Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About Attendance
Every minute of a child’s time at school is important. Children who are absent for even one day, or who arrive late to class, miss valuable instruction time and can easily fall behind in school. They also miss important socialization time and fun with their peers.
To assist you in better understanding our District’s attendance policies and procedures, here are some of the most frequently asked questions regarding attendance.
What do I do if my child is absent from school?
Call your child’s school, the specific school’s absence reporting hotline, or send an email to your school attendance email, and leave the following information:
- Student’s name
- Teacher’s name
- Date of absence
- Specific reason for the absence
- Your name to verify that it was a parent/guardian that is verifying the absence
What does it mean to “verify” my child’s absence?
When a student is absent, parents/guardians are required to call/email a note to the attendance clerk/office staff in order to validate the reason for your child’s absences. We call this process: Absence verification.
Why do I have to report my child’s absence?
The California Education Code requires attendance in school under compulsory attendance laws. “Each person between the ages of 6 and 18 is subject to compulsory full-time education.” (EC 48200). If you report your child’s absence within a reasonable amount of time, your child will be given the opportunity to complete assignments and test given during the period of the absence.
What happens after I have called in my child’s absence?
The attendance clerk/office staff will then proceed to mark your child’s attendance record with the appropriate absence code according to California Education Code and District policies.
What happens if I forget to call in my child’s absence on the day of their absence?
You may call or email to verify your child’s absence up to 72 hours after your child has been absent. Absences that are not verified within that time will be considered unexcused absences. After our attendance month accounting cycle closes, unexcused absences due to non-verification cannot be overwritten or changed.
What absences can be excused?
Under California Education Code 48205, absences can be excused from school for the reasons linked here.
What if my child’s absences do not fall under any of the Excused absences categories?
State law, EC §48260-48273, is very specific about these types of absences. A student who is absent from school without a valid excuse will be marked “unexcused” for the day. An unexcused absence may be either an unverified absence (i.e. when a student “cuts” school) or a verified unexcused absence that occurs with the approval of the parent/guardian that does not meet California EC for excused absences. For example, missing school due to a family vacation would be an unexcused absence. An unexcused absence is a truancy.
I thought “truancy” indicated that my child skipped/cut school. Whey would my child be considered “truant” if I called to verify the absence?
In accordance with the Education Code of the State of California [EC § 48260-48273], any pupil who is absent from school for 3 days or more without a valid excuse, or tardy in excess of 30 minutes or more is “truant”. Your school is required to notify you if your child is truant under California law. These notifications come in the form of a truancy letter.
Do I need a doctor’s note to verify an absence for illness?
Typically, no, a doctor’s note is not needed. However, a doctor’s note helps verify an excused absence and may be required if excessive absences due to illness have previously occurred.
What can I do if my child needs to be out of school for a length of time?
If your child must go out of town for an extended length of time (i.e. 5 or more days), you may request that your child is signed up for short term independent study. Short term independent study is administered at your child’s school site and is approved by the site principal. State law allows up to 15 days per year, for short term independent study. If the length of time exceeds 15 days, you may request that your child be enrolled in the regular Berkeley Independent Study program.