ANTP: Attendance and Enrollment - English - Page 3

Attendance and Enrollment

 General Absences

Children cannot learn if they are not in school. Research and experience clearly proves that good attendance is essential for academic excellence. For students 6 to 18 years old, daily school attendance is compulsory. Teach your child to be on time and that school attendance is an important family value.

Arcadia Unified School District urges parents to make sure their children attend school regularly and to schedule medical and other appointments after school or during school holidays. The district also asks that travel or other absences be avoided during the time school is in session. The higher the district’s daily attendance rate, the more a student will learn and the greater the amount of funding that the district will receive from the state for classroom instruction and academic programs. The school calendar is designed to minimize problems for families which plan vacations around traditional holiday periods, and thereby minimize student absences.

Following an absence, a student is required to bring a written excuse from home when returning to school. Illnesses, and doctor and dental appointments are considered excused absences. Absences without a written excuse are recorded as unexcused.

1. EXCUSED ABSENCES: Notwithstanding E.C. 48200, a pupil shall be excused from school, pursuant to E.C. 48205, when the absence is:
1. Due to his or her illness, including an absence for the benefit of the pupil’s mental or behavioral health.
2. Due to quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer.
3. For the purpose of having medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic services rendered.
4. For the purpose of attending the funeral services of a member of his or her immediate family, so long as the absence is not more than one day if the service is conducted in California and not more than three days if the service is conducted outside California.
5. For the purpose of jury duty in the manner provided for by law.
6. Due to the illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent.
7. For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of the pupil’s religion, attendance at religious retreats, attendance at an employment conference, or attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization when the pupil’s absence is requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board.
8. For any student 16 years old or older, with a GPA of 2.5 or higher, for the purposes of serving as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Sec. 12302 of the Elections Code.
9. For the purpose of spending time with a member of the pupil’s immediate family, who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined in Section 49701, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from, deployment to a combat zone or combat support position. Absences granted pursuant to this paragraph shall be granted for a period of time to be determined at the discretion of the superintendent of the school district.
10. For the purpose of attending the pupil’s naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen.
11. For the purpose of participating in a cultural ceremony or event.
12. (i) For the purpose of a middle school or high school pupil engaging in a civic or political event, as provided in subparagraph (ii), provided that the pupil notifies the school ahead of the absence.
    (ii) (a) A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) is required to be excused for only one school day-long absence per school year.
    (b) A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) may be permitted additional excused absences in the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
13. Authorized at the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
2. A pupil absent from school under this section shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence that can be reasonably provided and, upon satisfactory completion within a reasonable period of time, shall be given full credit thereof. The teacher of any class from which a pupil is absent shall determine the tests and assignments, which shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence.
3. For purposes of this section, "Cultural” means relating to the habits, practices, beliefs, and traditions of a certain group of people.
4. Absences pursuant to this section are deemed to be absences in computing average daily attendance and shall not generate state apportionment payments.
5. "Immediate family," as used in this section, has the same meaning as that set forth in Section 45194, except that references therein to "employee" shall be deemed to be references to "pupil." [EC 46014, 48205]

Tardiness

Children should be encouraged to be prompt as part of developing good habits. They are expected to be at school on time. If a child is late, the child should bring an excuse from home to the school office. Repeated tardies in excess of 30 minutes lead to the student being designated as truant.

 

Truancy Definitions – EC 48260, 48262 and 48263.6

A student is considered truant after three absences or three tardies of more than 30 minutes each time or any combination thereof and the absences or tardies are unexcused. After a student has been reported as a truant three or more times in a school year and the district has made a conscientious effort to meet with the family, the student is considered a habitual truant. A student who is absent from school without a valid excuse for 10% or more of the school days in one school year, from the date of enrollment to the current date, is considered a chronic truant. Unexcused absences are all absences that do not fall within EC 48205 which are listed above.

