5113 - 5113.2 - Attendance Excused Absences Truancy

 5113/5113.2 

Students 

5113 - Attendance, Excused Absences, Truancy 

The Board of Education (Board) recognizes that regular attendance in school is fundamental to a child’s success and achievement. Classroom learning experiences are the basis for public school education. Time lost from class is lost instructional opportunity and is irretrievable. The Board requires that accurate records be kept of the attendance of each child, and the students should not be absent from school without parental knowledge and consent. 

Connecticut state law requires parents to cause their children, ages five through eighteen inclusive, to attend school regularly during the hours and terms the public school is in session. Parents or persons having control of a child five years of age have the option of not sending the child to school until ages six or seven. The responsibility for regular attendance rests with the students, parents, guardians or with the students themselves when they become of legal age. Mandatory attendance terminates upon graduation or withdrawal with written parent/guardian consent at age seventeen. In order to exercise the above described options of delaying school entry or withdrawing a child from school, parents or other persons shall follow the procedures set out in Board Policy 5111-5112, Admission and Placement. 

A student is considered to be “in attendance” if present at his/her assigned school, or at an activity sponsored by the school (e.g., field trip), for at least half of the regular school day. A student who is serving an out-of-school suspension or expulsion should always be considered absent. A student not meeting the definition of “in attendance” shall be considered absent. 

At the beginning of each school year, and upon enrollment of a student during the school year, the building Principal shall notify parent(s)/guardian(s) of the obligation to assure that their children attend school or show that they are enrolled elsewhere receiving an equivalent education. Further, at the beginning of the school year and upon enrollment of a student during the school year, the building principal shall request from the parent(s)/guardian(s) a telephone number or other means of contacting such parent(s)/guardian(s) (or such other person) during the school day. 

Definitions 

Truant: A child age five to eighteen, inclusive, who is enrolled in a public or private school and has four unexcused absences from school in any one month or ten unexcused absences from school in any school year. 

Chronically absent child: An enrolled student whose total number of absences at any time during a school year is equal to or greater than ten percent of the total number of days that such student has been enrolled at such school during such school year. 

Absence: An excused absence, unexcused absence or disciplinary absence, as those terms are defined by the State Board of Education pursuant to CGS 10-198b or an in-school suspension that is greater than or equal to one-half of a school day. 

District chronic absenteeism rate: The total number of chronically absent children in the 

previous school year divided by the total number of children enrolled in such school for such school year. 

School chronic absenteeism rate: The total number of chronically absent children for a school in the previous year divided by the total number of children enrolled in such school for such school year. 

Excused Absence 

A student’s absence from school shall be considered “excused” if written documentation of the reason for such absence has been submitted within ten (10) school days of the student’s return to school and meets the following criteria: 

1. For absences one through nine, a student’s absences from school are considered “excused” when the student’s parent/guardian approves such absence and submits appropriate documentation to school officials. (Documentation includes a signed note from the student’s parent/guardian, a signed note from a school official that spoke in person to the parent/guardian regarding the absence, or a note confirming the absence by the school nurse or by a licensed medical professional, as appropriate). 

A note is required for each incident of absence. An incident of absence is set of consecutive school days absent without any intermittent return to school. For example, three school days of consecutive absences is an incident of absence and requires one note. However, if a student is out three days, two consecutive school days, returns to school for one day and is out a third school day, two notes are required as this is two incidences of absence. One note will be acceptable only if the series of absences share a common cause. Notes must be be signed by the parent/guardian or other person having control of the student, state the reason for the absence and indicate the dates and number of days of absence from school. An email or text messages will not satisfy the note requirement. Anyone who cannot comply with the written note requirement due to difficulty with writing (i.e. Non-English language speaker/individual with a disability) shall contact the School Principal to discuss accommodations. 

2. A student’s engagement in remote classes, remote meetings, activities on time-logged electronic systems, and completion and submission of assignments, if such engagement accounts for not less than one-half of the school day during remote learning is excluded from the definitions of “excused absence” and “unexcused absence.” 

3. Absence resulting from a student enrolled in grades K-12, taking two mental health days during the school year. Such absence is to permit the student to attend to his/her emotional and psychological well-being in lieu of attending school. 

The student shall not be required to present documentation or parental/guardian consent. For purposes of school year limitation, such absence shall be identified as a “mental health wellness day.” 

