Attendance Laws

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/UNLAWFUL ABSENCE IN EXCESS OF FIVE DAYS MAY CAUSE THE STUDENT TO LOSE CREDIT FOR THE COURSE.

Lawful Absences:

• Absences caused by a student’s illness and whose attendance in school would endanger his or her health or the health of others. These absences must be verified by a physician statement within three (3) days of the student’s return to school.

• Absences due to an illness or death in the student’s immediate family verified by a statement from the parent within three (3) days of the student’s return to school.

• Absences due to a recognized religious holiday of the student’s faith when approved in advance. Such requests must be made to the principal in writing.

• Absences for students whose parents/guardians are experiencing a military deployment. Specifically absences when the parent or legal guardian of a student is an active duty member of the uniformed services and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or immediately returned from deployment to a combat zone or combat support posting, shall be excused as long as such absences are reasonable in duration as deemed by the principal so that the student can visit with his or her parent or legal guardian relative to such leave or deployment of the parent or legal guardian.

•  Absences due to activities that are approved in advance by the principal. This would include absences for extreme hardships. Such approval should be prearranged when possible.

Unlawful Absences:

• Absences of a student without the knowledge of his or her parents

• Absences of a student without acceptable cause with the knowledge of his or her parents

• Suspension is not to be counted as an unlawful absence for truancy purposes

*A written excuse for a student's absence must be turned in within 3 days of a student's return to school.* 

Truancy:

• Although the state requires students to only attend 170 of the 180-day school year, parents and students should be aware that SC Code of Regulations - Chapter 43-274 stipulates that a child ages 6 to 17 years is considered truant when the child has three consecutive unlawful absences OR a total of five unlawful absences during the school year.  

• If your student becomes truant, you will receive an automated phone call from Parent Backpack. You will receive a call to schedule a Truancy/Attendance Intervention Plan conference. This conference may be done over the phone or in person at school.  If additional unexcused absences continue after the intervention plan, the student will be referred to a district level Attendance Supervisor.