ATTENDANCE - TRUANCY ( continued ) 5113.2
“ Mental health wellness day ” means a school day during which a student attends to his / her emotional and psychological well-being in lieu of attending school . Such days must be nonconsecutive .
“ District chronic absenteeism rate ” means the total number of chronically absent children in the previous school year divided by the total number of children under the jurisdiction of the Board of Education for such school year .
“ School chronic absenteeism rate ” means the total number of chronically absent children for a school in the previous school year divided by the total number of children enrolled in such school for such school year .
Remediation of Truancy
School personnel shall seek cooperation from parents or other persons having control of such child and assist them in remedying and preventing truancy . The Superintendent of Schools shall develop regulations which will detail the following school district obligations under the district ’ s truancy policy .
1 . Notify parents annually of their obligations under the attendance policy .
2 . Obtain telephone numbers for emergency record cards or other means of contacting parents or other persons having control of the child during the school day .
3 . Establish a system to monitor student attendance .
4 . Make a reasonable effort by telephone and by mail to notify parents or other persons having control of the child , enrolled in grades one through eight , inclusive , when a child does not arrive at school and there has been no previously approval or other indication which indicates parents are aware of the absence . ( Note : Persons who in good faith give or fail to give notice pursuant to this section shall be immune from any liability , civil or criminal , which might otherwise be incurred or imposed and shall have immunity with respect to any judicial proceeding which results from such notice or failure to give notice ).
5 . Identify a student as “ truant ” when the student accumulates four unexcused absences in any month or ten in a school year .
6 . Identify a student as “ chronically absent ” when the student accumulates a total number of absences at any time during a school year that is equal to or greater than ten percent of the total number of days that such student has been enrolled at the school during the school year .
7 . Appropriate school staff meet with parents of a child identified as truant or chronically absent to review and evaluate the situation , within ten days of such designation . Such meeting may involve the school or District Attendance Team .
Students so identified may be subject to : ( a ) retention in the same grade to acquire necessary skills for promotion or retention .
( b ) a requirement to complete a summer school program successfully before being promoted to the next grade .
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