Why Attendance Matters

  • One of the most important things you can do as a parent is to ensure your child is in school every day. The benefits of having social interactions with their peers and learning different subjects in school will help them develop skills that benefit them for the rest of their life. By attending class regularly, students are more likely to keep up with the daily lessons and assignments and take quizzes and tests on time.  Other reasons they should attend school each day include: 

    1. Exposure to language: Attendance equals exposure to language-rich environments, which helps students improve skills in reading, writing, and daily communication.   
    2. Time on Task in Class: By attending school, they will receive the lessons you need to stay on track.   
    3. On Track for Success: Daily attendance is a major predictor of a student's long-term success.   
    4. College Readiness: Attendance (even in elementary school) predicts college enrollment and persistence.   
    5. Engagement: Attending school helps keep them connected with their peers, teachers, and the community.
     

Attendance Definitions

  • School Attendance - Students are counted as present when they attend any part of the school day or are participating in a school-approved activity like a field trip or assembly.

    Class Attendance - They are counted as present only when they are physically in class for at least half of the period, have been excused by their teacher to participate in a class assignment, or have been requested by someone on their school support team like a counselor or principal.

    Tardiness - Students are considered tardy if they are not present the moment the school bell rings for their assigned class. If they are not present when attendance is taken, they may be marked absent, so be sure to have them ask their teacher to make the change in their record.

    Early Sign-Outs – Early release is discouraged within the final thirty (30) minutes of the school day. If a parent or guardian needs to sign a student out, they should visit the school's main office.

    Notifications: If your student is going to be absent, you should write a letter stating the cause for the absence and the reasons it should be excused. This is important because if they have a prolonged absence or tardiness record, their teachers, and attendance agents are required to check on their wellness. See the table below to learn about our methods.

    Unexcused Days Absent  Follow-Up Action Required
    1-5 Days Parent Contact by Teacher
    6 Days Intervention by Attendance Agent: Home Visit, Daily Check-In Monitoring, Meeting with parents
    7-8 Days Intervention by Attendance Agent: Home Visit, Daily Check-In Monitoring, Meeting with parents
    9 Days Intervention by Attendance Agent: Attendance Intervention Plan Developed and Implemented