A student cannot take these mental health days during consecutive school days. 

4. For the tenth absence and all absences thereafter, a student’s absences from school are considered excused for the following reasons:

a. Illness or injury (must be verified by a licensed medical professional to be deemed excused, regardless of the length of the absence); 

b. Death in the student’s family/ attendance at funeral, or other emergency beyond the control of the student’s family. 

c. Student’s observance of religious holiday 

d. Mandated court appearance of the student with appropriate legal documentation within two (2) days, 

e. The lack of transportation that is normally provided by a district other than the one the student attends (no parental documentation required) 

f. Extraordinary educational opportunities pre-approved by District Administration and to be in accordance with the Connecticut State of Education guidance. 

5. A student’s absence from school shall be considered unexcused unless: 

a. The absence meets the definition of an excused absence and meets the documentation requirements; or 

b. The absence meets the definition of a disciplinary absence, which is the result of school or District disciplinary action and are excluded from these State Board of Education approved definitions. 

When the school in which a child receives no notification from a parent, or other person having control of the child, is aware of the child’s absence, a reasonable effort shall be made by school personnel or volunteers under the direction of school personnel to notify by telephone and by mail such parent or other persons having control of the child. 

The required mailed notice shall include a warning that two unexcused absences from school in one month or five unexcused absences in a school year may result in a complaint filed with the Superior Court alleging the belief that the acts or omissions of the child are such that the child’s family is a family with service needs. 

Responsibility for completion of missed classwork lies with the student, not the teacher. Unless a student has an extended illness, all make-up work will be complete within five days after the student returns to school.

Excused Absences for Children of Service Members 

An enrolled student, age five to eighteen, inclusive, whose parent or legal guardian is an active duty member of the armed forces, as defined in section 27-103, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from deployment to a combat zone or combat support posting, shall be granted ten days of excused absences in any school year and, at the discretion of the Board of Education, additional excused absences to visit such child’s parent or legal guardian with respect to such leave or deployment of the parent or legal guardian. In the case of such excused absences such child and parent or legal guardian shall be responsible to obtaining assignments from the student’s teacher prior to any period of excused absence, and for ensuring that such assignments are completed by such child prior to his or her return to school from such period of excused absence. 

Chronic Absenteeism 

The Board of Education, in compliance with statute, requires the establishment of 

attendance review teams when chronic absenteeism rates in the District or at individual schools in the District meet the following circumstances: 

1. A team for the District must be established when the District chronic absenteeism rate is 10 percent or higher. 

2. A team for the school must be established when the school chronic absenteeism rate is 15 percent or higher. 

3. A team for either the District or each school must be established when (a) more than one school in the District has a school chronic absenteeism rate of 15 percent or higher or (b) a District has a District chronic absenteeism rate of 10 percent or higher and one or more schools in the District have a school chronic absenteeism rate of 15 percent or higher. 

The membership of attendance review teams may consist of school administrators, guidance counselors, school social workers, teachers, chronically absent children, parents or guardians of chronically absent children, and representatives from community-based programs who address issues related to student attendance by providing programs and services to truants. 

Each attendance review team shall be responsible for reviewing the cases of truants and chronically absent children, discussing school interventions and community referrals for such truants and chronically absent children and making any additional recommendations for such truants and chronically absent children and their parents or guardians. Each established attendance review team shall meet at least monthly. 

(The District shall utilize the chronic absenteeism prevention and intervention plan developed by the State Department of Education when it becomes available. By 1/1/16) 

The District shall annually include information for the strategic school profile report for each school and the District that is submitted to the Commissioner of Education, data pertaining to truancy and chronically absent children. 

Dismissal 

No school, grade, or class may be dismissed before the regularly scheduled dismissal time without the approval of the Superintendent or his/her designee. 

No teacher may permit any individual student to leave school prior to the regular hour of dismissal without the permission of the Principal. 

No student may be permitted to leave school at any time other than the regular dismissal without the approval of the student’s parent/guardian. If a court official with legal permission to take custody of a child, or if a police officer arrests a student, the parent/guardian should be notified of these situations by the administration. 

Consequences 

In Grades K - 12, the Board of Education authorizes disciplinary action and or the loss of credit for unsatisfactory attendance. Disciplinary penalties for tardiness in accordance with administrative regulations may also be imposed. 

