Early Out Procedure
When it is necessary to leave school before the close of the day or be absent from classes for any reason, students must secure a permit to leave (early out) from the Attendance Office before school or during nutrition. Early outs are not accepted during lunch. Early-outs must include the following:
- Student Name
- Student ID number
- Reason for early out (see CA Ed. Code excused absence list)
- Date and time of early out
- Parent Signature
- Parent phone number
Parents will be called to verify student’s early out. Parents who arrive on campus and wish to sign their child out of school before the end of the day must present a valid photo ID and will have to wait while a call-slip is sent to the classroom: we do NOT call classrooms and interrupt instruction. Also, we do not release students through a phone call request.
Truancy Definition and Explanation
The district generates truancy letters monthly for students who are not attending class/school. For understanding of what truancy is, here is information from LBUSD:
Truant = 3 or more unexcused/unverified absences, lates, or early outs of 30+ minutes in a school year
Example: Student A is unexcused for period 5 Monday, unverified all day absence Tuesday, late 30+ minutes on Thursday. This is considered 3 truancies and would qualify for a letter.
Example: Student B is unverified for period 1, 2, and 5 on Monday and has am unexcused all day absence on Tuesday. This is considered 2 truancies and no letter would be generated.
Letter generation: letters from LBUSD will trigger as truancies are accumulated.
Example: Student A has 3 truancies for school month 3, 0 truancies for school months 4 and 5, 6 truancies for school month 7. Parent/Guardian of Student A would receive 2 letters, one during the week of (for example) 11/29 and a second one the week of (for example) 3/14. Total days marked absent for the school month 3 notification is 3 truancies and for school month notification 7 is 9 truancies.
Attendance Information
Procedures for Clearing an Absence
Attendance Policy
- When a student is marked absent from school for one or more periods within the instructional day the parent will be notified via the primary phone number on file by School Messenger, our automated phone message system.
- Students/Parents must communicate with the attendance office immediately following the absence to clear the absence. Per LBUSD School Board Policy, verification must be received and recorded within five (5) day(s) of the student returning to school after the absence. Otherwise, the absence will remain unverified.
- A student becomes a habitual truant once they are truant from a class three times. This may result with the student being referred to the Student Attendance Review Board (SARB) process.
- Positive attendance supports your student’s achievement. Every day a student misses school, he/she is at risk of falling behind academically. Not only is the missed day lost, the return day is spent catching up. Every day a student attends school is also a lesson in responsibility and commitment. Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10 percent or more of the school year, which is equivalent to 18 days out of a 180-day school year, regardless of whether absences are excused or unexcused. Chronic truancy refers to unexcused absences only. Students must maintain satisfactory attendance (over 90%) to participate in school activities, including senior activities.
How to Review Attendance Activity
- Log onto ParentVue
- Or, request a print-out of your student’s “Period Student Attendance Profile” from the attendance office.
How to Clear an Absence
Send your student to school with a legible note regarding his/her absence. The note must contain the following information:
- Student name
- Student ID number
- Date/s of Absence
- Reason for Absence (see CA Ed Code 48205 below for excusable absences)
- Period/s of absence
- Signature of parent
How to Clear an Absence – after the 5 day Board Policy for an Excusal Note
Visit Saturday School for details including dates for Saturday School.
Consequences
- Absences may adversely affect class grades, participation in school activities, incur a loss of privileges
- Receiving truancy notices because of unverified absences
- Possible referral to SARB for continued absences
CA Education Code 48205 for Excused Absences
- Illness (note from parent or doctor) (per LBUSD, after 3 days of illness a doctor’s note is required) (District Policy of maximum of 10 illness absences)
- Quarantine under direction of a county or city health officer (letter from county or city health officer)
- Medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic services rendered (doctor’s note)
- Attending the funeral services of immediate family member (one day if service is in CA, three days if service is outside of CA)
- Jury duty (documentation from court officer)
- Illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent (doctor’s note)
- Appearance in court, observance of a holiday or ceremony of his or her religion, attendance at religious retreats, or attendance at an employment conference (documentation from court, documentation from employer)
- Immediate military family on leave
Note: Examples of absences for reasons not listed above are considered unexcused and include, but are not limited to: parent request, vacation, car broke down, overslept, family member is ill, babysitting, funeral services for a friend or non-immediate family member (aunt, uncle, cousin, etc.)
Extenuating Circumstances for Extended Absences
Please speak to the counselor, attendance office and/or the nurse’s office (medical related) for extended absences. Extended absences require administrator approval and are not always granted due to adherence to the Education Code.
