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What is 'truancy' and what does D60 do about it?
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Parents often wonder what is considered an "excused absence" or an "unexcused absence." It's easy to be misinformed about the difference between the two, and what qualifies as an excused or unexcused absence.
The same is true for the term "truancy." It's not just a word for a student who is skipping school - there are rules, procedures and laws in place to define when a student is "truant" or "habitually truant," and what to do about it.
Classifying a student as a 'habitual truant' requires interventions designed to get the child back in school. A student will be considered a “habitual truant” if he or she has:
- four total days of unexcused absences from school in any one month
- 10 total days of unexcused absences during any school year
Note: Absences due to suspension or expulsion shall not be counted in the total of unexcused absences for purposes of defining a student as “habitually truant.”
Truancy and absences explained
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'Excused' and 'Unexcused' absences
Parents/guardians are required to notify their school via telephone, written notification, or other verifiable documentation as required by their child’s school. An unexcused absence is defined as an absence that is not covered by one of the following exceptions:
- Is temporarily ill or injured
- Has an appointment that could not be taken care of outside of school hours
- Will be absent for an extended period due to physical, mental or emotional disability
- Is pursuing a work-study program under the supervision of the school
- Attending any school-sponsored activity
- Has been suspended or expelled
- Has a court appearance or must participate in other court-ordered activities
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Addressing unexcused absences
When a student fails to attend school on a regularly-schedule school day, and the school was not notified of the absence by the student’s parent/guardian, the school will notify the parent/guardian by telephone.
In accordance with law, the district may impose appropriate consequences that relate directly to classes missed while unexcused. Consequences may include:
- a warning
- school detention
- in-school suspension
- Academic consequences, out-of-school suspensions or expulsion shall not be imposed for any unexcused absence.
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Addressing 'habitual truancy'
If a student is at risk of being defined as “habitually truant,” a plan will be developed, with the cooperation of the student’s parent, guardian or legal custodian, to assist the student to remain in school, addressing the reasons for the truancy.
Resources to address truancy include:
- School counselors
- The school’s Response to Intervention (RTI) Coordinator
- The school’s Community Advocate
- Community Partners (mental health, substance abuse, etc.)
- Community Resources
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Contacts for truancy issues
Call your child’s school, or contact D60’s Student Support and Intervention office at (719) 423-3325.