Agenda Item
3. First Read: Amendment to Board Policy JB: Student Attendance
Summary: Presented by: Ms. Melanie Slaton, Esq., General Counsel, Hall Booth Smith, PC.
Mr. Aaron D. Webb, Esq., Attorney, Hall Booth Smith, PC.
Request: It is requested that the Board of Education accept the recommendation to amend Board Policy JB: Student Attendance to make updates related to Georgia Board of Education Rule 160-5-1.10 and to update the District’s policies related to student withdrawals as a result of consecutive absences per Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 covering individuals with disabilities as well as Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).
Why: Policy JB: Student attendance requires amendment in order to be in alignment with Georgia Board of Education Rule 160-5-1.10 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 covering both students with disabilities and students with Individualized Education Program.
Details: To provide administration with assistance in administering student attendance policies, this policy is being updated to reflect the guidance offered to principals listed in Georgia Board of Education Rule 160-5-1.10 as it relates to enforcement of attendance policies. With this amendment, principals can rely on state issued guidance as opposed to their own discretion.
Financial impact: There is no financial impact to the District.
Contact: Ms. Melanie Slaton, General Counsel, Hall Booth Smith, PC, 404.954.5000
Effective: Upon Board Approval
Status: Approved by General Counsel
REDLINED EDITS
Board Policy JB: Student Aftendance
Original Adopted Date: 01/01/1900
Last Revised Date: 8/1/2011
Last Reviewed Date: 8/1/2011
STUDENT ATTENDANCE
A. Mandatory School Aftendance
All children who are between their sixth and sixteenth birthdays and who reside in the
DeKalb County School District shall enter school on the opening date and aftend
regularly thereafter or be enrolled in a private school or home-study program meefing
the requirements of state law. This policy excludes children who are specifically
exempted according to the rules and regulafions of the Georgia Board of Educafion
and/or Georgia law.
If the District is made aware that a child between the ages of six and sixteen is not
enrolled in a public school, private school, or home-study program, the Superintendent
has the authority and responsibility to file proceedings in court to enforce the
mandatory school aftendance law.
B. Excused Absences
Excused absences are defined by law and in the rules of the Georgia Board of
Educafion. Students enrolled in the District shall be excused from aftending school in
the following circumstances:
1. Personal illness;
2. Death or illness in the immediate family;
3. Religious holidays;
4. Instances where aftendance by the student will be hazardous;
5. Tests and physical exams for military service and the Nafional Guard;
6. Students eligible to vote in a public elecfion may be allowed no more than one
day for registering to vote or vofing in a public elecfion; or
7. A student whose parent or legal guardian serving in the U.S. military may be
allowed up to five days per school year to visit with the parent or legal guardian
either prior to the parent or legal guardian’s deployment or while the parent or
guardian is on leave from deployment.
Addifionally, students shall be marked present and not counted as absent in the following
circumstances:
1. Students serving as pages of the Georgia General Assembly shall be counted as
present for days missed from school for such service; and
2. Students in foster care shall be counted present when aftending court proceedings
relafing to their foster care.
With proper medical verificafion, a student may be eligible for hospital/homebound
instrucfion as outlined in Georgia Board of Educafion Rule 160-4-2-.31 governing
hospital/homebound instrucfion.
C. Admission to Class Following An Absence or Tardiness
No student should be admifted to class after being absent from school the previous day
unless the student holds a legifimate excuse signed by the parent or guardian stafing a
reason for the absence. If the student does not present an excuse, the principal may use
discrefion in handling the situafion. Admission to class in the case of tardiness shall be
handled in the same manner.
Students returning from an absence have three business days to provide a signed note
by a parent or guardian explaining the reason for the absence. The principal or designee
shall determine if the absence is excused or unexcused in accordance with Georgia
Board of Educafion Rule 160-5-1.10.
D. Unexcused Absences, Tardiness, and Truancy
The Superintendent or his or her designee shall establish procedures aimed at reducing
unexcused absences, tardiness, and truancy. Such procedures shall include, but not be
limited to, parental nofificafion, and shall be set out annually in the Code of Student
Conduct.
School days missed as a result of an out-of-school suspension shall not count as
unexcused days for the purpose of determining student truancy, and provisions for
make-up work shall be provided.
E. Grades and Absences
Final course grades of students shall not be penalized because of absences if the
following condifions are met:
1. Absences are jusfified and validated for excusable reasons; and
2. Make-up work for excused absences was completed safisfactorily.
F. Excessive Absenteeism and Epidemic Control
Any day that aftendance is less than 90 percent at a given school, the principal of each
such school shall have the number of absences called in to the Superintendent or his or
her designee no later than 11:30 a.m.
If it appears there may be an epidemic or threat of an epidemic, the Superintendent or
his or her designee will report this informafion to the DeKalb County Board of Health.
This informafion also shall be available for inquiries from local, state, and federal health
agencies after noon on each day of such reported absences.
G. Withdrawal
The District shall follow the criteria and procedures for withdrawal of students set forth
in the rules of the Georgia Board of Educafion, including withdrawal of students based
on consecufive absences. All withdrawals shall comply with Georgia and federal law,
including the Individuals with Disabilifies Educafion Act (IDEA).) and individuals
protected by Secfion 504 of the Rehabilitafion Act of 1973.