Chesterfield County School District

Requirements to be Counted Present for the School Day

Students must attend school for 50% of the instructional day to be counted present.

 

Explanation/Clarification

The South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) states that a school year consists of 180 days of instruction. Depending on whether your student attends elementary, middle or high school, the length of the instructional day varies. In calculating the length of the school day, a student must be present for a minimum of ½ of the total instructional day to count as one of the 180 days required by the SCDE.

 

Lawful/Excused Absences

• The absence is caused by the student’s own illness and whose attendance in school would endanger the student’s health or health of others.
• The absence is due to an illness or death in the student’s immediate family.
• The absence is due to a recognized religious holiday of the student’s faith.
• The absence is due to school activities that are approved in advance by the principal.

 

Required Excuses

• Within 3 days after returning to schools, the students must submit a written excuse explain the absence. If applicable, the student may also submit an excuse from the doctor. If a student does not submit an excuse, the absence will be considered unlawful/unexcused.

 

Unlawful/Unexcused Absences

• The absence of the of the student is without the knowledge of the parent or legal guardian.
• The absence of the of the student is without acceptable cause with the knowledge of the parent or legal guardian.
• The absence is not approved by the principal.

 

Suspensions

• Suspensions are not counted as an unlawful/unexcused absence for truancy purposes.

 

Seat Time Requirements for High School Classes

Students must meet academic and attendance requirements to receive credit in high school courses. Absences are accrued per course. Excessive absences may result in credit denial and can affect a student’s promotion or retention status. Students with excessive absences, whether excused, unexcused or a combination thereof, are subject to failure due to absences or FA (Failure due to Absences). Students with excessive absences may make up work in addition to taking advantage of Attendance Recovery/Seat Time Recovery. Students may be denied credit for:

• Any absence in excess of 10 days for a course meeting for 180 days (meets daily year-long),
• Any absence in excess of 5 days for a course meeting for 90 days (semester block)
• Any absence in excess of 3 days for a course meeting for 45 days (meets daily for a quarter).

Students may make-up missed class time by participating in Seat Time Recovery (STR). Students are expected to complete assignments during this time. If Seat Time is not completed, then a grade of FA (Failure due to Absences) is assigned regardless of the grade in the course. It will carry no earned points; however, it will be factored into the student’s GPA as a 50. The student may need to retake the course to attempt and receive credit. By law, all absences must be made up within 30 days of the course ending before credit can be given. One (1) hour of STR = 1 class absence. STR requires prior registration and Administrator approval. STR opportunities may be provided before school, after school, or Saturdays.

 

Waivers

 

• Field Trips - School sponsored field trips with documented attendance will satisfy the days instructional requirements.
• College Visits - Juniors & Seniors are allowed up to three (3) college visits per semester. For credit, students must bring written proof of their visit to the institution on the college’s letterhead the day they return to school. Failure to do so will count as an Unexcused Absence and will count against your allotted absences per semester.
• Extracurricular Activities - School sponsored extracurricular activities, to include athletics, fine arts, and school sponsored clubs that require a student to be out of class during a normal instructional day will count in an equivalent manner as a field trip.

Chronic Absenteeism

A part of the implementation of Every Student Succeeds Act, districts and schools are required to report to the South Carolina Department of Education the number of students who are chronically absent each year. According to the United States Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR), an absent student is one who misses 50 % of the instructional day for any reason and regardless of whether the absence is excused or unexcused. In other words, students must attend class for at least half of the instructional day to be considered present for that day.

Using this new definition, the OCR requires states to report the number of students in each district and school who are absent at least 10% of the time during which they are enrolled in a particular school or district. More specifically, students who are enrolled in the same school for an entire academic year and miss 18 or more days (10 %) will be considered chronically absent. The total number of chronically absent students will be included on district and school report cards and reported to the OCR.

Truant

A student ages 6 to 17 years of age meets the definition of truant when the student has three (3) consecutive unlawful/ unexcused absences or a total of five (5) unlawful/unexcused absences.

Habitual Truant

A student ages 12 to 17 years of age meets the definition of a habitual truant when the student has reached the level of truant, fails to comply with the intervention plan developed by the school, student and parent/guardian, and accumulates two (2) or more additional unlawful/unexcused absences.

Chronic Truant

A student ages 12 to 17 years of age meets the definition of chronic truant when the student has reached the level of habitual truant, has been through the intervention process, has been referred to family court, placed on an order to attend school, and continues to accumulate additional unlawful/unexcused absences.

A student is tardy to school when he/she arrives after the established start time for the school day.

Chronic Absenteeism Procedure

At the beginning of each month, schools will compile a list of students who are considered chronically absent (any student who is absent a minimum of 10% of his/her enrollment period in the current school year for any reason (e.g. illness, suspension, excused or unexcused) is considered chronically absent). Letters will be sent to the parent/guardian notifying them as to the status of the student and explaining the importance of regular school attendance. An administrator must schedule an attendance conference with the parent/guardian when the student has been identified as chronically absent. Research shows that poor attendance can impact student performance. Students who miss too many days in kindergarten and first grade can have trouble mastering reading by the end of the third grade. Chronic absenteeism of middle and high school students is the leading warning indicator for predicting students who dropout.

 

Truant Procedure

When a student is identified as truant (three (3) consecutive unlawful/unexcused absences or a total of five (5) unlawful/unexcused absences), an administrator will communicate with the student and parent/guardian to identify the reasons for the student’s absences. An attendance contract and intervention plan must be developed and signed to address and improve the student’s attendance in school.

 

Habitual Truant Procedure

When a student is identified as habitual truant (fails to comply with the attendance contract and intervention plan and has accumulated two (2) or more additional unlawful/unexcused absences), the administrator must schedule an additional conference to address the continued attendance concerns. The school must also complete the Family Court Referral Packet for court action and send to the appropriate District Director.

 

Chronic Truant Procedure

If all reasonable alternatives have been exhausted and a student is identified as chronic truant (has been through the intervention process, has been referred to family court, placed on an order to attend school, and continues to accumulate additional unlawful/unexcused absences), the school must file a contempt of court petition with Family Court. The student will appear in court for violating the previously issued court order to attend school.