ABSENCES and EXCUSES
BOARD POLICY 09.123
Pupils are required to attend regularly and punctually the school in which they are enrolled. Recording of absences and tardies shall be
made in compliance with the requirements of 702 KAR 7:125. A student who is absent less than 35 percent of the regularly
scheduled school day will be counted as tardy. A student will be counted absent a half day if absent 35 percent to 84 percent
of the regularly scheduled school day. A student will be counted absent a full day if absent for more than 84 percent of a
regularly scheduled school day.
TRUANCY DEFINED
Any student who has attained the age of six (6), but has not reached his/her eighteenth (18th) birthday, who has been absent from school without
valid excuse for three (3) days or more, or tardy without valid excuse on three (3) days or more, is a truant.
Any student enrolled in a public school who has attained the age of eighteen (18) years, but has not reached his/her twenty-first (21st) birthday,
who has been absent from school without valid excuse for three (3) or more days, or tardy without valid excuse on three (3) or more days, is a
truant.
Any student who has been reported as a truant two (2) or more times is an habitual truant.
The Principal shall initiate disciplinary action after a student has been tardy to class or homeroom. After three (3) unexcused tardies in one (1)
class or homeroom in any twenty (20) school day period, the Principal shall request a parental conference.
For the purposes of establishing a student's status as a truant, a student’s attendance record is cumulative for an entire school year. When students
transfer from one Kentucky district to another, attendance information from the previous district shall become part of their official attendance
record for that school year.
EXCUSED ABSENCES
An excused absence or tardiness is one for which work may be made up, such as:
1. Death in the pupil's immediate family as verified by written documentation; (Principal/designee will determine number of
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days to be excused),
2. Illness of the pupil (see Notification Required section),
3. Family emergencies,
4. Religious holidays and practices,
5. Proof of court summons or subpoena,
6. Failure of school bus to run,
7. Driver's license or permit tests (1/2 day allowed for each),
8. One (1) day for attendance at the Kentucky State Fair, (must present proof of attendance),
9. Documented military leave,
10. One (1) day prior to departure of parent/guardian called to active military duty,
11. One (1) day upon the return of parent/guardian from active military duty,
12. One (1) day for incidents when students are sent home due to head lice,
13. Visitation for up to ten (10) days with the student’s parent, de facto custodian, or person with legal custody who, while on
active military duty stationed outside of the country, is granted rest and recuperation leave, or
14. Other valid reasons as determined by the Principal, including trips qualifying as educational enhancement opportunities,
as determined by the Principal.
Students shall be granted an excused absence for up to ten (10) school days to pursue an educational enhancement opportunity determined
by the Principal to be of significant educational value. This opportunity may include, but not be limited to, participation in an educational
foreign exchange program or an intensive instructional, experiential, or performance program in one (1) of the core curriculum subjects of
English, science, mathematics, social studies, foreign language, and the arts.
Requests for educational enhancement opportunities must be submitted to the Principal ten (10) days prior to the first day of absence.
Unless the Principal determines that extenuating circumstances exist, requests for date(s) falling within State or District testing periods
shall not be granted.
The Principal’s determination may be appealed to the Superintendent/designee whose decision may then be appealed to the Board under
its grievance policy and procedures.
Students receiving an excused absence under this section shall have the opportunity to make up school work missed and shall not have
their class grades adversely affected for lack of class attendance or class participation due to the excused absence.