EXCESSIVE ABSENCES AND TRUANCY
It is important that students attend school every
day. When students miss significant
amounts of school, even if the absences are excused, they miss critical
instruction time and learning opportunities.
This often has long-term, negative effects on students, such as lower
achievement and a greater chance of not graduating on time.
As a response to this, there is a new state law (House
Bill 410, passed in December 2016 and effective April 6, 2017) that addresses
excessive absences and truancy. A summary
of this law is on the next 3 pages.
Excessive
absence applies to students who miss 38 or more hours of school in a single
month, or 65 or more hours in one school year, with or without a legitimate
excuse.
Truancy
used to be based on days, but it is now it is based on hours. It applies to students who are absent from
school for 30 or more consecutive hours without a legitimate excuse; 42 or more hours in a school month without a
legitimate excuse; or 72 or more hours in a school year without a legitimate
excuse.
Schools will send letters to the parents of students
who reach of exceed the number of hours stipulated in the law.