Attendance Policy

​

• Attendance Policy​

  • ​Illinois law requires that whoever has custody or control of any child between six (by September 1st)
    and seventeen years of age shall ensure that the child attends school in the district in which they reside
    during the entire time school is in session (unless the child has already graduated from high school).
    Illinois law also requires that whoever has custody or control of a child enrolled in the school,
    regardless of the child’s age, shall ensure that the child attends school during the entire time school is
    in session.
    The goal of the attendance policies and procedures of the district will be to support and improve the
    regular attendance and performance of our students. Regular attendance and student effort are critical
    factors in learning and success in school. Ensuring that a student maintains regular attendance requires
    a cooperative effort by the student, parent(s) or guardian(s), and school personnel. A student who is
    frequently absent misses out on valuable instruction and discussion that is important for academic
    success, even though the written work is made up.

• Definitions

  • A “truant” is a child subject to compulsory school attendance and absent without valid cause from
    such attendance for a school day or portion thereof.
    “Valid cause” for absence shall be illness, observance of a religious holiday, death in the immediate
    family, or family emergency. It shall include other situations beyond the student's control, as
    determined by the Board of Education, or other circumstances that cause reasonable concern to the
    parent for the safety or health of the student.
    “Chronic or habitual truant” shall be defined as a child subject to compulsory school attendance and
    absent without valid cause for 5 percent or more of the previous 180 regular attendance days.
    “Truant minor” is defined as a chronic truant to whom supportive services, including prevention,
    diagnostic intervention and remedial services, alternative programs, and other school and community
    resources, have been provided and have failed to result in the cessation of chronic truancy, or have
    been offered and refused.
    A “dropout” is defined as any child enrolled in grades 1 through 12 whose name has been removed
    from the district enrollment roster for any reason other than death, extended illness, graduation, or
    completion of a program of studies and who has not transferred to another public or private school.​

• Absenteeism

  • Attendance is considered an essential part of each class grade. Excessive absences will negatively
    affect the grade or credit for that class. Absences are categorized as excused or unexcused. Valid
    causes of absenteeism (excused), as listed in the Illinois School Code, are:
    • Illness
    • Observance of a religious holiday (See Board Policy)
    • Death in the immediate family
    • Family emergency

  • ​• Circumstances that cause reasonable concern to the parent or guardian for the safety or health of the
    student
    • Other situations beyond the student’s control, as determined by the Board of Education.
    All other absences, including vacations taken during school attendance days, will be considered
    unexcused. The principal must approve prearranged excused absences. The school may require
    documentation explaining the reason for the student’s absence.​

• Make-Up Work

  • If a student’s absence is excused, they can make up any missed work, including homework and tests.
    The students will be allowed the same number of days as they were absent to turn in the make-up
    work. The student is responsible for obtaining assignments from their teachers. Students unexcused
    from school will not be allowed to make up missed work except as required by law.

• Absence Notification

  • ​Illinois law requires that whoever has custody or control of any child between six (by September 1st)
    and seventeen years of age shall ensure that the child attends school in the district in which they reside
    during the entire time school is in session (unless the child has already graduated from high school).
    Illinois law also requires that whoever has custody or control of a child enrolled in the school,
    regardless of the child’s age, shall ensure that the child attends school during the entire time school is

• Excessive Absenteeism

  • ​The district considers absenteeism excessive when it significantly interferes with a student’s learning,
    as reflected in academic performance or social development. Excessive absenteeism includes
    excessive tardiness. This procedure will consist of, but not be limited to, a conference with the student,
    their parent(s)/guardian(s), any school official(s), or other people who may have information. To
    reduce or prevent excessive absenteeism, the district will implement and maintain a procedure to:
    • Track and provide early identification of potentially harmful attendance practices.
    • Provide a progressive, multi-level plan for remediation of the problem.

• Medical Documentation

  • ​Under certain circumstances, the district may require parents or guardians to present medical
    documentation of physical or emotional conditions causing a student’s absence/tardiness.

• Home and Hospital Instruction

  • ​A student who is home-bound or whose physician anticipates their absence from school because of a
    medical condition may be eligible for instruction in the student’s home or hospital.

• Tardiness Notification

  • ​Students are expected to arrive at class on time. Students are considered tardy when outside class at
    the required time. Tardiness is not appropriate and disrupts the education of other students. Each
    building will use the district-wide student information system to record absences and tardies. A tardy
    will be categorized as excused or unexcused as determined by the building administration/designee.
    Parent(s)/guardian(s) are requested to notify the school office if a student arrives late by writing a note,
    calling the office, or accompanying the child to the school office for sign-in. All tardy students will
    report to the building’s main office immediately upon arrival for authorization to report to class and
    to provide the reason for the tardiness.

• Truancy

  • ​Truancy will be dealt with seriously by the school and district. Students who miss 5 percent or more
    of the prior 180 regular school days (9 days) without valid cause (a recognized excuse) are considered
    chronic truants. Students who are chronic truants will be offered support services and resources aimed
    at correcting the truancy issue.
    If chronic truancy persists after support services and other resources are made available, the school
    and district will take further action, including:
    • Referral to the truancy officer
    • Reporting to officials under the Juvenile Court Act
    • Referral to the State’s Attorney
    • Appropriate school discipline
    A parent or guardian knowingly and willfully permits a child to be truant violates state law. The district
    recognizes a responsibility to establish and maintain an attendance program to reduce and discourage
    truancy in all District schools. The district considers a student who is subject to compulsory school
    attendance to be truant if they are absent for the school day or a portion of the school day without
    proper permission.

• Referral of Chronic Truants

  • ​The district considers absenteeism excessive when it significantly interferes with a student’s learning,
    as reflected in academic performance or social development. Excessive absenteeism includes
    excessive tardiness. This procedure will consist of, but not be limited to, a conference with the student,
    their parent(s)/guardian(s), any school official(s), or other people who may have information. To
    reduce or prevent excessive absenteeism, the district will implement and maintain a procedure to:
    • Track and provide early identification of potentially harmful attendance practices.
    • Provide a progressive, multi-level plan for remediation of the problem

​

​

​

​

​

​