 

Arrest of Truants/School Attendance Review Boards – EC 48263 and 48264

The school attendance supervisor, administrator or designee, a peace officer, or probation officer may arrest or assume temporary custody during school hours, of any minor who is found away from his/her home and who is absent from school without valid excuse within the county, city or school district. A student who is a habitual truant may be referred to a School Attendance and Review Board (SARB).

 

Truant Consequences – EC 48263, 48267, 48268, and 48269; WIC 236, 601, 601.3,653.5, 654, and 651.5

Any student who is identified as “Truant” may be assigned as a ward of the court, if the available community resources do not resolve the students’ continued problem of truancy, by a Probation Officer or Deputy District Attorney.

 

Chronic Absenteeism – EC 60901

A student is considered a chronic absentee when he/she is absent on 10% or more of the school days in one school year, from the date of enrollment to the current date.  Chronic absenteeism includes all absences – excused and unexcused – and is an important measure because excessive absences negatively impact academic achievement and student engagement.

 

• Enrollment Options/Permits

The Governing Board recognizes that parents/guardians of students who reside within the geographic boundaries of one district may, for a variety of reasons, desire to enroll their children in a school in another district or a school other than their assigned school. Parents that are residents may also desire to register in a school that is not the “home” school based on their residence. AUSD has established non-arbitrary rules explaining how students may apply, be accepted or denied both interdistrict and intradistrict transfers. Many districts, by agreement, also allow the transfer of students from or to other districts (inter-district transfer). Victims of bullying or violence are given preference in inter-district transfers. In some cases, the district of residence must provide transportation. Students attending “persistently dangerous” schools can transfer and enroll in a safe school. Districts cannot prevent children of active military from changing districts, as long as the district chosen agrees to accept them. Upon enrollment or transfer, principals are urged to check missing children information. Further information about residency, attendance options, special program options, etc. will be provided by the California Department of Education. [EC 46600, 46601, 46602, 46603, 46600.1 and 46600.2, 48204, 48206.3, 48300, 48301, 48306, 48980, 49068, 51101; 20 USC 7912]

Interdistrict Attendance Permits

The parent or legal guardian of a pupil may seek release from the school district of residence to attend a school in any other school district.  School districts may enter into agreements for the interdistrict transfer of one or more pupils for a period of up to five years.  The agreement must specify the terms and conditions for granting or denying transfers, and may contain standards of reapplication and specify the terms and conditions under which a permit may be revoked.  Unless otherwise specified in the agreement, a pupil will not have to reapply for an interdistrict transfer, and the school board of the district of enrollment must allow the pupil to continue to attend the school in which he/she is enrolled.

A student who is appealing a decision for an interdistrict permit approval through the County Office of Education may be eligible for provisional admission to the desired district in grades TK through 12, while continuing through the process of appeal, if space is made available by the desired district, not to exceed two months.

Each school district shall post their interdistrict policy agreements and local district caps on their district and/or school websites.  Reasons for approval and denial of interdistrict transfer requests must be updated on the district website according to board policies.  The County appeals process will be offered with the final denial in writing by the school district.  The County appeal process may take up to a maximum of two months.  If you have any questions about the interdistrict process please call the district registrar at 626-821-6613 or call the County Office at 562-922-6233.

Transportation

The district shall not provide transportation to students with an interdistrict attendance permit. [BP 5117 January 2018; EC 41020, 46600-46611, 48204, 48300-48317, 48350-48361, 48900, 48915, 48915.1, 48918, 48980, 52317; CA Constitution, Article 1, Section 31]

Intradistrict Attendance Permits

The Governing Board desires to provide enrollment options that meet the diverse needs and interests of district students and parents/guardians, while also maximizing the efficient use of district facilities. The Superintendent or designee shall establish procedures for the selection and transfer of students among district schools in accordance with law, Board policy, and administrative regulation.

The parents/guardians of any student who resides within district boundaries may apply to enroll their child in any district school, regardless of the location of their residence within the district.

