Policy 5310 – Student Attendance

The District believes attendance is an essential component to student learning.  Additionally, state law requires all children who reside within the boundaries of the District and are between six (6) and eighteen (18) years of age must attend school regularly until the end of the term, quarter, or semester in which they become 18 years of age unless:

  1. excused for physical or psychological reasons upon the written recommendation of persons designated under state law;
  2. excused for reasons outlined in the KUSD attendance handbook.
  3. excused because of a Board-approved program or curriculum modification;
  4. attending an approved private or parochial school or home-based private educational program; or
  5. they have graduated from high school.

While attending 5-year-old kindergarten (5K) is not legally mandatory, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) requires children who are enrolled in 5K to attend regularly.

Legal responsibility for school attendance rests with the parent/guardian or with the student in the event a student is a student not covered by the compulsory attendance laws, or if a court order is enacted.

The District shall establish regulations pertaining to attendance, absence, tardiness, and the basis for excused absences. Each principal shall publish and disseminate the regulations to students and parents/guardians.

LEGAL REF.:

  • Wisconsin Statutes
    • Sections 118.125 Pupil Records
    • 118.15 Compulsory School Attendance
    • 118.153 Children at risk
    • 118.16 School attendance enforcement
    • 118.162 Truancy committee and plan
    • 118.165 Private schools
    • 118.163 Municipal truancy and school dropout ordinances
  • Local Ordinance
    • 11.032 Truancy

CROSS REF.:

AFFIRMED: August 13, 1991

REVISED:

  • September 9, 1997
  • November 11, 1997
  • August 23, 2005
  • July 20, 2010
  • August 25, 2026

Rule 5310 – Student Attendance

The Chief Information Officer is designated as the District attendance officer. The building principal/designee is designated as the school attendance officer.

