Attendance/Tardiness Policy
Dear Parents/Guardians,
As we begin this school year, we look forward to working with you to ensure your child’s success. You play a vital role in your child’s life both in and outside of school. Excellent school attendance paves the way for academic achievement. The LAUSD goal is for all students to attend school 96% of the time or better, having no more than 5-7 absences per school year. Please ensure that your child attends every day, on time and for the full length of the school day.
Please ensure that your child attends school every day, on time and for the full length of the school day. In accordance with state law, absences from school will be excused for:
- Illness or medical/dental appointments
- Funeral services (for an immediate family member; 1 day within California, 3 days out of state).
Absences for any other reason(s) will be unexcused. Upon your child’s return from any absence, please submit a note to the school office. If a note is not received within 10 days following the absence, the absence will be marked as unverified.
Unverified or unexcused absences may result in your child being classified as truant. Truancy is defined by the State of California as any student with 3 unexcused absences or tardies in excess of 30 minutes or combination thereof in one school year. California Education Code section (E.C.) 48260 requires school districts to notify parents when their child is classified as truant. LAUSD has automated the Initial Truancy Letter to notify parents/guardians in a timely manner.
Here are some suggestions to help you and your child establish positive attendance habits:
- Create morning and evening routines
- Make sure your child gets enough sleep and a nutritious breakfast each day
- Schedule all appointments for your child after school, on weekends or during student’s vacation or holidays, if possible
- Post school calendars and schedules in a visible place
- Plan family vacations for non-school days only
- Help your child develop a positive attitude toward school and learning by encouraging him/her to participate in school activities
- Communicate often with your child’s teachers and request assignments missed during absences
- Please inform us of any issues that may be affecting your child’s attendance, including chronic health conditions
We look forward to partnering with you to make sure that your child is successful at school. We are available to offer support and guidance to address any issues that prevent your child from attending school regularly.
* Never leave campus without going through the Health Office or Attendance Office.
Tardies:
District policy states; “Tardies are marked as excused, unexcused or truant. The time that a tardy student arrived is to be documented in every instance. The C.C.R. Title 5, Section 306, requires that parents/guardians write a note of explanation when they have knowledge of their student’s tardiness. Students are required to provide excuses if they are tardy to class due to school business. Any unexcused tardy in excess of 30 minutes will be counted toward truancy. Three tardies in excess of 30 minutes constitute a truancy and can be counted in combination with whole day truancy to establish truant and habitual truant status.”
- 1st tardy warning
- 2nd tardy Campus Beautification
- 3rd tardy “U” in Cooperation
- 4th tardy After School Detention
- 3 unexcused tardies will generate Truancy Letter
* Valid #1 excuses for absences or tardies are illnesses, medical appointments, funerals, religious observance, and court appearances. Everything else will be a #2.
** Tardiness is cumulative for the entire semester. All tardies marked will appear on the progress reports.