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Policy committee reviews attendance policy change: parent/doctor notes no longer locally excused, credit threshold adjusted
Summary
The Policy & School Security Committee reviewed proposed revisions to Policy 513 and Regulation 513 to align the district with state attendance rules: parent and doctor notes will no longer be treated as locally excused; the threshold for loss of credit was increased from 12 to 16 unexcused absences; exceptions and an appeals process remain.
The Policy & School Security Committee on Sept. 22 presented a revision to the district's attendance policy (Policy 513) and its regulation to align with state guidance on excused versus unexcused absences.
Key changes described in committee discussion and reported at the Sept. 30 board meeting include removing parent and doctor notes as a basis for locally excused absences (to mirror the state's definition of excused time away) and increasing the unexcused‑absence threshold for loss of credit in a class from 12 to 16 days. The committee said principals will review requests for exceptions when students have chronic illness or documented medical need; exceptions may be granted so legitimate medical conditions are not penalized.
The committee and administration also described an attendance‑appeal committee available to families who disagree with principal decisions. Superintendent Rich said the district superintendent issued communications to the community explaining the changes and that implementation will include frequent updates so staff and families understand procedures and safeguards.
The committee recommended continuing implementation of the revised policy but to monitor outcomes; the board noted that the policy will be revisited as data become available to ensure students are not unjustly penalized. The transcript records that committee members asked for and will receive ongoing reports comparing chronic absence and credit outcomes to earlier years to assess the policy's effect.
