receive two (2) calendar days to make up work for the first day missed and one (1) additional day for each consecutive absence thereafter. Days will include weekends and holidays. However, the teacher shall consider extenuating circumstances and will be encouraged to use good judgement in allowing additional time.

With the principal=s approval, teachers may make additional arrangements for a student who is absent for an extended period of time.

PROCEDURES TO IMPROVE ATTENDANCE

Tyler County Schools will utilize preventive and educative procedures including incentives to maintain / improve attendance and reduce tardies through student conferences, student referrals to school guidance counselors and or local agencies. Schools will utilize incentives including, but not limited to, school wide preventive discipline programs and/or school wide incentive programs. Tyler County Schools recognize students for perfect and faithful attendance at the end of each school year by presenting them with a certificate and award assemblies. Schools are afforded the liberty and encouragement to develop further incentives based upon individual student needs.

CORRECTIVE MEASURES

Several programs and procedures are utilized to encourage regular school attendance, designed to meet the developmental needs of all students:

5. 5. Parent conferences are encouraged in order to develop a coordinated plan between the home and school for improved attendance.

6. 6. Tyler County Schools considers five or more days of unexcused absences as excessive. Procedures will be utilized for providing adequate counseling for problems related to attendance through student conferences, student referrals to the school=s Student Assistance Team, the school guidance counselor(s) and/or local agencies.

7. 7. Alternative plans and programs that are positive in nature and encourage improved school attendance will include alternative scheduling, referrals to the Alternative

Learning Opportunity Program (ALOP), and school wide preventive discipline programs. Schools will regularly monitor the effectiveness of these interventions at the conclusion of each grading period.

8. 8. Tyler County Schools will utilize procedures to involve outside agencies through the school=s Student Assistance Program. Local agencies may include the Department of Health and Human Resources, regional behavioral health agencies, and/or the Juvenile Mediation Program in conjunction with the First and Second Circuit Court.

9. 9. Individual schools in cooperation with the Director of Attendance will develop procedures for interagency involvement.

10. 10. Tyler County Schools assures that students with a pattern of excessive absenteeism are referred to the Student Assistance Program for appropriate interventions and that these interventions have been reviewed to determine effectiveness.

11. 11. All students will be scheduled for the full instructional day for all four years. Exceptions to this includes students scheduled for college courses, advanced technical programs and participation in the West Virginia Virtual School.

reference: school laws of wv 18-8-1 to 18-8-9; state board policy 4110.10, 2419