Attendance Matters

What is Chronic Absence?
Chronic absence is missing as few as two days per month for each month of the school year—for any reason, excused or unexcused. In a school year, that’s about 16 total missed school days. Research shows that absenteeism begins to affect student performance at that point.

Starting as early as kindergarten or even preschool, chronic absence predicts lower 3rd-grade reading scores. By middle school, it’s a warning sign that students will fail key classes and drop out of high school.

This is not just a matter of truancy. Many children, especially in the early grades, miss too much school because of chronic health problems, unreliable transportation, or housing moves—barriers we can help families address in partnership with city agencies and community partners.

Attendance Monitoring and Truancy

Excused absences occur when a parent/guardian calls or contacts the school or the school reaches the parent/guardian to confirm the absence. Parents/guardians will receive notice regarding excessive unexcused or excused absences. Additional notice(s) will be sent out if absences continue. Parents/guardians will then be asked to meet with the school counselor, dean, and/or principal to discuss school attendance. 

Unreported absences are considered unexcused and excessive unexcused absences will trigger the involvement of Carver County Social Services and a truancy case may be opened. After 15 consecutive days absent, state law requires that we withdraw the student from our enrollment. Upon the student’s return, a new enrollment form must be completed, signed and dated by the parent/guardian and submitted to the Welcome Center. If the student attended the first day of school, was dropped or left, and is returning the same school year, the school can re-enroll them after confirming the parent/guardian contact information and their home address.

UNEXCUSED ABSENCE, TARDY, LEFT EARLY

• 3 unexcused absences- When a student has three or more unexcused half or full day absences, the school will send a first notification letter to parent/guardian. This letter will remind parents/guardians of school notification procedures.

• 5 unexcused absences- When a student has five or more unexcused half or full day absences, the school will send a second notification letter home to parent/guardian and a pre-diversion meeting will be set up with parent/guardian, administration, other school personnel and the County Truancy Social Worker.

• 7 unexcused absences- When a student has seven or more half or full day unexcused absences and the school has made efforts to address the situation without success, the school files the truancy paperwork with Carver County Social Services and a Truancy Case may be opened by the County.

   

EXCUSED ABSENCE, TARDY OR LEFT EARLY

• 6 cumulative absences- After six cumulative half or full day absences, the school will send a first notification letter to parent/guardian with the intent of alerting to the amount of time missed out of possible attendance days (unless the school staff is aware of special circumstances and a phone contact is made instead). This does not include school exempt absences.

• 12 cumulative absences- After 12 cumulative half or full day absences the school sends a second notification letter to parent/guardian (unless the school staff is aware of special circumstances and a phone contact is made instead). This does not include school exempt absences.

• 18 cumulative absences – After 18 cumulative half or full day absences, the school sets up a meeting to discuss a plan to support student attendance and success in school. This meeting may include the school nurse, school social worker or other support staff that may provide input into the plan. This does not include school exempt absences.