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Policy committee tightens attendance definitions and tracks new state rules for excused absences
Summary
The committee reviewed the first reading of Policy 503 on student attendance, clarifying excused vs. unexcused absences, defining thresholds for truancy and chronic absence, and proposing a regulation and form to standardize requests and tracking.
The Duluth Public Schools Policy Committee on Jan. 21 took a first look at revisions to Policy 503, Student Attendance, updating definitions and procedures to reflect recent legislative changes and to align district practice across elementary, middle and high schools.
The draft clarifies who may request an excused absence, lists examples of acceptable reasons and proposes a companion regulation and form to standardize requests. It also adds clear definitions and thresholds for truancy and chronic absence used by district staff.
Why it matters: Attendance policy affects access to instruction and triggers interventions. The revisions aim to reduce family confusion by aligning practice across sites and defining when the district will initiate outreach or formal…
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