BoardDocs Policy: STUDENT ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY

	Cecil County Public Schools Policies
Book:	Cecil County Public Schools Policies
Section:	J - Students
Title:	STUDENT ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY
Number:	JED
Status:	Active
Legal:	Annotated Code of Maryland--Education: 7-301-302, 305 COMAR: 13A.08.01.01-.08, .10, .11
Adopted:	07/10/1989
Last Revised:	06/14/2006
Last Reviewed:	06/14/2006

Policy Detail

Related Entries: IKEA
Office: Associate Superintendent for Education Services

STUDENT ATTENDANCE AND PUNCTUALITY

PHILOSOPHY

The Board acknowledges that there is a definite relationship between scholastic achievement and the regular and prompt attendance of students in all classes in which they are enrolled.

Quality education requires continuity of instruction in order for students to realize maximum benefits. The regular contact of students with one another in the classroom and the participation of students in well-planned instructional activities under the direction of a teacher are essential for learning to be meaningful and effective. Many learning experiences that take place in the classroom cannot be duplicated elsewhere. Daily grades received by a student for taking part in class discussions and group work, and the knowledge gained by taking notes from lectures, viewing movies, filmstrips and tapes, all contribute to a student's final evaluation.

Attendance habits learned in school generally remain with the student as he or she enters the world of work. It is essential to teach the benefits of and to encourage good attendance and punctuality during a student's educational career.

STANDARDS FOR REGULAR ATTENDANCE

1. A student shall not be absent from school in excess of five (5) days in any single marking period for absences which are coded Unlawful Causes (Codes 20 , 21, 22, 23 and 24 ) and/or for Uncertified Illness - Parent Note (Code 03).

NOTE: HALF DAYS WILL ACCUMULATE. TWO HALF DAYS EQUAL ONE FULL DAY. HALF DAY ATTENDANCE DEFINED: STUDENTS COMING TO SCHOOL LATER THAN ONE AND ONE HALF (1 1/2) HOURS FOLLOWING THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL DAY ARE TO BE ENTERED IN THE REGISTER AS BEING ABSENT ONE HALF DAY. S TUDENTS LEAVING SCHOOL ONE AND ONE HALF (1 1/2) HOURS BEFORE THE END OF SCHOOL ARE TO BE ENTERED IN THE REGISTER AS BEING ABSENT ONE HALF DAY.

2. A student who is absent from school in excess of five (5) days in any single marking period for absences which are coded as Unlawful Causes (Codes 20 ,21, 22, 23 and 24) and /or Uncertified Illness - Parent Note (Code 03) will receive a failing grade in all subjects for the marking period.

3. Any absences--properly certified--which are coded Lawful Causes (Codes 01, 02, 04, 05, 07, 08, 09, 10, 13, 18 and 19) will not count against the five (5) day limit.

4. Parents will be notified when a student has accumulated absences coded Unlawful Causes and/or Uncertified Illness - Parent Note in excess of five (5) school days in a single marking period.

5. A student who arrives after the official start of the school day shall be considered tardy. Each school shall develop and implement regulations to encourage punctual attendance. These regulations shall be disseminated to each student at the beginning of the school year or upon enrollment.

6. The parents or guardians of each student must provide the necessary certification for absences coded Lawful Causes on the day that the student returns to school following an absence. If the necessary certification is not received by the school within three (3) school days, the absence(s) will be coded Unlawful Causes (Codes 21 or 22, as appropriate).

REINSTATEMENT OF GRADES
A student who has failed all subjects due to exceeding the five (5) day limit in a marking period shall have the earned grades reinstated providing the student does not exceed the 5 day limit in the next marking period as per item 2 in the Standards for Regular Attendance section. This provision may be utilized only once during any school year and is not applicable to absences in excess of the five day limit incurred during the fourth marking period.

PENALTIES FOR NOT MEETING STANDARDS FOR REGULAR ATTENDANCE

In each marking period in which absences for Unlawful Causes (Codes 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24) and/or Uncertified Illness - Parent Note (Code 03) exceed the five day limit, a student will fail all subjects. The compilation of grades for the four (4) marking periods, plus examination grades where appropriate will be used to determine the final grade of the student for the school year. Failure of all subjects in one or more marking periods will weigh heavily in determining the final grades of a student for the school year. (Regulations for determining grades may be found in the Grading Policy appropriate for the grade level of the student.)

APPEALS PROCESS

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

A student with absences coded as Unlawful Causes and/or Uncertified Illness - Parent Note in excess of five (5) days during a single marking period will receive failing grades in his or her classes. He or she shall have the right to appeal to change the failing grades to grades he or she would have otherwise earned had he or she not exceeded the limit for absenteeism. The procedure for appeal is as follows:

1. The parent or guardian will be notified by the school administration when the student exceeds the limit for absenteeism and as a consequence will receive failing grades.

2. The parent or guardian shall have the responsibility of filing a request form for an appeal upon the receipt of the notification letter.

3. The appeal request form must be submitted to the school administration no later than seven (7) days following the distribution date of the report card for each marking period.

4. The principal or his designee will schedule a conference with the parent or guardian and student (when appropriate) to hear the appeal.

5. The principal or his designee will notify the parent or guardian of the outcome of the appeal no later than seven days following the hearing.

