Absenteeism
Connecticut state law requires parents to cause their children, ages five through eighteen inclusive, to attend school regularly during the hours and terms the public school is in session. Parents or persons having control of a child five years of age have the option of not sending the child to school until ages six or seven. Mandatory attendance terminates upon graduation or withdrawal with written parent/guardian consent at age seventeen. A student is considered to be “in attendance” if present at his/her assigned school, or an activity sponsored by the school (e.g., field trip), for at least half of the regular school day. A student who is serving an out-of-school suspension or expulsion should always be considered absent. A student not meeting the definition of “in attendance” shall be considered absent. Classroom learning experiences are the basis for public school education. Time lost from class is lost instructional opportunity. The Board of Education requires that accurate records be kept of the attendance of each child, and students should not be absent from school without parental knowledge and consent.
Attendance Policy Attendance Information Flyer
Procedures
To report an absence parents/guardians should contact your child's school attendance staff directly. Absences should be reported within 24 hours of the absence date. Please be aware that is a student needs to leave school early to attend an appointment, the information should be received prior to the designated time the student needs to leave school grounds. Otherwise, the student may be subject to a consequence.
Parents/Guardians are required submit a note with an explanation of the absence. Please note that an absence will only be converted to an excused absence if the reason is defined above and a note is supplied by the parent/guardian. After the ninth absence, a doctor's note must be supplied to the school for each absence.