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Attendance Requirements

 
 

School Attendance  Expectations

 

 To receive the highest benefit of compulsory education, students of Exeter Unified School District should attend school at a rate of at least 94% or higher (this is equivalent to no more than 10 absences per academic year). 

 

Explanation of Attendance:

1. Students must be in class at least 94% of the academic school year to receive full instructional benefits.

  • For middle school students, as a requirement to participate in graduation, all three years of middle school attendance must average 94% or above. (BP 6147.2)
  • For high school students, as a requirement to participate in commencement, all four years of high school attendance must average 94% or above. (BP 6147.2)

 

 2. What counts as an absence? Any absence will be counted against the 94% attendance expectation.  The type of absence does not matter, with the following exceptions (California Education Code 48205 for a complete listing)

  • Absence from school with a verified medical, dental, optometry, chiropractic or court note, or quarantine order.
  • Funeral services for a member of the immediate family (limited to one-day in-state, and three days out-of-state).
  • Absence to care for student’s child with an illness or medical appointment (verified by a medical note). 
  • For the purpose of spending time with a member of the pupil’s immediate family, who is leaving, on leave, or returning from active duty combat zone deployment.
  • Prior principal approval for reasons, which may not be included elsewhere, but are pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board and California Education Code.  

 

3. Clearing student illnesses - A parent/guardian may confirm student illnesses without a Dr.’s note for up to 6 calendar days in a school year.  After 6 days of illness, a doctor’s note will be required for each day the student is ill.  If a doctor’s note is not provided, the illness days will be counted towards the student’s truancy count.
 
4. Chronic illness - For students with chronic or recurring illness, which may affect truancy, please contact your student’s School Nurse to discuss available options.
 
5. Making up an absence - Saturday School (when available) attendance may clear an absence (all four hours). Banking of Saturday School credit is NOT allowed.  Attendance in Saturday School must be completed within four (4) weeks of the unexcused absence. 

 

 

STUDENT ATTENDANCE REVIEW BOARD (SARB)

 

SARB is the Student Attendance Review Board for Exeter Unified School District.  Representatives from the police department, probation, children’s services, mental health and community health serve on the panel.  The goal of SARB is to work cooperatively with parents/guardians to create a plan to increase their student’s attendance.  SARB monitors attendance and has the authority to file a criminal complaint to Exeter Police Department and/or Tulare County District Attorney’s Office.

 

Any student who is absent from school without a valid excuse for more than three days, or tardy or absent for more than any 30-minute period during the school day without a valid excuse, is truant and shall be reported to the attendance administrator or superintendent of the school district (Education Code Sec. 48260) and may summoned to SARB.  Any student, grades K-8, who is absent from school, without a valid excuse, for more than 10% of the school days in one school year is considered Chronic Truant and will be referred to the SARB panel.

 

Prior to reaching the SARB panel, school sites make every effort to meet with parents/guardians regarding their student’s absences.  SARB letters are part of this process of communication.

 

SARB LETTERS

 

After 3 unexcused absences or 6 parent/guardian excused absences (without a doctor’s note), a SARB Warning Letter will be sent home.

 

After 5 unexcused absences, a SARB Meeting Letter will be sent out.  At this point, a face-to-face meeting with the Assistant Principal is necessary.

 

After 7 unexcused absences, a final SARB Letter will be sent out followed by a referral to the SARB Panel.

 

TRUANCY PENALTIES

 

SARB will ask the parent and the student to sign an attendance contract.  Failure to comply with the contract will result in the order of a citation to appear in court.

 

1st Conviction:  A fine of not more than $100.00 plus penalties up to $375.00.

2nd Conviction:  A fine of not more than $320.00 plus penalties up to $750.00.

3rd or Subsequent Conviction:  A fine of not more than $500.00 plus penalties up to $1,000.00.

 

13202.7 V.C.:  Any minor under the age of 18 years old who is habitual truant may have his/her driving privilege suspended for one year.

 

SARB will report truancy cases to Child Welfare Services, CalWorks, Social Security and Tulare County Social Services.  A truant child may result in a reduction or elimination of individual or family benefits from these agencies.

 

INDEPENDENT STUDY WORK CONTRACT

 

We recognize that students may be absent for legitimate personal reasons not numbered above, including family emergencies, and shall honor a parental request for such absences, but cannot, under the law, officially excuse the student.  If you know a week or more in advance that your student will be out of school for five to ten days (family trip, etc.), please contact the office for INDEPENDENT STUDY WORK.  This will allow your student to keep up with school work and receive credit for those days.  Independent Study work must be turned into the front office by the designated due date in order for your student to receive credit for their work.  

  

MAKEUP WORK

 

Students who have been absent from school are responsible for making up work.  When a student is absent one or two days, homework should be collected from teachers upon return from an absence.  If students are absent three or more days, parents should contact the school office and request that work is gathered from teachers.  One working day should be allowed for the gathering of materials

 

Upon returning to school after excused or unexcused absences, students have a very limited time in which to turn in all makeup assignments.  Please work with your teachers to establish a due date.  Then, make sure your students turn all work in on the agreed upon date.      

 

Students who are truant ("cut school") lose makeup privileges.  This is also true of tardy students who do not bring a tardy clearance note from home.  We will contact the Exeter Police Department when a student is truant.

 

Chronic absenteeism or tardies may be referred to the School Attendance Review Board (SARB) for further action.

 

TARDIES

 

In order to maximize the number of instructional minutes that your student receives, and to decrease the number of distractions to the learning environment, we are implementing a new tardy policy here at Wilson Middle School.  It is important that all of our students arrive at school on time, and are on time to each of their classes during the day. 

  • Any student who receives a tardy before school or between classes will be issued lunch detention.

 

This new policy will ensure that students are on time, and are receiving every possible minute of instruction.  If your student walks to school or is dropped off in the morning, please ensure they arrive with plenty of time to reach their Block 1 class prior to 8:00 a.m.  The area in front of the school becomes more congested the closer it gets to 8:00, so please plan accordingly. 

Tardies to class periods within the scope of the school day are considered unexcused unless the student has a written excuse from a staff member.  All students must be inside the classroom at or before the tardy bell.