  1. Absence Reporting
    1. An excuse from a parent/guardian is required for any student absence from school. For extended or excessive absence because of illness, a statement from a physician, dentist, or other qualified medical professional may be required.
    2. It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to notify the school as soon as possible that the student is absent.
    3. Students of legal age shall be responsible for providing absence excuses and school notification of such absences themselves.
    4. Attendance will be monitored by the designated district and school attendance monitors.
    5. A record of attendance for each student will be kept and will be noted on the record in accordance with established District procedures. Each teacher will submit an accurate daily record of each student’s attendance including tardiness, All student attendance records will be maintained within the student information system.
  2. Types of Absences
    1. Excused absences: Any absence, up to 10 days per school year, that a parent or guardian reports to the school and that matches an approved attendance code. A student’s absence may be excused by the principal/designee for acceptable reasons such as:
      1. Personal illness
      2. Illness in the immediate family
      3. Death of a family member or relative
      4. Religious Holiday
    2. Incarceration: A student will be considered excused if incarcerated temporarily. The parent/guardian or court services worker must notify the school of the reason for the absence and the exact dates of incarceration must be documented.
    3. Medical Absences: Any absence that has been excused by an authorized medical professional that provides specific date (s) and time period in which the student is excused from attending school. Wisconsin State Statute 118.15 (3) (a), states an authorized medical professional is a licensed physician, dentist, chiropractor, optometrist or psychologist or Christian Science practitioner living and residing in this state, who is listed in the Christian Science Journal.
      1. Extended absence is any absence that is four or more consecutive days. For extended absences, due to illness, a statement from an authorized medical professional may be required by the principal.
      2. Excessive excused absences are ten or more cumulative days of absence, consecutive or non-consecutive within the school year. Principals may require medical documentation for any excessive absence to be excused. If appropriate medical documentation is not provided, the absence will be unexcused. Unexcused absences will be considered truancy.
      3. The time period for which any medical certification is valid may not exceed thirty (30) days.
    4. Unexcused Absences: These are absences where a parent has notified the school of the absence, but the student has exhausted the number of allowable excused absences for the year. Legally, unexcused absences are also considered truant.
    5. Truancy: “Truancy” means any absence of part or all of one or more days from school during which the school attendance officer, principal, or teacher has not been notified of the legal cause of such absence by the parent or guardian of the absent pupil, and also means intermittent attendance carried on for the purpose of defeating the intent of the compulsory school attendance law.
    6. Habitual Truancy: Students who miss part or all of five (5) or more days within a semester, without an acceptable excuse will be considered habitually truant. School officials will initiate District truancy procedures for those students identified as habitually truant. School officials will meet with parents/guardians, develop an intervention plan, evaluate the educational learning status of the student and recommend appropriate interventions. Legal action including referral to Kenosha County Juvenile Court and/or City of Kenosha or Village of Pleasant Prairie Municipal Courts may be considered. The school attendance officer shall notify the parent or guardian of a child who is habitually truant when the child initially becomes habitually truant. The notice shall include the following:
      1. A statement of the parent’s or guardian’s responsibility, under s. 118.15 (1) (a) Wis. Stats., to cause the child to attend school regularly.
      2. A statement that the parent, guardian, or child may request program or curriculum modifications for the child under s. 118.15 (1) (d). Wis. Stats., and that the child may be eligible for enrollment in a program for children at risk under s. 118.153 (3), Wis. Stats.
      3. A request that the parent or guardian meet with appropriate school personnel to discuss the child’s truancy. The notice shall include the name of the school personnel with whom the parent or guardian should meet, a date, time, or place. The date for the meeting shall be within five (5) school days after the date that the notice is sent, except that with the consent of the child’s parent or guardian the date for the meeting may be extended for an additional five (5) school days.
      4. A statement of penalties, under s. 118.15 (5), Wis. Stats. that may be imposed on the parent or guardian if he or she fails to cause the child to attend school regularly as required by ss. 118.15 (1) (a) and (am), Wis. Stats.
    7. Tardiness
      1. Tardy to School: The principal/designee will decide if the reason for being tardy is valid. If the reason is judged to be invalid, appropriate remedial action will be taken. After repeated offenses the student’s parent/guardian will be notified to alert them to the problem. Habitual chronic tardiness, as determined by school attendance officer/principal, may be handled according to the same procedure as habitual truancy.
      2. Tardy to Class: The teacher will determine the validity of the reason for the delay to class. If the reason is judged to be invalid, the teacher will admit the student to class and record the tardy notification on the daily attendance report.
    8. Student Suspension: KUSD Policy 5473 Suspensions, describes the protocols for student opportunities regarding school work impacted by an absence due to any suspension.
    9. Make-Up Work: Upon returning to school after an absence, a student has the responsibility, within the number of days equal to the length of the absence or suspension, to meet with the teacher to develop a plan for making up missed work, quizzes, and examinations. A truant student has the responsibility, on the first day he or she returns to the course/class, to meet with the teacher to develop a plan for making up missed work, quizzes, and examinations.  Lower grades may not be given for late work due to excused absences, suspension or truancy, unless the work is submitted later than agreed upon deadlines.
  3. Responsibilities for Attendance
    1. Parent/Guardian Responsibility
      For all student absences from school, the student’s parent/guardians are:

      1. Legally responsible to ensure their child attends school.
      2. Parents/guardians are required to notify the school office prior to the absence and provide a reason for the student’s absence.
      3. To encourage and support regular school attendance.
    2. Student Responsibility
      1. Students are required to attend all of their scheduled classes, study halls and lunch periods.
      2. Students that are approved to leave class and/or school campus are required to sign in and out.
      3. Students are expected to follow the grading policy and complete all make- up work.
      4. Students are ultimately responsible for completing missed school/home work.
    3. Teacher Responsibility
      1. Teachers are required to emphasize the importance and necessity of good attendance.
      2. Teachers are required by law to take daily attendance.
      3. Teachers may participate in Student Intervention team Meetings regarding attendance.
      4. Teachers are expected to meet with their students and develop a plan to complete any necessary make-up work.
    4. Student Support Responsibility
      1. Student Support personnel are required to emphasize the importance and necessity of good attendance.
      2. Student Support personnel, in conjunction with other building staff (e.g., teachers, deans and administrators) are to develop appropriate attendance improvement intervention plans for students. Any attendance related conditions for students with special needs will be aligned to the approved Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) or 504 plan.
    5. Principal/Designee Responsibility
      1. Principals are responsible for distribution and enforcement of the compulsory school attendance law policy and procedures.
      2. Principals shall maintain office records for all excused and unexcused absences.
      3. The principal has the authority to approve or deny any request to permit a student to be absent and/or leave the building during school hours.
      4. Principals are responsible for implementing and coordinating an Attendance Review Team.
      5. Principals are authorized to update/correct attendance records as necessary throughout the school year.