VICTIM of A VIOLENT CRIME

A pupil who becomes a victim of a violent crime while in or on the school grounds must be offered the opportunity to transfer to a safe public school within the school district, including a public charter school, within ten calendar days.  If there is not another school within the area served by the district, the district is encouraged, but not required, to explore other appropriate options such as an agreement with a neighboring school district to accept pupils through an interdistrict transfer.  Primary examples of violent criminal offenses in the Penal Code include attempted murder, battery with serious bodily injury, assault with a deadly weapon, rape, sexual battery, robbery, extortion, and hate crimes.  For more information, please contact the Coordinator of Child Welfare and Attendance at 626-821-6630. [20 USC 7912]

ENROLLMENT PRIORITIES

No student currently residing within a school's attendance area shall be displaced by another student transferring from outside the attendance area.

Parents/guardians of a student displaced from a school because of a change in school attendance boundaries may apply for an intradistrict transfer and will be given first priority in the lottery procedures pending space availability. The priority will be given only in the school year in which the boundary change took place.

The Superintendent or designee shall grant priority to any district student to attend another district school, including a charter school, outside of his/her attendance area as follows:

1. Any student enrolled in a district school designated by the California Department of Education as "persistently dangerous"
2. Any student who is a victim of a violent crime while on school grounds
3. Upon a finding that special circumstances exist that might be harmful or dangerous to the student in the current attendance area. Special circumstances include, but are not limited to, threats of bodily harm or threats to the emotional stability of the student. Any such student may transfer to a district school that is at capacity and otherwise closed to transfers. To grant priority under these circumstances, the Superintendent or designee has discretion to grant transfer and must have received either:

1. A written statement from a representative of an appropriate state or local agency, including, but not necessarily limited to, a law enforcement official, social worker, or a properly licensed or registered professional such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, or marriage and family therapist.
2. A court order, including a temporary restraining order and injunction.
1. Any sibling of a student already in attendance in that school shall receive priority.
2. Students attending school in the district on an interdistrict permit whom apply for an interdistrict transfer will be prioritized after intradistrict applications.

APPLICATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

In order to ensure that priorities for enrollment in district schools are implemented in accordance with law, applications for intradistrict open enrollment and interdistrict transfer shall be submitted between April 1st and May 1st of the school year preceding the school year for which the transfer is requested.

The Superintendent or designee shall calculate each school's capacity in a nonarbitrary manner using student enrollment and available space.

Except for priorities listed above, the Superintendent or designee shall use a random, unbiased selection process to determine who shall be admitted whenever the school receives admission requests that are in excess of the school's capacity.

Enrollment decisions shall not be based on a student's academic or athletic performance, except that existing entrance criteria for specialized schools or programs may be used provided that the criteria are uniformly applied to all applicants. Academic performance may be used to determine eligibility for, or placement in, programs for gifted and talented students.

TRANSPORTATION

Except as required for students who transferred out of a Title I program improvement school, the district shall not be obligated to provide transportation for students who attend school outside their attendance area.

It is the intent of the Governing Board that students will continue at the selected site until the student matriculates, the student no longer meets residency requirements, the parent/guardian or district chooses to enroll the student in a different school within district boundaries, or for programmatic reasons such as IEP requirements, behavioral adjustment, or violation of permit conditions regarding conduct, scholarship or attendance. Once enrolled, a student shall not have to apply for readmission. [BP 5116.1 July 2018; EC 200, 35160.5, 35291, 35351; 5 CCR 11992-11994]

• Attendance Where Caregiver Resides

If your child lives in the home of a caregiving adult, as defined by law, or a foster home your child may attend the school district in which that residence is located. Execution of an affidavit under penalty of perjury pursuant to the Family Code by the caregiving adult is required to determine that your child lives in the caregiver’s home. [EC 48204(a), 48980(h); FC 6550-6552]

• Attendance in the District in Which Parent/Guardian is employed

The district may, but is not required to accept a transfer student whose parent/guardian resides outside the boundaries of the school district but is employed and lives with the student at the place of his/her employment within the boundaries of the school district for a minimum of three days during the school week; or a student whose parent/guardian physically works within the boundaries of the school district for a minimum of 10 hours during the school week. [EC 48204(7), 48980(i)]

