BEING ABSENT, ARRIVING LATE
AND LEAVING EARLY
Attendance
Regular attendance in school is essential to the success of our
students. As parents and guardians, you play the most important
role in your child’s education. Making sure your child arrives at
school every day rested, well fed and ready to learn is a great
contribution to your child’s education.
Children who are well should be at school every day that school
is in session. Students who are ill should not be in school. Refer
to page 12 for “Is my child well enough to go to school.”
Generally, children don't miss more than six days of school a
year from illness. If there are chronic health concerns keeping
your child out of school, please consult your school's nurse.
Compulsory education law
Under the compulsory education law, students between the ages
of seven and 17 are required to receive instruction each year.
Children under age seven who are enrolled in kindergarten or a
higher grade are also subject to the law.
Minnesota statutes, section 120A.22 – Compulsory instruction
Subdivision 1. Parental responsibility. The parent of a child is
primarily responsible for assuring that the child acquires knowl-
edge and skills that are essential for effective citizenship.
Subdivision 5. Ages and terms. (a) Every child between seven
and 17 years of age must receive instruction unless the child
has graduated. Every child under the age of seven who is en-
rolled in a kindergarten program shall receive instruction. Except
as provided in subdivision 6, a parent may withdraw a child
under the age of seven from enrollment at any time.
Subdivision 6. Children under seven.
(a) Once a pupil under the age of seven is enrolled in kinder-
garten or a higher grade in a public school, the pupil is sub-
ject to the compulsory attendance provisions of this chapter
and section 120A.34.
(b) In a district in which children under seven are subject to
compulsory attendance under this subdivision, paragraphs
(c) to (e) apply.
(c) A parent or guardian may withdraw the pupil from enroll-
ment in the school for good cause by notifying the district.
Good cause includes, but is not limited to, enrollment of the
pupil in another school, as defined in subdivision 4, or the
immaturity of the child.
(d) When the pupil enrolls, the enrolling official must provide
the parent or guardian who enrolls the pupil with a written
explanation of the provisions of this subdivision.
(e) A pupil under the age of seven who is withdrawn from enroll-
ment in the public school under paragraph (c) is no longer
subject to the compulsory attendance provisions of this
chapter.
6
Absent or late to school
If your child will be absent, arrive late, or leave early, please call
the school attendance line. You can call 24 hours a day and
leave a message. If a child is not at school, and the school has
not received notice of an absence, the school will call a parent or
guardian. If we don’t hear from you, your child’s absence will be
recorded as unexcused. Absence due to weather concerns will
be excused only if reported by a parent or guardian.
Absence guidelines:
Grades K-5
• A student is considered tardy if he or she arrives up to 60
minutes late.
• A student is considered absent for a half day if he or she
arrives more than 60 minutes late up to half of the school day.
• A student is considered absent for a full day if he or she
arrives to school and is picked up within 90 minutes.
• A student is considered absent for a full day if he or she
misses four or more hours of the school day.
Grades 6-12
• Student attendance is recorded each class period.
• A student is considered tardy if he or she arrives up to 15
minutes late to a class period.
Early dismissal
Early dismissals are discouraged. Students leaving a few min-
utes early often miss important last minute instructions and/or
reminders. Interrupting classes to call students to the office also
distracts other students and interrupts end of the day classroom
routines. Early dismissals should occur only in rare circumstances
and requests must go through the school office. Please make
every effort to schedule appointments outside of school hours.
• Students leaving early will be marked as early out. This is
considered the same as a tardy.
Unexcused absences and tardies
Regular attendance is a crucial part of success in school. There are
consequences when students are continually absent from school. If
an elementary student is absent three days within a single school
year; or a secondary student is absent from three or more class peri-
ods on three days within a school year without excuse that student
is considered a “continuing truant,” according to state law (section
260A.02). The school is required by law to notify a parent when a
child is a “continuing truant” and if the child continues to be truant
there may be juvenile court proceedings. Once a child is considered
a “continuing truant”, parents and guardians are given an opportu-
nity to explain their child’s absences.
When an elementary student is absent seven or more days from
school within a single school year; or a secondary student is
absent from one or more class periods on seven days within a
single school year without excuse, that student is considered
a “habitual truant,” according to state law (section 260C.007).
Anoka-Hennepin schools refer “habitually truant” students to the
county attorney.
ahschools.us/policies
2019-20 School Handbook