Attendance

• A student who accumulates five (5) unexcused absences or tardies in a semester is considered truant. Louisiana law requires the school to refer the student to the Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance for additional support. If a student is identified as truant, state law also requires the parent/guardian to work with the school to help the student get back on track. This may include ensuring the student completes missed work through after-school tutoring, weekend make-up classes, or other learning opportunities provided by the school. Parents/guardians may also be asked to attend regular meetings with school staff to monitor the student's progress and support a successful return to consistent attendance.

Excused absences are not considered for purposes of truancy, including absences incurred due to extenuating circumstances and will not be counted against students in determining whether a student meets attendance requirements regarding truancy and/or instructional minutes.

The excused absences are defined in the attendance policy as the following:

• Extended personal physical or emotional illness as verified by a physician or nurse practitioner licensed in the state.
• Extended hospital stay as verified by a physician or nurse practitioner licensed in the state.
• Extended recuperation from an accident as verified by a physician or nurse practitioner licensed in the state.
• Extended contagious disease within a family in which a student is absent as verified by a dentist or physician licensed in the state.
• Quarantine due to prolonged exposure to or direct contact with a person diagnosed with a contagious, deadly disease, as ordered by state or local health officials.
• Observance of special and recognized holidays of the student’s own faith with documentation provided.
• Visitation with an immediate family member who is a member of the United States Armed Forces or the National Guard of a state and such immediate family member has been called to duty for or is on leave from overseas deployment to a combat zone or combat support posting with proper documentation. These absences shall not exceed five days per school year.
• Travel for educational purposes. These absences must be approved prior to the travel with the supporting documentation submitted to the principal. Verification of the educational experience must be submitted upon return to school.
• Death in the immediate family with documentation. These absences shall not exceed five days.
• National catastrophe and/or disaster.
• A student may be absent related to the student’s mental health for up to three (3) days in a school year, and such absences shall be excused when certified in writing by a psychiatrist, psychologist, medical doctor, licensed clinical social worker, or licensed nurse practitioner. The student shall be given the opportunity to make up missed work. Upon the return to school following the second day of mental health absence in any school year, the student shall be referred to the appropriate school support personnel for guidance in addressing the underlying issue, which may include referral to medical services outside of the school setting.
• Student personal illness or serious illness in the family. Parents are allowed to submit up to three (3) parent-written excuses per semester to be considered excused. If a student is absent for up to three (3) days due to the same illness (such as the flu), those absences will count as one parent-written excuse toward the three (3) parent- written notes allowed per semester. If a student is absent for more than three (3) consecutive days, a doctor’s note must be provided to excuse the absence.
• Pregnant and parenting students at a minimum of 10 days after the birth of a child as verified by a physician or nurse practitioner licensed in the state.

• Any absence not meeting the requirements set forth in the excused absence definition, including but not limited to absences due to any job (including agriculture and domestic services, even in their own homes or for their own parents or tutors) unless it is part of an approved instructional program. Unexcused absences are considered for truancy and count against the student when determining whether the student meets the instructional minutes required by law.

• Absence in which a student is not in attendance in the regular instructional setting due to disciplinary actions imposed by the school. The absence is not considered for purposes of truancy unless the student was assigned to an alternative site and is not in attendance at the assigned alternative site. Unexcused absences are considered for truancy and count against the student when determining whether the student meets the instructional minutes required by law.

• The mandatory minimum amount of instructional time (minutes or hours) a student must be physically present in a classroom to earn academic credit. Students who have more than five (5) unexcused absences or tardies may be allowed to make up missed seat time held outside of the regular school day. The makeup sessions must be completed before the end of the current semester for high school students and the end of the year for elementary/junior high students.

• Excuses for all absences (including tardies/check-outs) must be presented in writing to the school principal or designee within five (5) school days of their absence. The note must include the student’s full name, days of absence, reason for absence and/or doctor’s verification, parent/guardian signature and date of the note written by the parent or guardian. Failure to send the note within five (5) school days of the absence will result in an unexcused absence. Parents are allowed to submit up to three (3) parent- written excuses per semester to be considered excused. If a student is absent for up to three (3) days due to the same illness (such as the flu), those absences will count as one parent- written excuse toward the three (3) parent- written notes allowed per semester. If a student is absent for more than three (3) consecutive days, a doctor’s note must be provided to excuse the absence.