• Enrollment of Homeless or Foster Youth

Foster and homeless children living in the District shall be permitted to attend a school in the District unless they: 1) stay enrolled at their school of origin outside the District, 2) their IEP indicates attendance elsewhere, or 3) the parent or guardian, with knowledge of all options, declares in writing otherwise. They also have rights to immediate enrollment in school, site and program attendance, and free before and after school programs. Homeless and foster students are also moved to the top of any waiting list. For more information on the rights and regulations of homeless and foster youth please contact the Coordinator of Child Welfare and Attendance. [EC 48204, 48853, 48853.5, 51215.1, 51225.1 51225.2; 42 USC 11432]

• Instruction for Pupils with Temporary Disabilities

A pupil with a temporary disability which makes attendance in the regular day classes or the alternative educational program in which the pupil is enrolled impossible or inadvisable may receive individualized instruction provided in the pupil’s home or hospital.

A pupil with a temporary disability, who is in a hospital or other residential health facility, excluding a state hospital, may be deemed to have complied with the residency requirements for school attendance in the school district in which the hospital is located.  

It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to notify the school district in which the hospital or other residential health facility is located of the presence of a pupil with a temporary disability. Upon receipt of the notification, the district will within five working days determine whether the pupil will be able to receive individualized instruction pursuant to EC 48206.3 and, if so, provide the instruction within five working days or less.  

A pupil with a temporary disability may remain enrolled in the district of residence and may attend regular classes when not confined to the hospital setting, the total days of instruction may not exceed the maximum of five days with both school settings and attendance may not be duplicated. If necessary, the district of residence may provide instruction in the home for the days not receiving instruction in the hospital setting, depending upon the temporary doctor orders.  The supervisor of attendance shall ensure that absences from the regular school program are excused until the pupil is able to return to the regular school program.

An honorary high school diploma which is clearly distinguishable from the regular diploma of graduation may be awarded to a pupil who is terminally ill, from the resident governing school board, a county office of education or a charter school.

[EC 48206.3, 48207, 48208)]

• Pregnant and Parenting Pupils

AUSD will treat both the pregnant teen mother and the teen father with the same accommodations, regardless of sex. The teen parents may not be excluded from any class or extracurricular activities, solely on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or post-partum recovery. Physical and emotional ability to continue may only be determined by physician or nurse practioner.  Pregnant or parenting pupils may not be required to participate in pregnant minor programs or alternative programs, with the exception of personal choice. [EC 221.51, 222.5, 46015, 48205, and 48980 (9-12)]

 

Parental rights will be an option available in annual notifications or at semester term periods, welcome packets, orientation, online or in print, or in independent study packets as provided to all regular students from school districts or charter schools.

 

Parental leave for eight weeks for preparation of birth of infant, post-partum for mental and physical health needs of the teen parents and to bond with infants, or any additional medically approved time to protect the infant or parents is allowed.  Any additional time must be deemed medically necessary, as prescribed by physician or nurse practitioner.  The pregnant and parenting teens are not required to take all or part of the leave to which they are entitled. Leave will be approved by the district or charter school supervisor of attendance, as excused absence, with a unique code similar to independent study.  However, no work is required during the leave.  Upon return, the parenting teens are entitled to return to the school courses that were in enrolled before taking leave.  Make up plans and re-enrollment will be worked out with the school counselor or administrator to achieve an opportunity to fully participate in all activities, as before leave.  If needed, parenting teen may enroll for a fifth year of instruction if on course for graduation requirements.  If parenting teens were enrolled in an alternative school setting, a return to that environment is to be available as needed to achieve graduation.  A pupil shall not incur any academic penalties due to using these available accommodations.

 

An illness for sick child does not require a doctor note for the custodial parenting teens; the mother or father will be excused by the attendance supervisor.

