5200 - ATTENDANCE

Greater Clark County School Corporation

Bylaws & Policies

5200 - ATTENDANCE

The School Board, as an agency of the State, is required to enforce regular attendance of students. The Board recognizes that the presence in the classroom enables the student to participate in instruction, class discussions, and other related activities. As such, regular attendance and classroom participation are integral to instilling incentives for the student to excel.

Attendance shall mean to be physically present in a school or at another location where the school’s educational program is being conducted during regular school hours on a day in which the educational program in which the student is enrolled is being offered.

Attendance shall be required of all School Corporation students, except those exempted under other provisions of State law, during the days and hours that the school is in session or during the attendance sessions to which s/he has been assigned.

Exceptions to compulsory attendance that shall be recognized by the school corporation as provided by State statute are:

	A.	service as a page or honoree of the general assembly (I.C. 20-33-2-14)

	B.	service on a precinct election board or helper to a political candidate on the date of an election (I.C. 20-33-2-15)

	C.	subpoena to appear in court as a witness in a judicial proceeding (I.C. 20-33-2-16)

	D.	service in active duty with the National Guard for not more than ten (10) days (I.C. 20-33-2-17)

	E.	participating as a member of the Indiana wing of the civil air patrol for not more than five (5) days (I.C. 20-33-2-17.2)

	F.	exhibiting or participating in the Indiana State Fair for educational purposes by a student or member of the student’s household (I.C. 20-33-2-17.7).

		The student must be in good academic standing as determined by the Corporation. Parents must request the absence in writing, it must be approved in writing by the principal, and it may not exceed five (5) days.

	G.	participating in an educationally related non-classroom activity which is consistent with and promotes educational philosophy and goals of the School Corporation, facilitates the attainment of specific educational objectives, is part of the goals and objectives of an approved course or curriculum, represents a unique educational opportunity, cannot reasonably occur without interrupting the school day, and is approved in advance by the school principal (I.C. 20-33-2-17.5)

For any of these exceptions a student shall not be recorded as absent from school.

The Superintendent shall require, from the parent of each student or from an adult student who has been absent for any reason, and oral or written statement of the cause for such absence. The Board reserves the right to verify such statements and to investigate the cause of each:

	A.	single absence;

	B.	absence of more than five (5) days duration;

	C.	repeated unexplained absence and tardiness.

The Board considers the following for excused absences:

	A.	illness verified by a note from the parent

	B.	illness verified by a note from a physician

	C.	recovery from accident

	D.	required court attendance

	E.	professional appointments – Parents are encouraged to schedule medical, dental, legal, and other necessary appointments other than during school hours. When appointments are necessary during the school day, the student shall report back to school immediately after the appointment with a signed statement from the doctor, dentist, lawyer, counselor, etc.

	F.	death in the immediate family or of a relative

	G.	observation or celebration of a bona fide religious holiday in accordance with Policy 5223

	H.	maternity

	I.	military connected families’ absences related to deployment and return

An unexcused absence is any absence not covered under the definition of excused absence or an exception to compulsory attendance. An out-of-school suspension shall not be considered an unexcused absence.

Repeated instances of unexcused absences may result in disciplinary action up to suspension or expulsion of a student.

Truancy is defined as absence from school without permission of the parent.

The Superintendent or an attendance officer having jurisdiction shall report a child who is habitually absent from school to an intake officer of the juvenile court or the Department of Child Services.

The Superintendent may develop administrative guidelines for the attendance of students which:

	A.	ensure a school session which is in conformity with the requirements of the law;

	B.	ensure that students absent for any excusable reason have an opportunity to make up work they missed;

	C.	govern the keeping of attendance records in accordance with the rules of the State Board;

	D.	ensure that any student who, due to a specifically identifiable physical or mental impairment, exceeds or may exceed the Corporation's limit on excused absence is referred for evaluation for eligibility either under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Such guidelines should provide that a student's grade in any course is based on his/her performance in the instructional setting and is not reduced for reasons of conduct. If a student violates the attendance or other rules of the school, s/he should be disciplined appropriately for the misconduct, but his/her grades should be based upon what the student can demonstrate s/he has learned.

Such guidelines also shall provide for the reporting to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles those students who have been suspended for the second time during a school year, expelled, or excluded for misconduct.

The Superintendent shall ensure that the administrative guidelines on attendance properly address the matter of truancy by including a process which:

	A.	identifies the habitual truant, that is, a student who is chronically absent by having unexcused absences from school for more than ten (10) school days in one (1) school year;

	B.	investigates the cause(s) of his/her truant behavior;

	C.	considers, when appropriate, modification of his/her educational program to meet particular needs which may be causing the truancy;

	D.	ensures that truant students are disciplined in accordance with the Corporation's policies and administrative guidelines on student discipline;

	E.	provides for the reporting to the Bureau of Motor Vehicles those students who have been suspended for the second time during a school year, expelled, or excluded for misconduct.

The Superintendent shall also ensure that the Board's policy on attendance and the Corporation's administrative guidelines are made available to all parents and adult students.

I.C. 9-24-2-1, -4
I.C. 20-33-2
511 I.A.C. 1-3-1

Revised 10/18/16
Revised 2/6/18