6. The right of due process permits the parent or guardian to appeal the decision rendered by the principal or his designee to the Superintendent of Schools.

MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL

A student with absences coded as Unlawful Causes and/or Uncertified Illness - Parent Note in excess of five (5) days during a single marking period will receive failing grades in all of his or her classes. He or she shall have the right to appeal to change the failing grades to grades he or she would have otherwise earned had he or she not exceeded the limit for absenteeism. The procedure for appeal is as follows:

1. The parent or guardian will be notified by the school administration when the student exceeds the limit for absenteeism and as a consequence will receive failing grades.

2. The student or parent shall have the responsibility for filing a request form for an appeal upon receipt of the notification letter.

3. The appeal request form must be submitted to the school administration no later than seven (7) days following the distribution date of the report card for the marking period.

4. The principal or his designee will schedule a conference with the student and his or her parents or guardians to hear the appeal.

5. The principal or his designee will notify the parents or guardians of the outcome of the appeal no later than seven days following the hearing.

6. The right of due process permits students, parents or guardians to appeal the decision rendered by the principal to the Superintendent of Schools.

7. Nothing in this procedure will preclude the parent or guardian from the right of initiating the appeal process.

MAKE UP WORK

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

1. A student must make up all work missed due to an absence within the time frame as stated in the make-up provisions of the grading criteria distributed to the student and submitted to the Principal by each teacher. If a student absent for Lawful Causes fails to make up work within this time frame, he or she will receive a grade of "E" or "N" for the assignments.

2. Make-up assignments completed for work done as a result of absence for Unlawful Causes turned in within this time frame indicated above will have the grade lowered one letter grade below the grade earned.

MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL

1. Any student absent for reasons coded as Lawful Causes will have the privilege of making up work for full credit.

2. A student must make up all work missed due to an absence within the time frame as stated in the make-up provisions of the grading criteria distributed to the student and submitted to the Principal by each teacher. If a student absent for Lawful Causes fails to make up work within this time frame, he or she will receive a grade of “F” for the assignments.

3. A student may make up all work missed due to absences for Unlawful Causes as stated within the make-up work provision time frame of the grading criteria distributed to the student and submitted to the Principal by each teacher. Make-up assignments completed for work done as a result of absence for Unlawful Causes will have the grade lowered one letter grade below the grade earned. A student who is absent for Unlawful Causes and fails to make up work will receive a grade of “F” for each undone assignment.

PROCEDURES TO VERIFY ABSENCES OR TARDINESS

The Principal of each school shall establish procedures for the verification of student absences and tardiness. These procedures shall be disseminated to each student at the beginning of each school year.

ATTENDANCE MONITORING PROCEDURES

Under the supervision of the Director of Student Services, the Principal of each school shall establish an effective and accurate method of monitoring attendance. At a minimum this method of attendance monitoring shall be thoroughly compatible with the Maryland Pupil Attendance Register and shall:

1. Provide information that will permit a complete and accurate reporting of attendance to the Cecil County Board of Education and to the Maryland State Department of Education.

2. Provide information on a daily, weekly and monthly basis that can be used to identify students with problematic attendance and tardiness patterns so corrective measures may be instituted.

3 Provide information on students with chronic absenteeism and/or tardiness to the Office of Pupil Services so that causes may be sought and remedies applied to improve attendance and punctuality of these students.

REWARD PROCESS

The Principal of each school is encouraged to establish programs that will recognize and reward students with regular and exemplary school attendance. These programs should be designed to motivate students to attend school on a daily basis.

INFORMATION DISSEMINATION

Each school shall provide information on the attendance regulations to each student at the beginning of each school year and will provide similar information to each new enrollee during the school year. This information may be part of a Student Handbook or may be distributed as an entity within itself. Teachers responsible for homeroom activities in each school will be charged with the responsibility of reviewing attendance regulations with students at the beginning of each school year. Individuals responsible for the entry of students during the school year will review attendance regulations with new students as part of the registration process.

CODES OF ABSENCES

LAWFUL CAUSES OF ABSENCE

CODE REASON

01 Death in immediate family--certified by family.

02 Illness of child--certified by medical doctor, dentist or licensed psychologist
.
03 Uncertified Illness - Parent Note--acceptable certification for up to five days, provided that the sum of days absent for uncertified illness and unlawful causes of absence does not exceed five days

04 Court summons--certified by Court.

05 Family Trip--approval in advance by principal for a maximum of five days per year. (Individual schools may establish regulations by which absences for family trips are approved.)

07 Violent storms.

08 Work approved or sponsored by the school, the local school system or state education agency, accepted by the local Superintendent or the school Principal, or any persons duly authorized by the Superintendent or Principal, as reason for excusing pupils.

09 Observance of a religious holiday--certified by parent.

10 State emergency--certified by Superintendent of Schools.

13 Other emergency or set of circumstances which, in the judgment of the superintendent or designee, constitutes a good and sufficient cause for absence from school.

17 Health Exclusion

18 Suspension

19 Lack of authorized transportation. Shall not include student denied authorized transportation for disciplinary reasons.

UNLAWFUL CAUSES OF ABSENCE

CODE REASON

20 Truancy

21 Indifference of parents. (lack of verification for absence)

22 Indifference of student.

23 Illness in family.

24 Illegal employment.