Student Attendance Policy

It is the policy of the Tuscaloosa City Board of Education that regular school attendance is important to all students, the school system, and the community. It is further believed that course content and grading procedures should be structured in such a way that regular attendance is necessary to successfully complete course requirements.

Subject to parental guidance, students must be responsible for their attendance. Administrators and teachers shall make every effort to encourage regular attendance by students and solicit assistance from parents to accomplish this objective.

Attendance

The school has a responsibility to students and parents/guardians to help encourage regular student attendance. School officials will attempt to contact parents of students who are reported absent by their homeroom teachers. Subject area teachers will record all absences on the student’s report cards for each six-week grading period. Students are responsible to see that their parents/guardian receive the report cards.

Absence from School

All absences from school shall be designated as excused or unexcused. School related absences, approved by the principal, will not count as absences. Absences resulting from suspensions will be marked as unexcused. Elementary and middle school students who accumulate ten (10) or more absences during the school year will be required to submit an official statement from the courts or a physician explaining each absence for the remainder of the school year. High school students who accumulate five (5) or more absences during the term will be required to submit an official statement from the courts or a physician explaining each absence for the remainder of the term. Failure to provide an official statement from the courts or a physician will result in the absence being marked as unexcused.

There are acceptable reasons for which students may be absent from school; therefore, it may be necessary for students to be given opportunities to do make-up class assignments or tests missed because of these absences. The following reasons will be accepted in classifying excused absences
1. Personal Illness - Students who are too ill to attend school, or who are infectious/contagious to others, must have parental documentation presented to school officials.
2. Hospitalization - A hospital release form must be presented to school officials.
3. Emergency - Absence must be documented by proper authorities and be presented to school officials.
4. Death in the immediate family - Documentation from parent/guardian must be presented to school officials.
5. Court Subpoena - (City, county, state, federal) the subpoena or a statement from the courts must be presented to school officials.
6. Religious Holidays - As approved by the Tuscaloosa City Board of Education; Parental documentation must be presented to school officials.
7. Absences approved by the principal.
Make-up Work

Students absent for an excused reason shall be allowed to do make-up work at an appropriate time determined by the teacher. The student has the responsibility to request make-up work within five (5) days after returning to school. The period for make-up work may be lengthened in cases involving extended absences which are validated and excused. Students may not be given make-up work for unexcused absences such as (1) truancy as determined by the school; (2) suspension from school; or (3) detainment in a detention facility. After careful investigation of extenuating circumstances, make-up work may be considered by the principal and selected personnel.
Excessive Excused Absences

The principal is charged with the responsibility of determining whether a student is abusing excused absences. An investigation of excessive excused absences will be conducted by the principal and the attendance supervisor. If abuse is determined, the principal may require official verification of excused absences from the parents/guardians, doctors, Juvenile Court or the Department of Human Services.
Early Warning Program for Unexcused Absences

The Early Warning Program requires principals to submit a weekly report to the attendance supervisor listing the names and addresses of all students within the compulsory attendance age (7 - 16) who have five (5) or more unexcused absences. These students and parents will be referred to the Early Warning Truancy Prevention Program at the Tuscaloosa County Juvenile and Family Court. At the Early Warning Conference, the parents and students will be informed of the laws regarding the compulsory attendance and court procedures for enforcing the laws and consequences for continuous violation of the compulsory attendance law. The Alabama Compulsory Attendance Law requires children between the ages of seven and sixteen to attend school. The law also states parents/guardians having control over school-age children are responsible for the children’s regular attendance and proper conduct.
Excessive Unexcused Absences

