Attendance, Truancy, and Chronic Absenteeism

School Attendance

Acknowledging our students’ presence guarantees their active participation in the learning process.

Showing up for school has a huge impact on a student’s academic success starting in kindergarten and continuing through high school. Even as children grow older and more independent, families play a key role in making sure students get to school safely every day and understand why attendance is so important for success in school and in life.

We realize some absences are unavoidable due to health problems or other circumstances. But, we also know that when students miss too much school— regardless of the reason – it can cause them to fall behind academically. Your child is less likely to succeed if they are chronically absent—which means missing 18 or more days over the course of an entire school year. Research shows:

• Children chronically absent in kindergarten and 1st grade are much less likely to read at grade level by the end of 3rd grade.
• By 6th grade, chronic absence is a proven early warning sign for students at risk for dropping out of school.
• By 9th grade good attendance can predict graduation rates even better than 8th grade test scores.

How Do I Encourage Good Attendance?

Absences can add up quickly. A child is chronically absent if they miss just two days every month. Going to school regularly matters.

We don’t want your child to fall behind in school and get discouraged. Please ensure that your child attends school every day and arrives on time. Here are a few practical tips to help support regular attendance:

• Make sure your children keep a regular bedtime and establish a morning routine.
• Lay out clothes and pack backpacks the night before.
• Ensure your children go to school every day unless they are sick.
• Avoid scheduling vacations or doctor’s appointments when school is in session.
• Talk to teachers and counselors for advice if your children feel anxious about going to school.
• Develop back up plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, neighbor, or another parent to take your child to school.

Let us know how we can best support you and your children so that they can show up for school on time every day. We want your child to be successful in school. If you have any questions or need more information please contact your child’s school.

Report an Absence

Read Our Answers to Frequently Asked Questions about Attendance

Chronic Absenteeism

A student missing 10% of the total number of days that the student is enrolled in school.

California compulsory education.

Laws requiring children between the ages of 6 to 18 to attend school except 16 and 17 year old children who have graduated from high school or passed the California High School Proficiency Exam and obtained permission to leave.

State Law and Truancy

State law requires that a child between the ages of 6 and 18 attend school.  Pursuant to Education Code 48260, any student subject to compulsory full-time education or to compulsory continuation education who is absent from school without a valid excuse three full days in one school year or tardy or absent for more than any 30-minute period during the school day without a valid excuse on three occasions in one school year, or any combination thereof, is a truant and shall be reported to the District’s attendance supervisor.
Statutes that Apply to Truancy (PDF)

• Habitual Truant:  A pupil is deemed a habitual truant if they are reported as a truant three or more times per school year. However, no pupil shall be deemed a habitual truant unless an appropriate district officer or employee has made a conscientious effort to hold at least one conference with a parent or guardian of the pupil.
• Chronic Truant: Any pupil subject to compulsory full-time education or to compulsory continuation education who is absent from school without a valid excuse for 10 percent or more of the schooldays in one school year, from the date of enrollment to the current date, is deemed a chronic truant.
• Student Attendance Review Board(SARB): Any student deemed a habitual truant shall be referred to a school attendance review board. The purpose of the SARB is to work collaboratively with the students and their families, and explore and utilize suggested interventions that will be successful for the pupil involved.  Should SARB determine that its intervention services are insufficient or inappropriate to correct the truancy, or the pupil does not follow SARB’s directions, then a referral may be submitted to the district attorney.

Excused Absences

California Education Code 48205

1. Notwithstanding Section 48200, a pupil shall be excused from school when the absence is:
   1. Due to the pupil’s illness, including an absence for the benefit of the pupil’s mental or behavioral health.
   2. Due to quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer.
   3. For the purpose of having medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic services rendered.
   4. For the purpose of attending the funeral services or grieving the death of either a member of the pupil’s immediate family, or of a person that is determined by the pupil’s parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupil’s immediate family, so long as the absence is not more than five days per incident.
   5. For the purpose of jury duty in the manner provided for by law.
   6. Due to the illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent, including absences to care for a sick child, for which the school shall not require a note from a doctor.
   7. For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an attendance or appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of the pupil’s religion, attendance at a religious retreat, attendance at an employment conference, or attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization, when the pupil’s absence is requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board of the school district.
   8. For the purpose of serving as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Section 12302 of the Elections Code.
   9. For the purpose of spending time with a member of the pupil’s immediate family who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined in Section 49701, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from, deployment to a combat zone or combat support position. Absences granted pursuant to this paragraph shall be granted for a period of time to be determined at the discretion of the superintendent of the school district.
   10. For the purpose of attending the pupil’s naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen.
   11. For the purpose of participating in a cultural ceremony or event.
   12. 1. For the purpose of a middle school or high school pupil engaging in a civic or political event, as provided in subparagraph (B), provided that the pupil notifies the school ahead of the absence.
       2. 1. A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) is required to be excused for only one schoolday-long absence per school year.
          2. A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) may be permitted additional excused absences in the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
   13. 1. For any of the purposes described in clauses (i) to (iii), inclusive, if an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupil’s parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupil’s immediate family, has died, so long as the absence is not more than three days per incident.
          1. To access services from a victim services organization or agency.
          2. To access grief support services.
          3. To participate in safety planning or to take other actions to increase the safety of the pupil or an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupil’s parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupil’s immediate family, including, but not limited to, temporary or permanent relocation.
       2. Any absences beyond three days for the reasons described in subparagraph (A) shall be subject to the discretion of the school administrator, or their designee, pursuant to Section 48260.
   14. Authorized at the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
2. A pupil absent from school under this section shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence that can be reasonably provided and, upon satisfactory completion within a reasonable period of time, shall be given full credit therefor. The teacher of the class from which a pupil is absent shall determine which tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence.
3. For purposes of this section, attendance at religious retreats shall not exceed one schoolday per semester.
4. Absences pursuant to this section are deemed to be absences in computing average daily attendance and shall not generate state apportionment payments.
5. For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
   1. A “civic or political event” includes, but is not limited to, voting, poll working, strikes, public commenting, candidate speeches, political or civic forums, and town halls.
   2. “Cultural” means relating to the practices, habits, beliefs, and traditions of a certain group of people.
   3. “Immediate family” means the parent or guardian, brother or sister, grandparent, or any other relative living in the household of the pupil.
   4. “Victim services organization or agency” has the same meaning as defined in paragraph (7) of subdivision (g) of Section 230.1 of the Labor Code.