Adoption Date: 9/24/2024

History: 2/11/25 (reviewed), 3/11/25 (reviewed), 8/12/25 (updated), 2/10/26 (updated)

Daily, punctual attendance is an integral part of the learning experience. The education that goes on in the classroom builds from day to day and absences can cause disruption in the educational progress of the absent student. Irregular attendance or tardiness by students not only limits their own studies, but also interferes with the progress of those students who are regular and prompt in attendance. Attendance is a shared responsibility that requires cooperation and communication among students, parents and the school.

Chronic Absenteeism

When a student meets the threshold to be considered chronically absent, the administration will send notice by mail or e-mail to the county attorney where the district’s central office is located. The administration will also notify the student, or if a minor, the student’s parent, guardian or legal or actual custodian via U.S. Mail, electronic mail, electronic message or in person delivery and include information related to the student’s absences from school and the policies and disciplinary processes associated with additional absences.

School Engagement Meeting

If a student is absent from school for at least fifteen percent of the hours in the grading period, the administration will attempt to find the cause of the absences. If the administration determines that the child’s absences are negatively affecting the child’s academic progress, the administration will start and participate in a school engagement meeting. All of the following individuals must participate in the school engagement meeting:

• The student;
• The student’s parent, guardian or legal or actual custodian if the student is an unemancipated minor; and
• A school official

The purposes of the meeting is to understand the reasons for the student’s absences and attempt to remove barriers to the student’s ongoing absences; and to create and sign an absenteeism prevention plan.

Absenteeism Prevention Plan

The absenteeism prevention plan will identify the causes of the student’s absences and the future responsibilities of each participant. The school official will contact the student and student’s parent/guardian at least once per week for the remainder of the school year to monitor the performance of the student and the student’s parent/guardian under the plan. If the student and student’s parent/guardian do not attend the meeting, do not enter into a plan or violate the terms of the plan, the county attorney may initiate a legal proceeding.

Absences

A student is considered absent if they are not physically on school grounds or are not participating in a required school-directed activity under the direction, supervision, or instructional guidance of educational staff at an approved off-grounds location (ie. a class field trip). It is understood that students will be absent for a variety of reasons, including illness, family activities, vacations, dentist/medical appointments, funerals, etc. Parents should notify schools of the reason for the absence.

The following absence types will not count towards student chronic absenteeism and will be coded as excused in Infinite Campus:

1. Absences related to illness or medical appointment a. After a student reaches eight (8) absences related to illness or medical appointments, parents/ guardians will be required to provide documentation for the medical absence(s) to continue to be considered excused
2. Absences related to a family medical emergency
3. Absences while attending religious services or receiving religious instruction
   1. Religious services may include but are not limited to holiday services, weddings, funerals
      or other celebrations of life, and other rite of passage religious services.
   2. For religious instruction:
      1. A parent must submit a notification informing the school that the child will be attending religious instruction during the day, indicating the days and times that the student will be absent.
      2. The student cannot be absent for more that 5 hours a week for religious instruction.
      3. The organization providing religious instruction must maintain attendance records and provide to the school upon request.
      4. The student must make up any school work not completed while attending religious instruction.
4. Absences excused for sufficient reason by any court of record or judge
5. Absences related to an Individualized Education Program (IEP) that affects attendance
6. Absences related to a Section 504 plan under the Federal Rehabilitation Act that affects attendance
7. Absences related to military service, military entrance processing.
8. Absences related to reasonable travel time for attendance at a wedding or funeral as determined by the building administrator.
9. Absences related to college visits for high school students, as these are considered part of our educational program.

Any absence that does not fall into one of the above categories will appear as unexcused in Infinite Campus and will count toward student chronic absenteeism as explained below.

Process for addressing absenteeism:

• Schools will send notifications to guardians when a student has reached the 5%, 10%, and 15% absenteeism threshold for the grading period (See chart below).
• State law requires a notification be sent to the guardian when a student has reached 10% absenteeism in a grading period. In addition, the school is required by law to notify the county attorney.
• When a student reaches 15% absenteeism in a grading period, a School Engagement meeting is required by Iowa law if the school administration determine that the student’s absences are negatively impacting academic progress. An Absenteeism Prevention Plan will be created at the School Engagement meeting. The goal of this plan is to work together to resolve absenteeism, address attendance barriers, and assist the student in attending school.
• If the student and/or the student’s guardian fails to attend a required School Engagement Meeting, fails to enter into an Absenteeism Prevention Plan, or does not meet the terms of the Absenteeism Prevention Plan, Iowa law provides that the county attorney may initiate a legal proceeding.

	Grading Period	5% Absenteeism	10% Absenteeism	15% Absenteeism
Elementary	Term (60 days)	3 days	6 days	9 days
Middle School	Quarter (45 days)	2.25 days	4.5 days	6.75 days
High School	Trimester (60 days)	3 days	6 days	9 days

 

Additional information about chronic absenteeism is available in student handbooks and on the district’s website at https://www.iowacityschools.org/students-families/attendance.

 

Policy References:

Legal References:

Iowa Code § 294.4

Iowa Code § 299

281 I.A.C. 12.3

28 C.F.R. 35

34 C.F.R. Pt. 300

Cross Reference

501.9     Chronic Absenteeism and Truancy