Attendance Laws

In accordance with the South Carolina School Attendance Law, The School District of Greenville County has adopted uniform rules to assure students attend school regularly. Each day that students are not in school, they miss hours of valuable instruction and opportunities for learning they will not have again. Students are responsible for tracking their attendance in order to ensure they receive credit for all of their courses. There is no guarantee of Seat Time Recovery so students should strive to be in each class on time.

Students are counted present only when they are actually in classes at least one-half of the class period, are on homebound instruction, or are present at an activity authorized by the school principal. The official record of attendance in class will be recorded by the teacher.

The school year consists of two 90-day semesters. To receive credit in 90-day semester courses, students must attend at least 85 days of each 90-day semester course as well as meet all of the minimum requirements for each course. ANY UNEXCUSED ABSENCE IN EXCESS OF FIVE DAYS MAY CAUSE THE STUDENT TO LOSE CREDIT FOR THE COURSE. ALL ABSENCES IN EXCESS OF 5 DAYS MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A MEDICAL NOTE, PARENT NOTES WILL NOT BE EXCUSED. 

For a 180-day course, the student must attend at least 170 days of each school year to receive credit as well as meet all of the minimum requirements for each course. ANY UNEXCUSED ABSENCE IN EXCESS OF TEN DAYS MAY CAUSE THE STUDENT TO LOSE CREDIT FOR THE COURSE. ALL ABSENCES IN EXCESS OF 10 DAYS MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A MEDICAL NOTE, PARENT NOTES WILL NOT BE EXCUSED. 

Lawful absences include but are not limited to:

• absences caused by a student's own illness and whose attendance in school would endanger his or her health or the health of others

• absences due to an illness or death in the student's immediate family (Order of service or Obituary will be used for verification)

• absences due to a recognized religious holiday of the student's faith

• absences due to activities that are approved in advance by the principal

Truancy

According to SC Law, a student under the age of 17 is considered truant when the student has three (3) consecutive, or a total of five (5) ALL DAY UNEXCUSED absences. The attendance office will work with the student and parents to secure medical and parents notes. If notes are not secured, a conference with attendance will be required.

College Visit Absences

When a Junior or Senior student has a college visit, they must submit documentation upon return. The documentation must be ON COLLEGE LETTERHEAD that includes the student's name and the date of the visit. College admissions offices may email the documentation to brittanyjones@greenville.k12.sc.us .

Juniors and Seniors are allowed 3 days per year for college visits.