Attendance Policy / County Attendance Information

Attendance (From LCPS Students Rights and Responsibilites)

Students of school age have a right to a free public school education and have a responsibility to attend school. Regular attendance is essential if students are to benefit fully from the educational opportunities provided them. Unless excused by their principal, students are expected to be in school and on time every day.

The General Assembly of Virginia has recognized the importance of regular attendance by enacting a compulsory school attendance law for students under the age of 18. This law requires parents or guardians to see that their children attend school for the same number of days and hours that school is in session, and it provides penalties for failure to do so. Penalties are also provided for anyone, including other students, who encourages or induces students to be absent or who employs or harbors a student who should be in school. The School Board employs attendance officers who are authorized and required to file a petition in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court to obtain compliance with this law.

As outlined in §22.1–254 of the Code of Virginia pertaining to the Compulsory School Attendance Law, every parent, guardian, or other person having control of any child between the ages of 5 and 18 shall send such childto a public, private, denominational, or parochial school or have such child taught by a tutor or qualified teacher, or provide home instruction as approved by the Superintendent or designee. Parents or guardians who believe that a child is not mentally, physically, or emotionally prepared for school must notify the Superintendent in writing that they wish to delay compulsory attendance until the following year if the child has not reached his or her 6th birthday on or before September 30. (See Appendix A for a reprint of the Compulsory School Attendance Law in its entirety.)

Absence from School

Recognizing there are legitimate circumstances that prevent students from being in school, the School Board has provided that principals shall excuse students who are absent because of personal illness, death in the family, medical or dental appointments, court appearances, and religious holidays.

When a student is absent for all or any portion of the day, the parent or guardian is responsible for notifying the school of the reason and justification for the absence in a timely manner. At the principal’s discretion, a physician’s note may be required to excuse an absence. Principals also are authorized to excuse students who are absent because of illness in the immediate family or emergencies that, in the judgment of the principal, require a student to be absent. This includes trips that extend or enhance a student’s education when such trips are approved in advance by the principal. Regardless of the reason for an absence of 15 or more consecutive days,VAC 20–110–130 of the Virginia Administrative Code requires that the student be dropped from the attendance rolls. Such students must be re-enrolled and assigned to a classroom as determined by the principal or designee. Principals or designees may discipline students for unexcused absences and excessive tardies. Whenever any student accumulates a minimum of five unexcused absences in a school year, the parent or guardian willbe required to provide the school with documentation from a licensed physician regarding the reason for any subsequent absences. If an additional unexcused absence occurs during the school year, a plan to resolve the non-attendance will be developed. Upon any subsequent unexcused absences within the school year, the attendance officer will file a complaint with the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court as described in §22.1–258 of the Code of Virginia.

Last Modified on September 8, 2011