Attendance Policy

Attendance Policy 

In compliance with the Louisiana Revised Statute 17:221, the policy of Jefferson Parish Schools requires that every parent/legal guardian residing within Jefferson Parish, having control or charge of any child from that child’s seventh (7th) birthday until his/her eighteenth (18th) birthday, shall send such child to a public or private day school, or have him/her enrolled in an approved home study program, unless the child graduates from high school prior to his/her eighteenth (18) birthday. Any child below the age of seven (7) who legally enrolls in school shall also be subject to compulsory attendance provisions. Every parent/legal guardian responsible for sending a child to a public or private day school under provisions of this section shall also assure the attendance of such child in regularly assigned classes during regular school hours established by the School Board. Marriage of minors under the age of eighteen (18) years results in their emancipation; hence there is no person in charge or control of them and no method or procedure by which their attendance in school can be compelled.

Types of Absences

1. Exempted and Excused: The student is allowed to make up missed work and the absence is not counted against attendance
   requirements. Examples are extended illness, court, death in immediate family, or religious holidays with proper verification.
2. Non-Exempt and Excused: Absences incurred due to personal illness documented by parental notes. The student is allowed
   to make up missed work and absences are considered when determining whether the student meets attendance
   requirements.
3. Unexcused: The student is not allowed to do makeup work and the absence is counted against the attendance requirement.
   An example is skipping school
4. Out of school suspensions: The student is allowed to make up missed work but the absence is counted against the
   attendance requirement. (not for truancy purposes)
5. Students may be absent for up to three days in any school year related to the student’s mental or behavioral health. Such
   absences are excused in accordance with the student’s handbook. The student may make up missed school work, and the
   student shall be referred to school support personnel following the second mental/behavioral health day of absence.

*** Excuses for all absences must be presented in writing to Mrs. Manale within five (5) days of the absence. ***

Absence Procedures

• Excuses for all absences must be presented in writing to the designated staff member within five (5) days of the absence.

• For any extenuating circumstances, the student’s parent or legal guardian must make a formal appeal to the Compliance Office requesting exception to the attendance regulation. Students who are verified as meeting extenuating circumstances, and therefore eligible to receive grades, shall not receive grades if they are unable to complete make-up work or pass the course.

• Schools are to provide students and parents with attendance letters by the 3rd, 5th, and 8th day absent. Parents must contact the school principal or school counselor to discuss attendance matters upon receipt of attendance letters. 

Elementary/Middle Schools:

According to the policy of the state of Louisiana, students must attend elementary or middle school for a total of 60,120 minutes to be eligible for promotion. Based on the school calendar and a standard 375 minute instructional day, a student can miss no more than 14 days of school to be eligible for promotion.

High School Students:

In order to receive grades for a semester/year, high school students must be in attendance for a minimum of 30,060 minutes in a semester or 60,120 minutes in a year for schools not operating on a semester system.

Based on a standard 360 minute instructional day, this means that students in a high school on a semester system can miss no more than 7 days per class in the 90-day first semester and 7 days per class in the 93-day second semester. Students in schools not on a semester system can miss no more than 14 days to be eligible for promotion Carnegie units based on minutes.

Attendance Requirements - Carnegie Credit

In addition to meeting overall attendance requirements, middle and high school students must also meet certain attendance requirements to receive Carnegie Credit for individual classes.

In order to earn one Carnegie Credit, students must be in attendance in a specific course for 7,515 minutes. The length of periods and courses varies by school, but as an illustration, if a school is on a 4X4 block schedule and has courses that are 90 minutes long, a student must attend at least 84 classes (7,515 divided by 90). If there were 89 course meetings, the student could miss a maximum of 7 course meetings (89-84) and still receive credit. For middle school students to earn Carnegie Credits, the same standards apply.

***If a student is habitually absent, please know that administration may take a variety of actions including, but not limited to: referring the student to the truancy officer, no longer allowing their work to be submitted for credit without seat make-up time, requiring seat time, loss of privileges including early release, playing time, membership in organizations, etc.

 Checking In to School Late 

• Students that are dropped off to school late must enter campus through the front office. Your parent/guardian does not need to come in with you.

• Students will check in the front office, sign a late slip, and report immediately to class.

• Students should not stop at the restroom, counselor’s office, or any other classroom before reporting to class.

• Students that drive to school should park in the designated student parking lot. 

  • Once the student driver enters the campus, they should report immediately to the office and follow bullets 2 and 3.

Tardy to School

• Students are tardy to school if they are not sitting in their first period class when the bell rings at 8:15 a.m.

• Late bus students are not included in this policy. If a bus is late, students will enter through the gym and sign a late bus log with the designated staff member. 

• Students that are tardy to school to follow the procedures listed under checking in late to school. 

1st and 2nd Offense - Warning

3rd Offense - Lunch Detention

4th Offense - Parent Conference

5th Offense - Referral to ABIT

6th Offense and later - Follow recommendations of ABIT committee