School Attendance and the Law

1. School Attendanceand the Law Presented by: Christy Carroll Jeff Stanton Sherry Pinson- Kelley Marnie Barker

2. Attendance-Student Responsibility It is very important that every student be in attendance at school unless the child is ill. Although there are some assignments that can be completed later, there are many important activities that cannot be repeated. The responsibility of attending school and arriving on time is an important attitude for children to develop. If you arrive late for school, please bring your child to the office to sign into school. Hamlin utilizes electronic attendance to report absences to the State of Michigan. We want to assist you if you are having difficulty with regular attendance or excessive tardiness. Please contact the school principal if we can assist in any way. Though regular attendance is important, when a child is ill, he/she should stay home in order to recover. Children may not return to school until they have been free of a fever for at least twenty- four hours.

3. Parents and Truancy • The number of parents convicted for truancy has risen steadily in recent years from just under 4,000 in 2005. Last year, nearly 12,000 parents were prosecuted and 25 received prison sentences because of their children’s absenteeism from school. Over 9,000 were convicted and nearly two-thirds of those were fined. The highest fine imposed was $850.00. The Ministry of Justice reported the longest jail sentence imposed on a parent was 90 days. According to figures released following a freedom of information request, over 400 parents received a community sentence and 53 received a suspended sentence.

4. Parents Can Help Reduce Truancy Utilizing These Strategies • Be sure to talk with your child right away if he or she is missing school. • Find out if there are problems at school that keep your child from attending regularly. • Seek assistance from appropriate school personnel so that you and your child can address these problems together regarding attendance policies. • Develop a plan for helping your child get to school regularly, be sure to include specific, short-term goals. • Be sure that the attendance agreement is fair and reasonable before signing it. • Be ready to adjust the plan as you go along. • If your child is receiving special education services make sure any attendance agreement is consistent with your child’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP).

5. AttendanceSchool Responsibility • Frequent absences, excused or unexcused, or tardiness in a class may seriously affect the student’s progress and credit for that class. Attendance patterns of a student are the responsibility of the parent and the student. High school and middle school parents are encouraged to monitor their student’s attendance, grades, and behavior on the parent web. • Grand Blanc High School/Attendance Policy: • 10 absences per semester • Unexcused/Excused (includes vacations) • (ISS and OSS do not count against attendance) • TU (10 minutes late to class is an unexcused absence)

6. Attendance Interventions: • The administration shall make every attempt to notify parents on a consistent basis when students are repeatedly absent from class(es). • 8:30 am call • Random Hall Sweeps • Letters home at 5, 8, 10 • Warning Meeting with student at 8 • Attendance Contract at 11/call home • Lose credit/letter of appeal • 20 absences in 3 or more classes student is withdrawn

7. Consequences: • In addition to parents being notified when a student reaches 15, 20, and 30 • days of absence, persistent absences from school may result in a referral to • Probate Court and/or Family Independence Agency (FIA) as a violation of • the truancy law/educational neglect. • Truancy is defined as: “Willfully and repeatedly absenting oneself from • school in violation of Michigan Juvenile Code 712A.2.” • Please note: Unless there are extenuating circumstances, a truancy petition • may be filed once a student has been absent 10 days (two weeks). The 10 • days are inclusive of attendance within other school districts within the • same academic year.