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Excused and Unexcused Absences

Excused Absences

Illness: Verified quarantine, medical, dental, or optometry services are defined by state law as excused absences. Students are permitted to make up all work missed.

Non-Illness:  Absences for the funeral of student’s immediate family or court mandated appearances may be excused upon proper verification. These absences are considered excused and warranted. Students are permitted to make up all work missed if the absence is excused.

Religious released time: Pupils with the consent of their parents or guardians, through phone call to the Attendance Office, may be excused from school in order to participate in religious or moral exercises and instruction as provide by the Education Code. Students are permitted to make up all work missed.

Suspension:  When a student is suspended, a reasonable effort will be made to contact the parent/guardian in person or by phone. A suspended student is not permitted to be on any district campus or attend any school event in the district.  Upon request, the teacher may provide assignments to students on suspension; however, giving credit for these assignments is at the teacher’s discretion (Ed. Code 48913). 

Alternative to Suspension: Students assigned to an Alternative to Suspension (ATS) program will be removed from their regular classes on campus for one day to attend a program focused on assisting students to identify unhealthy behaviors and reflect on how to behave in a more positive and healthy manner.  Students missing class to attend an ATS assignment will be able to make up any work missed.

Unexcused Absences

  • Unexcused Absences & TRUANCIES: Ed. Code 48260, 48261, 48262, 48913  

    An unexcused absence is any absence that does not fall under the excused absences listed above (illness, medical excuse, religious holidays, court mandated appearance, or funeral of a close family member).  A truant (or cut) is an absence that occurred without office notification.

    1. A student will receive a cut/truancy when the absence is not cleared. A cut/truancy is marked as a “T” on a student’s attendance report.
    2. No credit is allowed for work missed as a result of a cut/truancy or unexcused absence.
    3. A student’s grade may be severely affected by work missed due to a cut/truancy or unexcused absence.
    4. Cutting/truant students are not allowed to participate in any extracurricular activities for that same day.

    NOTE:  Once a student has arrived on campus, he/she may not leave campus except with a permit to leave from the attendance office.  Students leaving campus prior to checking out of the attendance office will be marked as a ’CUT’.

    Failure to serve detentions for cutting/truancy will earn SWS. Failure to serve SWS may result in a suspension from school.

Unexcused Absences

  • Unexcused Absences & TRUANCIES: Ed. Code 48260, 48261, 48262, 48913  

    An unexcused absence is any absence that does not fall under the excused absences listed above (illness, medical excuse, religious holidays, court mandated appearance, or funeral of a close family member).  A truant (or cut) is an absence that occurred without office notification.

    1. A student will receive a cut/truancy when the absence is not cleared. A cut/truancy is marked as a “T” on a student’s attendance report.
    2. No credit is allowed for work missed as a result of a cut/truancy or unexcused absence.
    3. A student’s grade may be severely affected by work missed due to a cut/truancy or unexcused absence.
    4. Cutting/truant students are not allowed to participate in any extracurricular activities for that same day.

    NOTE:  Once a student has arrived on campus, he/she may not leave campus except with a permit to leave from the attendance office.  Students leaving campus prior to checking out of the attendance office will be marked as a ’CUT’.

    Failure to serve detentions for cutting/truancy will earn SWS. Failure to serve SWS may result in a suspension from school.