The principal has the final authority at the school building level to make decisions regarding excessive unexcused absences in the categories listed below:
1. After an investigation has been made the principal and the attendance supervisor, a student, not mandated by the State of Alabama to attend school, who accumulates five (5) or more unexcused absences during the, term may be withdrawn for the remainder of the semester. The student will be afforded due process prior to consideration for withdrawal.
2. After an investigation has been made by the principal and/or attendance supervisor regarding unexcused absences, students in grades 9 - 12 who accumulate five (5) or more unexcused absences during a term may be denied course credit by the principal. The student will be afforded due process prior to credit denial.
3. Students who are sixteen years of age or older and who are consistently truant from school may be withdrawn from school after an investigation of the truancy has been made by the principal and the attendance supervisor.
Absence to Accompany Parents on a Trip

A student’s absence from school to accompany their parents/guardians on a trip is NOT an excused absence except as determined in advance by the principal.
Absence Due to Medical Appointments

Every effort should be made to schedule medical or dental appointments outside of school hours; however, if an exception is necessary, the student must report back to school at the appropriate time. The student must supply a statement from the doctor upon request from the principal.
Parent Excuse Covering Absences

State law requires parents/guardians to explain the reason for any absence of a student under their control or supervision. The parent/guardian must submit a written statement explaining the reason(s) for the absence within two school days after the student returns to school. If notice has not been received within the two-day time period, the student will be considered truant or absent without acceptable reason. In accordance with State Law and Board Policy, the determination of whether an absence is “excused” or “unexcused” will be made by the principal.
Tardiness

Students are required to attend school and classes on time each day. Individual schools will devise rules which will insure compliance with this regulation.
Check-Outs from School
1. Students who leave school for any reason must check out through the principal’s office.
2. Parental verification will be necessary for students to check out of school.
3. The reason for the request will determine whether the absence from any part of the school day will be excused.
4. Students with excused check-outs will be permitted to do make-up work if procedures are followed.
Dropping Out/Withdrawing from School

Students who drop out or withdraw from school during any given semester cannot return to the regular school program during the semester in which they dropped out or withdrew without official permission from the superintendent and/or designee. Pending investigation of the request, the student may be assigned to an alternative program.
Attendance Zones

School principals are responsible for determining whether students attending their school reside within their school attendance zone. If the school principals are unable to make this determination, they will request assistance from the attendance supervisor. Students must have permission from the superintendent to attend a school outside of their school zone.

Notification of Loss of Credit [Grades 9 - 12]

It is the responsibility of the principal to inform parents when students have accumulated three (3) unexcused absences and are in a danger of losing credit.

The teacher will submit to the principal names of students who have accumulated three (3) or more unexcused absences during a semester. These absences are to be calculated in homeroom and in individual classes.
The principal will notify the student and parent/guardian in writing within two school days after the student is reported by the teacher regarding the possible loss of credit.
Upon receipt of notification of the possible loss of credit, the student and parent/guardian may request a hearing with the principal regarding the absences.

Appeal of Loss of Credit [Grades 9 -12]

Students and parents/guardians have the right to appeal loss of credit resulting from unexcused or unexplained absences.

The initial appeal should be made to the principal within five (5) days after the loss of credit.
If after talking with the principal, the student and parent/guardian feel the appeal process should continue, the appeal should be made directly to the attendance supervisor within three (3) working days after that discussion.
If after talking with the attendance supervisor, the student and parent/guardian feel the appeal process should continue, the appeal should be made directly to the superintendent or designee within two (2) working days after that discussion.
The superintendent is the final authority in the appeal process unless the student and parent/guardian request a hearing with the School Board within five (5) school days after talking with the superintendent. A request for a school board hearing will be made through the superintendent’s office.

Note: ALL APPEALS MUST BE IN WRITING

School Events

The principal and the faculty will limit the number of school event-related activities to a minimum in order to add to time on instructional tasks.

Days that students miss classes because of school approved events will be marked SE (school event) in the grade book and the student will be counted as present. School approved events are those approved by the superintendent and the principal. The SE student will follow the same procedures for excused absences.

SOURCE: Tuscaloosa City Schools, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
DATE: 10/4/76
REVISED: 8/22/77
REVISED: 2/15/82
REVISED: 7/23/90
REVISED: 8/8/94
REVISED: 8/2/04

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