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Brush board debate centers on new secondary‑campus attendance procedure in approved handbooks
Summary
Board members pressed for clarity after the superintendent presented a handbook change that requires a parent‑completed excusal form for secondary‑campus absences; the superintendent said the change aligns with board policy JH and state statute and that principals will run communications to implement the new procedure.
During discussion of the 2026–27 school and employee handbooks, board members raised substantive concerns about a new secondary‑campus attendance procedure that requires parents to submit a signed excusal form promptly to validate an absence.
A board member (Committee member, S8) said the policy "is kind of... a lot to keep up with at 1 time" for parents with multiple children and questioned why a phone call from a parent should be insufficient, noting the handbook language could limit any make‑up credit for work assigned during the absence to 60% if the form is not turned in. "I just I'm just really failing to understand why we need to have another form if a parent is calling in and verifying that their student is absent," the member said.
Superintendent Missus Cody responded that the handbook procedure is an operational implementation aligned with existing board policy JH and Colorado statute. She said the district's prior practice of 'verified absences'—where a simple parental call could excuse many absences—contributed to chronic absenteeism, and the change is intended to reduce that trend. "Our policy has remained the same... policy j h... this practice that's outlined in the handbook is an alignment with our board policy," she said, and added that principals will run communications in May, July and again in August to prepare families for the shift.
Board members pressed for clear and accessible channels for parents to submit the form (suggesting a Google Form or integration with school online portals), and raised concerns about enforcement burden on teachers and administrators. The superintendent acknowledged those implementation concerns and committed to working with principals to provide clearer procedures and easier digital access to the excusal form.
The board approved the handbooks despite the concerns, with one member voting no. The record shows the board intends to treat the attendance procedure as operational and to prioritize parent communication ahead of implementation.
Why it matters: Attendance procedures affect student access to instruction and the ability to make up missed work; changes will alter family responsibilities and school administrative processes. The board's stated alignment with policy JH and state statute frames the change as a compliance and attendance‑improvement measure rather than a policy novelty.
Sources: Board meeting transcript.