Release of Student During School Day 

The Board recognizes the need for students to be in school for the full instructional day. It is encouraged that early dismissal should be requested only in emergency or unusual situations. 

Request for release of a student during the school day originating outside the schools must be handled by the administration to ensure maximum provisions for the safety and welfare of the student. 

Dismissal before the normal end of the school day must be requested in writing. 

Students who become ill during the school day may be excused by the school nurse, and transportation home will be arranged by school personnel with the parents. 

Truancy 

The Board must provide each child with a continuing education which will prepare the student to assume adult roles and responsibilities. Therefore, regular attendance and punctuality are expected from all children enrolled in our schools. By statute, responsibility for assuring that students attend school rests with the parent(s) or other person having control of the child. Every effort must be made to keep absences and tardiness to a minimum. To assist parent(s) and others in meeting this responsibility, the Board will: 

1. Annually notify parents or other person having control of each child enrolled, ages five (5) to eighteen (18), inclusive in writing of the obligations of the parent pursuant to student attendance (C.G.S. 10-184). 

2. Obtain from each parent or other persons having control of an enrolled child a telephone number or other means of contacting such parent or other person during the school day. 

3. Establish a system for monitoring student’s individual absences/tardies. 

4. Make a reasonable effort to notify, by telephone and by mail the parent(s) or other such person(s) whenever a child fails to report to school on a regularly scheduled school day and no indication has been received by school personnel that the child's parent or other person is aware of the student's absence. 

5. Identify a student as “truant” when the student has four (4) unexcused absences in anyone month or ten (10) unexcused absences in any school year. 

6. Hold a meeting with appropriate staff and the parent or other person having control of the child identified as a “truant” within ten (10) days of such designation to review the reasons for the truant behavior and to evaluate the situation. 

7. Consider whether a referral will be made to the PPT to determine if an educational evaluation is appropriate or whether referral to another school support team is appropriate. 

8. Provide for the coordination of services and refer enrolled students who are truants to community agencies providing child and family services. 

9. On or before August 15, 2018, implement the truancy intervention model identified by the Department of Education for any school in the District that has a disproportionately high rate of truancy, as determined by the Commissioner. 

10. Annually, include data pertaining to truancy and chronically absent children in 

information for the strategic school profile report for each school and the District that is submitted to the Commissioner of Education. 

11. Provide notice to the parents/guardian the information concerning the 2-1-1 Infoline and other pediatric mental and behavioral health screening sources and tools provided by the State Department of Education.

A student who is identified as a “truant” may be subject to the following consequences: 

1. Promotion to the next grade may be contingent upon the student successfully completing a summer school program. 

2. The student may be retained in the same grade in order to acquire the skills necessary for promotion to the next grade level 

Persons who in good faith give or fail to give notice pursuant to subdivision (4) above, shall be immune from any liability, civil or criminal, which might otherwise be incurred or imposed and shall have immunity with respect to any judicial proceeding which results from such notice or failure to give notice. 

Legal Reference: 

Connecticut General Statutes 

10-184 Duties of parents 

10-185 Penalty 

10-198a Policies and procedures concerning truants 

10-198b State Board of Education to define “excused absence,” “unexcused absence,” and “disciplinary absence” (as amended by PA 21-46, Section 19 

10-198c Attendance review teams 

10-198d Chronic absenteeism prevention and intervention plan 

45a-8c Truancy clinic. Administration. Policies and procedures. Report. 

PA 15-225 An Act Concerning Chronic Absenteeism 

PA 16-147 An Act Concerning the Recommendations of the Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee 

10-199 through 10-202 Attendance, truancy in general 

10-220(c) Duties of Boards of Education 

10-221(b) Board of Education to prescribe rules 

Campbell v New Milford, 193 Conn 93 (1984). 

Action taken by State Board of Education on Jan. 2, 2008,” to define “attendance” 

Action taken by State Board of Education on June 27, 2012, to define "excused" and "unexcused" absences 

PA 21-46 An Act Concerning Social Equity and the Health, Safety and Education of Children 

PA 22-47 An Act Concerning Children’s Mental Health 

Policy Adopted: March 28, 2013 

Policy Revised: March 24, 2016; August 13, 2020; November 18 2021; December 8, 2022