Attendance Matters

Excused Absences Per Education Code and CVUSD Board Policy AR5113

1. Personal illness, including absence for the benefit of the student’s mental or behavioral health (Education Code 48205)

2. Quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer (Education Code 48205)

3. Medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic service or appointment (Education Code 48205)

4. Attendance at funeral services for a member of the student’s immediate family, which shall be limited to one day if the service is conducted in California or three days if the service is conducted out of state. (Education Code 48205)

5. Jury duty in the manner provided for by law (Education Code 48205)

6. Illness or medical appointment of a child to whom the student is the custodial parent (Education Code 48205)

7. Upon advance written request by the parent/guardian and the approval of the principal or designee, justifiable personal reasons including, but not limited to: (Education Code 48205)

   1. Appearance in court

   2. Attendance at a funeral service

   3. Observation of a religious holiday or ceremony

   4. Attendance at religious retreats for no more than four hours per semester

   5. Attendance at an employment conference

   6. Attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization

8. Service as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Elections Code 12302 (Education Code 48205)

9. To spend time with an immediate family member who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined in Education Code 49701, and has been called to duty for deployment to a combat zone or a combat support position or is on leave from or has immediately returned from such deployment (Education Code 48205)

10. Attendance at the student’s naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen (Education Code 48205)

11. Participation in a cultural ceremony or event which relates to the habits, practices, beliefs, and traditions of a certain group of people (Education Code 48205)

12. Participation in religious exercises or to receive moral and religious instruction at the student’s place of worship or other suitable place away from school (Education Code 46014)

13. Work in the entertainment or allied industry (Education Code 48225.5)  Work for a student who holds a work permit authorizing work in the entertainment or allied industries for a period of not more than five consecutive days.  For this purpose, student absence shall be excused for a maximum of up to five absences per school year (Education Code 48225.5)

14. Participation with a nonprofit performing arts organization in a performance for a public school audience (Education Code 48225.5)  A student may be excused for up to five such absences per school year provided that the student’s parent/guardian provides a written explanation of such absence to the school (Education Code 48225.5)

For the purpose of the absences described above, immediate family means the student’s parent/guardian, brother or sister, grandparent, or any other relative living in the student’s household (Education Code 48205)

The following methods may be used to verify student absences:

1. Written note, fax, email, or voice mail from parent/guardian or parent representative.

2. Conversation, in person or by telephone, between the verifying employee and the student's parent/guardian or parent representative. The employee shall subsequently record the following:

   1. Name of student

   2. Name of parent/guardian or parent representative

   3. Name of verifying employee

   4. Date(s) of absence

   5. Reason for absence

3. Visit to the student's home by the verifying employee, or any other reasonable method which establishes the fact that the student was absent for the reasons stated. The employee shall document the verification and include the information specified in item #2 above.

4. Physician's verification

CSBA NOTE: The following optional paragraph provides a means of verifying an excuse for confidential medical services without inquiring into the nature of the medical services.

1. When excusing students for confidential medical services or verifying such appointments, district staff shall not ask the purpose of such appointments but may request a note from the medical office to confirm the time of the appointment.  (Became law in 1986-1987 school year.)

CSBA NOTE: The following optional paragraph provides that, after absences for illness on multiple occasions, the student may be required to bring a note from a physician to verify the illness. If a student does not have access to medical services in order to obtain such verification, the district may assist the student in obtaining the medical consultation if it is required.

2. If a student shows a pattern of chronic absenteeism due to illness, district staff may require physician verification of any further student absences.