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FILE: JBD |
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Cf: JB, JBA, JBF |
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STUDENT ABSENCES AND EXCUSES |
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The Livingston Parish School Board recognizes that the fundamental
right to attend the public schools places upon students the
accompanying responsibility to be faithful in attendance.
Regular attendance can be assumed to be essential for a student's
successful progress in the
instructional program. A student is considered to be in attendance
when he or she (1) is physically present at a school site or
is participating in an authorized school activity and (2) is under the supervision of authorized personnel. |
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This
definition for attendance would extend to students who are
homebound, assigned to and participating in drug rehabilitation
programs that contain a state-approved education component, or
participating in school-authorized field trips. |
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Half-day attendance - A
student is considered to be in attendance for one-half day when he
or she (1) is physically present at a school site or is
participating in an authorized school activity and (2) is under the
supervision of authorized personnel for more than 25% but not more
than half of the student's instructional day. |
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Whole-day attendance - A
student is considered to be in attendance for a whole day when he or
she (1) is physically present at a school site or is participating
in an authorized school activity and (2) is under the supervision of
authorized
personnel for more than 50% of the student's instructional day. |
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Compulsory attendance laws require elementary students to be present
a minimum of 160 days to be eligible to receive credit for courses
taken. Secondary students shall be required to be present a minimum
of 80 days per semester to be eligible to receive credit for courses
taken. |
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All schools shall keep daily records of attendance. Each school
shall attempt to provide verbal notification to a child's parent,
tutor, or legal guardian, and, if such verbal notification cannot be
provided, then the school shall provide written notification to a
child's parent, tutor, or legal guardian when that child has been
absent from school for five (5) school days in schools operating on
a semester basis, and for ten (10) days in schools not operating on
a semester basis. The accumulation of days absent need not be
consecutive. |
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For a student to be eligible to receive credit and make up work
during an absence, the student shall be required in each instance to
submit parental confirmation of the reasons for the absence.
Unexcused students shall not be given points in any graded activity
conducted during the unexcused absence, and shall not be given an
opportunity to make up the work missed. |
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Students shall be considered temporarily excused from school for
personal illness, serious illness in the family, death in the family
(not to exceed one week), or for recognized religious holidays of
the student's own faith and shall be given the opportunity to make
up work provided that in each instance parental confirmation has
been received, giving the reason for the absence. |
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Excused absences can only be granted in the event of extenuating
circumstances as outlined below. School personnel may require
certificates from participating physicians and dentists
substantiating all illnesses. Written evidence from church
authorities relative to requiring religious observances may also be
required. |
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Students missing school as result of any suspension shall be counted
as absent, shall be given failing grades for those days suspended,
provided the graded activity was conducted during the suspension,
and shall not be given an opportunity to make up work missed during
the suspension. |
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No public elementary or secondary school pupil shall be permitted
for any reason to absent himself/herself from school attendance
during the school day upon his/her own authority. The
principal or designee shall make all reasonable efforts to verbally
notify the parent or other person responsible for the pupil's school
attendance of any such prohibited absence by a pupil. |
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EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES |
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Only the following shall be considered extenuating circumstances
under which absences shall be exempt from provisions of
compulsory attendance laws: |
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1. |
Extended
personal physical or emotional illness as verified by a |
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physician or
dentist |
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2.. |
Extended
hospital stay as verified by a physician or dentist |
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3. |
Extended
recuperation from an accident as verified by a physician
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or dentist |
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4.
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Extended
contagious disease within a family as verified by a |
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physician or
dentist |
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5. |
Prior school
system approved travel for education |
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6. |
Death in the
family (not to exceed one week) |
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7. |
Natural
catastrophe and/or disaster |
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8. |
For any other
extenuating circumstances, parents must make a |
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formal appeal
in accordance with the due process procedures |
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established
by the school system. |
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In accordance with state law, students absent for other reasons
besides those listed as excused shall be given unexcused absences
and shall not be given opportunities to make up work. |
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ABSENCES DUE TO SCHOOL APPROVED ACTIVITIES |
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Students participating in school approved activities which
necessitate their being away from school shall be considered to be
present and shall be given the opportunity to make up work. |
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| TYPES
OF ABSENCES |
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The days absent for elementary and secondary school students shall
include temporarily excused absences, unexcused absences, and
suspensions. |
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Temporarily Excused Absences |
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Students shall be considered temporarily excused from school for
personal illness, serious illness in the family, death in the family
(not to exceed one week), or for recognized religious holidays of
the student's own faith and shall be given the opportunity to make
up work. |
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Unexcused Absences |
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Students shall not be
excused for any absence other than those listed under
temporarily excused absences above, and shall not be given
points for any graded assignment, and
shall not be given an opportunity to make up work. |
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Students shall not be excused from school to work on any job
including agriculture and domestic service, even in their own homes
or for their own parents or tutors. |
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Absences Due to Suspensions |
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Students missing school
as a result of any suspension shall be counted as absent, shall be
given failing grades for those days suspended, and shall not be
given an opportunity to make up work. |
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| EXCUSES |
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If a student is tardy or absent, the parent or guardian must submit
a written excuse, signed and dated, to school authorities upon the
student's return to classes, stating the reason for the student's
absence from school. A doctor's written statement of student's
incapacity to attend school is acceptable. All excuses for a
student's absence, including physician's verification of extended
personal illness, must be presented within five (5) school days of
the student's return to school, or the student's absence shall be
considered unexcused and the student not allowed to make up work
missed. |
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| Ref:: La. Rev.
Stat. Ann. §§17:221, 17:226, 17:227, 17:232; Louisiana
Handbook for School Administrators. Bulletin 741, Louisiana
Department of Education; Board minutes, 6-77, 1-80,9-91. |