FILE: JBD
STUDENT ABSENCES AND EXCUSES
The Vermilion Parish School Board recognizes that the fundamental right to attend the public schools places upon students the accompanying responsibility to be faithful in attendance. Regular attendance can be assumed to be essential for a student's successful progress in the instructional program.
The principal of a school, or his/her designee, shall notify the parent or legal guardian in writing on or before a student's third unexcused absence or unexcused occurrence of being tardy, and shall hold a conference with such student's parent or legal guardian. This notification shall include information relative to the parent or legal guardian’s legal responsibility to enforce the student’s attendance at school and the civil penalties that may be incurred if the student is determined to be habitually absent or habitually tardy. The student's parent or legal guardian shall sign a receipt for such notification.
Each school shall attempt to provide verbal notification to a child's parent, tutor, or legal guardian, and, if such verbal notification cannot be provided, then the school shall provide written notification to a child's parent, tutor, or legal guardian when that child has been absent from school for five (5) school days in schools operating on a semester basis, and for ten (10) days in schools not operating on a semester basis. The accumulation of days absent need not be consecutive.
No public elementary or secondary school student shall be permitted for any reason to absent himself/herself from school attendance during the school day upon his/her own authority. The principal or designee shall make all reasonable efforts to verbally notify the parent or other person responsible for the student's school attendance of any such prohibited absence by a student.
TYPES OF ABSENCES
The days absent for elementary and secondary school students shall include non-exempted excused absences, exempted excused absences, unexcused absences, and suspensions.
Non-exempted excused absences: The student is allowed to make up the missed work, tests, receive credit for work completed, and receive credit for a course and/or school year completed. The absence is counted against the compulsory attendance requirement. An example is personal or family illness documented by a parent’s note. The number of non-exempt excused absences and unexcused absence a student is allowed is a combined total of twelve (12) absences per school year.
Exempted excused absences: The student is allowed to make up the missed work, tests, receive credit for work completed, and receive credit for a course and/or school year completed. The absence is not counted against the attendance requirement. Examples are extended illness documented by a doctor or to celebrate religious holidays. There is no limit to these absences.
Unexcused absences: The student is allowed to make up the missed work, tests, receive credit for work completed, and receive credit for a course and/or school year completed. The absence is counted against the attendance requirement. Unexcused absences are any absences not meeting the requirements set forth in the Exempted and Non-Exempted Excused Absences above or the Extenuating Circumstance below. The number of non-exempted excused absences and unexcused absences a student is allowed is a combined total of twelve (12) absences per school year.
Suspensions: Refers to both in-school and out-of-school suspensions. The student is allowed to make up the missed work, tests, receive the same credit originally available for work completed, and receive credit for a course and/or school year completed, provided it is completed satisfactory and in a timely manner. Students absent from school as a result of any out-of-school suspension shall be marked absent as a result of any out-of-school suspension shall be marked absent, but the absence is not counted against the attendance requirement.
EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES
Exceptions to the attendance regulation shall be the enumerated extenuating circumstances below that are verified by the Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance or the school principal/designee where indicated. These exempted absences do not apply in determining whether a student meets the minimum minutes of instruction required to receive credit.
Extended personal physical or emotional illness as verified by a physician or nurse practitioner licensed in the state;
Extended hospital stay in which a student is absent as verified by a physician or dentist;
Extended recuperation from an accident in which a student is absent as verified by a physician, dentist, or nurse practitioner licensed in the state;
Extended contagious disease within a family in which a student is absent as verified by a physician or dentist licensed in the state; or
Observance of special and recognized holidays of the student's own faith.
Visitation with a parent who is a member of the United States Armed Forces or the National Guard of a state and such parent has been called to duty for or is on leave from overseas deployment to a combat zone or combat support posting. Excused absences in this situation shall not exceed five (5) school days per school year.
Absences as verified by the principal or his/her designee as stated below:
Prior school system-approved travel for education;
Death in the immediate family (not to exceed one week); or,
Natural catastrophe and/or disaster.
For any other extenuating circumstances, the student’s parents or legal guardian must make a formal appeal in accordance with the due process procedures established by the school system.
Students who are verified as meeting extenuating circumstances, and therefore eligible to receive grades shall not receive those grades if they are unable to complete makeup work or pass the course.
MENTAL OR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ABSENCES
A student may be absent for up to three (3) days in any school year related to the student's mental or behavioral health, and such absences shall be excused if certification is provided in writing in accordance with the student handbook. The student shall be given the opportunity to make up any school work missed during such absences. Following the second day of absence in any school year, the student shall be referred to the appropriate school support personnel for help addressing the underlying issue, which may include referral to medical services outside of the school setting.
