Absences and Excuses

San Francisco Unified School District and County Office of Education

Board Policy 5113

Absences and Excuses

 

This Board Policy applies to the San Francisco Unified School District and the County Office of Education.

 

The Governing Board believes that regular attendance plays an important role in student achievement. The Board shall work with parents/guardians and students to ensure their compliance with all state attendance laws and may use appropriate legal means to correct problems of chronic absence or truancy.

 

(cf. 5112.1 – Exemptions from Attendance)

(cf. 5112.2 – Exclusions from Attendance)

(cf. 5113.1 – Chronic Absence and Truancy)

(cf. 5121 – Grades/Evaluation of Student Achievement)

(cf. 6154 – Homework/Makeup Work)

 

Absence from school shall be excused only for health reasons, family emergencies, and justifiable personal reasons, as permitted by law, Board policy, and administrative regulation. (Education Code 48205)

 

Student absence for religious instruction or participation in religious exercises away from school property may be considered excused subject to law and administrative regulation. (Education Code 46014)

 

Inasmuch as school attendance and class participation are integral to students’ learning experiences, parents/guardians and students shall be encouraged to schedule medical and other appointments during non-school hours.

 

Students shall not be absent from school without their parents/guardians’ knowledge or consent, except in cases of medical emergency or, as authorized pursuant to Education Code 46010.1, for a confidential medical appointment.

 

Method of Verification

 

When a student who has been absent returns to school, he/she shall present a satisfactory explanation verifying the reason for the absence.  Absences shall be verified by the student’s parent/guardian, other person having control of the minor, or the student if age 18 or older.  (Education Code 46012; 5 CCR 306)

 

The following methods may be used to verify student absences:

 

1. Written note, fax, email, or voice mail from parent/guardian or parent representative.
    
2. Conversation, in person or by telephone, between the verifying employee and the student’s parent/guardian or parent representative. The employee shall subsequently record the following:

 

1. Name of student
    
2. Name of parent/guardian or parent representative
    
3. Name of verifying employee
    
4. Date(s) of absence
    
5.  Reason for absence

 

3. Visit to the student’s home by the verifying employee, or any other reasonable method which establishes the fact that the student was absent for the reasons stated.  The employee shall document the verification and include the information specified in item #2 above.
    
4. Physician’s verification.

 

1. When excusing students for confidential medical services or verifying such appointments, district staff shall not ask the purpose of such appointments but may request an appointment verification note from the medical office to confirm the time of the appointment.  The verification note shall not be retained after confirmation of the appointment.
    
2. If a student shows a pattern of chronic absenteeism due to illness, district staff may require physician verification of any further student absences.  Chronic absenteeism includes excused absences that equal or exceed 10% of school days.

 

The Board of Education resolves that these methods of verifying absence shall be entered into its minutes.  (5 CCR 421)

 

Legal Reference:

EDUCATION CODE

1740   Employment of personnel to supervise attendance (county superintendent)

37201   School month

37223   Weekend classes

41601   Reports of average daily attendance

42238-42250.1   Apportionments

46000   Records (attendance)

46010-46014   Absences

46100-46119   Attendance in kindergarten and elementary schools

46140-46147   Attendance in junior high and high schools

48200-48208   Children ages 6-18 (compulsory full-time attendance)

48210-48216   Exclusions from attendance

48240-48246   Supervisors of attendance

48260-48273   Truants

48292   Filing complaint against parent

48320-48324   School attendance review boards

48340-48341   Improvement of student attendance

48980   Parental notifications

49067   Unexcused absences as cause of failing grade

49701   Provisions of the interstate compact on educational opportunities for military children

ELECTIONS CODE

12302   Student participation on precinct boards

FAMILY CODE

6920-6929   Consent by minor for medical treatment

VEHICLE CODE

13202.7   Driving privileges; minors; suspension or delay for habitual truancy

WELFARE AND INSTITUTIONS CODE

601-601.4   Habitually truant minors

11253.5   Compulsory school attendance

CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5

306   Explanation of absence

420-421   Record of verification of absence due to illness and other causes

ATTORNEY GENERAL OPINIONS

87   Ops.Cal.Atty.Gen. 168 (2004)

66   Ops.Cal.Atty.Gen. 244 (1983)

COURT DECISIONS

American Academy of Pediatrics et al v. Lungren et al (1997) 16 Cal.4th 307

 

Management Resources:

CSBA PUBLICATIONS

Improving Student Achievement by Addressing Chronic Absence, Policy Brief, December 2010

WEB SITES

CSBA: http://www.csba.org

 

 

Please note that compare references, or “cf”, refer to CSBA model policies and do not necessarily indicate that the San Francisco Unified School District has adopted the referenced policy.