Attendance
In accordance with Ohio House Bill 410 and the compulsory attendance laws of the state of Ohio, students ages six to eighteen are required to attend school every day and not be tardy. Please be advised of the seriousness of this matter and your responsibility to confirm your student’s attendance at school. For any absence to be excused, a written excuse MUST be presented to the school’s main office within 3 days (72 hours) of your student’s return to school.
Per the student handbook, the maximum number of allowable parent notes following an absence, is ten (10) for the entire school year. For any subsequent absences to be marked as excused, a note from a medical professional is required above and beyond this total.
*One note can cover consecutive days, but must be received by the school’s main office within 72 hours of your student’s return to school.
What Are Excessive Absences?
Any student who is absent with a non-medical excuse or without legitimate excuse
38 or more hours in one month
65 or more hours in one school year
School MUST:
Notify the students parent(s)/custodian WITHIN 7 DAYS of triggering absence that their child has reached the Excessive Absence threshold.
This must be done in writing (i.e. email, letter home with student, letter in mail).
School MAY:
Implement other intervention strategies outlined in Board policy/student handbook to support the child/parent in order to improve school attendance.
What is Habitual Truancy?
Any student whose absences surpass habitual truant definition without legitimate excuse
30 or more consecutive hours
42 or more hours in one month
72 or more hours in one school year
School MUST:
Within 7 school days of the triggering absence, the school must:
Select members of the Absence Intervention Team (AIT)
must include: a school/district representative, a second school/district representative who has a relationship with the student, the student’s parent/guardian/custodian
Make three meaningful attempts to secure the participation of the student’s parent, guardian, custodian, guardian ad litem, temporary custodian, or designee on the AIT
Within 10 calendar days of the triggering absence, the student will be assigned to the AIT.
Within 14 school days after the assignment of the team, the district will develop the student’s absence intervention plan;
Within 7 calendar days after the plan is developed, the district shall make reasonable efforts to provide written notification to the student’s parent or guardian; and
The student has 60 calendar days to participate and make satisfactory progress on the plan. If the student does not participate or make satisfactory progress on the plan, as determined by the absence intervention team, the attendance officer must file a complaint in juvenile court against the student on the 61st calendar day after the implementation of the absence intervention plan. If at any time during the implementation phase of the absence intervention plan the student is absent without legitimate excuse 30 or more consecutive hours or 42 or more hours in one school month, the district must have its attendance officer file a complaint against the student. This requirement does not apply if the absence intervention team has determined the student has made substantial progress on the absence intervention plan.
Religious Expression in Ohio Schools
Schools are required to adopt a policy that reasonably accommodates a student’s sincerely held religious beliefs and practices for reasons of faith or religious or spiritual belief system. Students are given up to three religious expression days per school year provided that the parent or guardian provides written notice to the school of the selected days within 14 school days of the start of school (or within 14 days of a newly enrolled student’s first day in the school or district). This policy must allow students to participate in interscholastic athletics or other extracurricular activities on a religious expression day. Our schools will collaborate with the student and their family regarding the accommodations needed when there is a conflict between a religious expression day and a school assessment or academic requirement. No inclusion or exclusion of a religious holiday or festival on the list outlined below shall preclude a student from full and reasonable accommodations for any sincerely held religious beliefs and practices for reasons of faith or religious or spiritual belief system. The three religious expression days do not count toward parental notification requirements under ORC 3321.191 (C)(1) for excessive absences.
For questions regarding student attendance, please contact Mr. Demster at 330-426-9401.