• Leaving School at Lunch Time

The governing board of the Arcadia Unified School District, pursuant to Section 44808.5 of the Education Code, has decided to permit pupils enrolled at Arcadia High School to leave the school grounds during the lunch period. Neither the school district nor any officer or employee thereof shall be liable for the conduct and safety of any pupil during such time as the pupil has left the school grounds pursuant to this section. The district permits only students in grade 12 this privilege. Students are responsible for following the district rules and the law. Students in grades K through 11 may not leave campus. [BP 5112.5; EC 44808.5]

• Minimum Days/Pupil Free Staff Development Days

The minimum day and pupil free staff development dates are noted on the district calendar by grade level.  Calendars can be found on HERE on the district website. If minimum or pupil-free staff development days are scheduled thereafter, the governing board of the school district shall notify parents and guardians of the affected pupils as early as possible, but not later than one month before the scheduled minimum or pupil-free day. [EC 48980(c)]

• Parental consequences for non-attendance

Any parent or guardian who fails to ensure their student’s attendance may be guilty of an infraction and can be punished as follows: $100 for first conviction; $250 for second conviction; $500 for third conviction; Rather than a fine a parent or guardian may be placed in parent education or counseling program; $1,000 for willful violation of a court order directing that student must be enrolled in school or program. [EC 48293]

• Truancy

The state defines three levels of truancy, each carrying more severe penalties for both the student and the parents or guardians. The three are truant, chronic truant and habitual truant.

Truant: A student is truant after missing three days of school or three 30-minute periods without a valid excuse.

Habitual Truant: If a student is truant three or more times in a school year and an effort is made to meet with parents, then the student is a habitual truant.

Chronic Truant: A chronically truant student has missed 10 percent or more school days in a school year.

Interventions: Students who are habitually truant, miss a lot of school or disorderly can be referred to a student attendance review board (SARB), a district attorney mediation program, or the county probation department. Through these programs the student can be given guidance to meet special needs for improving attendance or improving school behavior. The goal is to intervene before a student enters the juvenile justice system or drops out.

Student Penalties: First truancy may result in a one-day weekend class. Second truancy may be a written warning from a peace officer that remains in the student’s records. Third truancy may result in assignment to an after-school or weekend program, a SARB, a probation officer, or district attorney program. A fourth truancy may result in a chance to improve attendance, but may also result in the student being placed within the jurisdiction of, and as a ward of the juvenile court. Other actions may include required community service, payment of a fine of $100, attend a truancy mediation program, and loss of driving privileges. A finding of truancy may be handled through available community services.

Parent Penalties: In Education Code; first conviction – up to $100 fine; second conviction – up to $200 fine; third – up to $500 fine. In Penal Code; parents of elementary students who are chronic truants face a fine up to $2,000; imprisonment up to one year; or both. They may also be scheduled to meet regularly with district staff and/or referred for help. It is recommended that the parent or guardian attend classes at school with the student for one day. [EC 48260, 48260.5, 48261, 48262, 48263, 48263.5, 48263.6, 48264.5, 48291, 48293, 48320; PC 270.1, 830.1; WIC 256, 258, 601, 601.3; VC 13202.7]

• Notice of Alternative Schools

California state law authorizes all school districts to provide for alternative schools. Section 58500 of the Education Code defines alternative school as a school or separate class group within a school which is operated in a manner designed to: (a) Maximize the opportunity for students to develop the positive values of self-reliance, initiative, kindness, spontaneity, resourcefulness, courage, creativity, responsibility, and joy. (b) Recognize that the best learning takes place when the student learns because of his desire to learn. (c) Maintain a learning situation maximizing student self-motivation and encouraging the student in his own time to follow his own interests. These interests may be conceived by him totally and independently or may result in whole or in part from a presentation by his teachers of choices of learning projects. (d) Maximize the opportunity for teachers, parents and students to cooperatively develop the learning process and its subject matter. This opportunity shall be a continuous, permanent process. (e) Maximize the opportunity for the students, teachers, and parents to continuously react to the changing world, including but not limited to the community in which the school is located.

In the event any parent, pupil, or teacher is interested in further information concerning alternative schools, the county superintendent of schools, the administrative office of this district, and the principal's office in each attendance unit have copies of the law available for your information. This law particularly authorizes interested persons to request the governing board of the district to establish alternative school programs in each district. [EC 58501]