SCHOOL-APPROVED ACTIVITIES
Students participating in school-approved field trips or other instructional activities that necessitate their being away from school shall be considered to be present and shall be given the opportunity to make up work.
CHILD PERFORMERS
Minors employed to perform or render artistic or creative services under a contract or employment arrangement for two (2) or more days within a 30-day period must receive instruction pursuant to statutory provisions.
WRITTEN EXCUSES
For a student to be eligible to receive credit and make up work following an absence, the student shall be required in each instance to submit parental confirmation of the reasons for the absence. If a student is tardy or absent, the parent or guardian must submit a written excuse, signed and dated, to school authorities upon the student's return to classes, stating the reason for the student's absence from school. A doctor's, dentist’s, or nurse practitioner’s written statement of student's incapacity to attend school shall be required for those absences for three (3) or more consecutive days due to illness, contagious illness in a family, hospitalization, or accidents. All excuses for a student's absence, including medical verification of extended personal illness, must be presented within five (5) school days of the student's return to school, or the student's absence shall be considered unexcused and the student not allowed to make up work missed.
REPORTING ABSENCES
The attendance of all school students shall be checked each school day and at the beginning of each class period and shall be verified by the teacher keeping such record, which shall be open to inspection by the Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance or duly authorized representative at all reasonable times. All schools shall immediately report to the Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance any unexplained, unexcused, or illegal absence, or habitual tardiness.
The Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance shall, after written notice to the parent or legal guardian of a child, or a personal visit of notification, report any such child who is habitually absent or who is habitually tardy to FINS, or the family or juvenile court of the parish as a truant child, there to be dealt with in such manner as the court may determine.
APPEAL OF ABSENCES
When a student exceeds the maximum number of absences allowed the parents or student may make a formal appeal to the principal if they feel any of the absences are because of extenuating circumstances. If they feel that the decision is unfavorable, they shall appeal to the Superintendent or his/her designee. After a review by the Superintendent or his/her designee, a decision shall be made and communicated to the parents or legal guardian by letter.
High school students in danger of failing due to excessive absences may be allowed to make up missed time in class sessions held outside the regular class time. The makeup sessions must be completed before the end of the current semester and all other applicable policies must also be met.
TARDINESS
A student shall be considered tardy to class if the student is not in the classroom when the bell to begin class ceases. A student shall be considered tardy to school if the student is not in his/her homeroom/first period class when the bell to begin homeroom/class ceases. Tardy shall also mean leaving or checking out of school unexcused prior to the regularly scheduled dismissal. Habitual tardiness on the part of students shall not be tolerated.
MAKE-UP WORK
After each absence from school, it is the responsibility of the student to make arrangements to make-up work missed during any type of absence with his/her teacher, following his/her return. Assignments may be given prior to absences.
A schedule for completing make-up work will be established within five school days, not to exceed ten (10), beginning the day the student returns to school. Students and parents have the right to appeal the schedule in extreme circumstances, and those would be handled by the School Building Level Committee. (There may be exceptions for students with IAP’s and IEP’s).
Gifted students attending enrichment classes should not be marked absent, and their regular education teachers shall assist the students with make-up work as needed.
Gifted or talented students should in no way be penalized for incomplete assignments on the day following special education enrichment classes, unless the assignment was directly given to the student by the teacher. These students should be encouraged to participate in enrichment sessions as specified on their IEP. An extension of time to complete missed work may be warranted and is appropriate, if needed. Some or all of the makeup work can be excused if the student has apparently already mastered the skills addressed on their special education enrichment session.
In the event that circumstances prevent the above procedures from being implemented, the use of a student peer as a source of assignments is acceptable with the condition that the gifted student not be penalized for inaccuracies in the reporting of assignment by another student.
For a student to make up a missed midterm or final exam, a doctor or parent note must be submitted by the parent/legal guardian that verifies and documents the necessity for the absence/s.
Any work missed because of suspension or recommended expulsion can make up all work within five days of returning to school. (There may be exceptions for students with IAP’s and IEP’s.)
A student attending school sponsored or endorsed activities including Vermilion Parish School Board pullout programs, sporting events, field trips, and college or military visitation has the responsibility of obtaining all assignments and completing the work as scheduled for the classes missed. For extended absences, teachers may grant exceptions, prior to the absence, for work due to his/her class.
Extended time for make-up tests and/or assignments will be at the discretion of the principal in collaboration with the teacher and school counselor.
Adopted: September 15, 2016
Revised: July 21, 2022
Revised: August 17, 2023
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§17:221, 17:221.8, 17:226, 17:226.1, 17:230, 17:232, 17:233
Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators, Bulletin 741, Louisiana Department of Education
Board minutes, 9-15-16, 7-21-22, 8-17-23
Vermilion Parish School Board