Absenteeism and Truancy
ATTENDANCE POLICY FOR PLEASANT HILL CUSD #3
There are two types of absences: excused and unexcused. Excused absences include illness (including mental or behavioral health of the student), observance of a religious holiday or event, death in the immediate family, family emergency, situations beyond the control of the student, circumstances that cause reasonable concern to the parent/guardian for the student’s mental, emotional, or physical health or safety, attending a military honors funeral to sound TAPS, or other reason as approved by the building principal.
Additionally, a student will be excused for up to 5 days in cases where the student’s parent/guardian is an active-duty member of the uniformed services and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from deployment to a combat zone or combat-support postings. The Board of Education, in its discretion, may excuse a student for additional days relative to such leave or deployment. A student and the student’s parent/guardian are responsible for obtaining assignments from the student’s teachers prior to any excused absences and for ensuring that such assignments are completed by the student in a timely manner.
Students who are excused from school will be given a reasonable timeframe to make up missed homework and classwork assignments.
All other absences are considered unexcused. Pre-arranged excused absences must be approved by the building principal.
The school may require documentation explaining the reason for the student’s absence.
In the event of any absence, the student’s parent/guardian is required to call the school at (217) 734-2311 before 9:30 a.m. to explain the reason for the absence. If a call has not been made to the school by 9:30 a.m. on the day of a student’s absence, a school official will call the home to inquire why the student is not at school. If the parent/guardian cannot be contacted, the student will be required to submit a signed note from the parent/guardian explaining the reason for the absence. Failure to do so shall result in an unexcused absence. Upon request of the parent/guardian, the reason for an absence will be kept confidential.
TRUANCY
Students who miss more than 1% but less than 5% of the prior 180 regular school days without valid cause (a recognized excuse) are truant. Valid causes include those causes for excused absences. Students who miss 5% or more of the prior 180 regular school days without valid cause are chronic truants. Students who are chronic truants will be offered support services and resources aimed at correcting the truancy issue.
If chronic truancy persists after support services and other resources are made available, the school and district will take further action, including:
- Referral to the truancy officer
- Referral to the Pike County Truancy Board
- Appropriate school discipline
A student who misses 15 consecutive days of school without valid cause and who cannot be located or, after exhausting all available support services, cannot be compelled to return to school is subject to expulsion from school.
School Board Policy Absenteeism and Truancy
