Attendance Message
School Attendance – Every Day Counts!
Every Day Counts in a child's education. Every day a student misses
school, he/she gets more than two days behind because he/she must make
up missed learning and catch up with new learning at the same time.
Every day a student is in school he/she increases his/her learning
opportunities. Every day a student goes to school, he/she learns a
little more about responsibility. Every day counts toward funding
for school supplies, too. A new law has changed the way schools receive
state funding. Schools can no longer receive money for excused
absences. Schools now receive funding only for students who are
actually in class. Everyday a student misses school, even for excused
absences, the school loses about $35.09 in income, the equivalent of
about three library books.
As you are aware, compulsory daily school attendance is a requirement
for all students ages 6-18. Our Superintendent, Jim Negri, along with
all District staff, is committed to continuing academic improvement in
all of our schools. Daily school attendance fosters improvement in
student achievement and the District needs your support in making sure
children come to school on a regular basis. When a student misses
school, excused or unexcused, the District loses approximately $35.09
per day for each absence. Although our attendance rate for the district
was 96% in 2006-07, the 4% of the students who did not attend school
totaled $2,203,596 in lost revenue.
The California Education Code 48205 defines school absences as either
excused or non-excused. Excused absences are generally unavoidable and
include the following:
- Illness
- Funeral services for immediate family
- Quarantine Medical/dental/eye appointments
The parent/guardian of the student must send a note and/or phone the
school to clear any of these excusable absences. Please see the student
handbook for the policy regarding making up school work and assignments
missed because of an excused absence. Failure to clear excused
absences will result in a recorded truancy on the student's permanent
record.
Non-excused absences are usually avoidable and include some of the
following examples:
- Vacation
- Parent requiring student to perform childcare
- Student's birthday
- Family changing residence within school district
- Visiting relatives
- Car trouble
- Shopping
- Oversleeping
Vacations should be scheduled to coincide with the District's
instructional calendar. Typically make-up work is not accepted for
unexcused absences. However, short-term Independent Study may be
arranged for students that will be absent from regular instruction for
a minimum of five (5) consecutive instructional days (Board Policy
6158). A request for Independent Study should be submitted five
school days prior to the absence, and the Principal has the right to
deny a short-term Independent Study agreement. If approved, the work
must be completed and turned in on the assigned due date or when the
student returns to school, whichever is first.
The district will send a formal letter to the parents/guardians of
students who accumulate three days of unexcused absences, numerous
unexcused class periods, or numerous tardies. This letter will inform
the family of a potential declaration of truancy on the child's record
according to Education Code 48260. Students with excessive absences may
be required to submit a doctor's note.
One of the Castro Valley Unified School District's goals is to improve
student attendance. We appreciate your assistance in this goal since
Every Day Counts towards your child's continued academic success.
