Compulsory Attendance Procedures
Whenever a student fails to report to school on a regularly scheduled school day and no information has been received by school personnel that the student’s parent is aware of and supports the absence, or the parent provides a reason for the absence that is unacceptable to the school administration, the school principal, principal’s designee, attendance officer or other school personnel or volunteer notifies the parent by phone, email or other electronic means to obtain an explanation. School staff records the student’s absence for each day as “excused” or “unexcused”. Early intervention with the student and the parent or parents takes place for repeated unexcused absences.
Upon Fifth Absence Without Parental Awareness and Support
If (1) a student fails to report to school for a total of five scheduled school days for the school year, and (2) there is no indication that the student’s parent is aware of and supports the absence; and (3) a reasonable effort to notify the parent has failed, then the principal or principal’s designee makes a reasonable effort to ensure that direct contact is made with the parent in person, through telephone conversation, or through the use of other communication devices to obtain an explanation for the student’s absence and to explain to the parent the consequences of continued nonattendance. The school principal or principal’s designee, the student, and the student’s parent shall jointly develop a plan to resolve the student’s nonattendance. Such plan shall include documentation of the reasons for the student’s nonattendance.
Upon Additional Absences Without Parental Awareness and Support
If the student is absent for more than one additional day after direct contact with the student’s parent and school personnel have received no indication that the student’s parent is aware of and supports the student’s absence, the school principal or principal’s designee shall schedule a conference with the student, the student’s parent and school personnel. Such conference may include the attendance officer and other community service providers to resolve issues related to the student’s nonattendance. The conference shall be held no later than 10 school days after the tenth absence of the student, regardless of whether the student’s parent approves of the conference. The conference team shall monitor the student’s attendance and may meet again as necessary to address concerns and plan additional interventions if attendance does not improve.
In circumstances in which the parent is intentionally noncompliant with compulsory attendance requirements or the student is resisting parental efforts to comply with compulsory attendance requirements, the principal or principal’s designee shall make a referral to the attendance officer. The attendance officer shall schedule a conference with the student and student’s parent within 10 school days and may (i) file a complaint with the juvenile and domestic relations district court alleging the student is a child in need of supervision as defined in Va. Code § 16.1-228 or (ii) institute proceedings against the parent pursuant to Va. Code § 18.2-371 or § 22.1-262. In filing a complaint against the student, the attendance officer shall provide written documentation of the efforts to comply with the provisions of this policy. In the event that both parents have been awarded joint physical custody pursuant to Va. Code § 20-124.2 and the school has received notice of such order, both parents shall be notified at the last known addresses of the parents.
Report for Suspension of Driver’s License
In addition to any other actions taken pursuant to this policy, if a student who is under 18 years of age has 10 or more unexcused absences from school on consecutive school days, a school official may notify the juvenile and domestic relations court, which may take action to suspend the student’s driver’s license.