1. What is considered an Excused Absence?
By law [EC § 48205], excused absences are: illness [(fever 100° or more, persistent runny nose (not allergy related), vomiting, diarrhea, medical/dental appointments (doctor’s note required for verification)], death in the family, specific religious reasons, required appearance in court, and exclusion from school for contagious disease.
2. What can I do if my child needs to be out of school for a length of time?
If your child must go out of town for three (3) or more days, you may request that your child is signed up for an Independent Study Contract. Please note that teachers need at least one week’s notice in order to prepare materials without interrupting their instructional time.
3. I called in to verify my child's absence; why am I still getting truancy letters?
Unless the absence was for an excused reason (those stated in point #1), the absence is considered unexcused and truancy letters will be sent in accordance with Education Code of the State of California [EC § 48260-48273]. Ed Code states that any pupil who is absent from school for 3 days or more without a valid excuse (reasons specified in point #1), or tardy in excess of 30 minutes or more, is considered truant.
