If any student’s Individual Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan conflicts with this policy, the requirements of the student’s IEP or 504 Plan take precedence.

Education is more than the grades students receive in their courses. Important as that is, students’ regular attendance at school, whether in person or digitally, is essential to their social and cultural development and helps prepare them to accept responsibilities they will face as an adult. Interactions with other students and participation in the instruction within the classroom enrich the learning environment and promote a continuity of instruction which results in higher student achievement.

Absences for students enrolled in synchronous digital courses shall be determined in the same manner as for District students attending courses in person.

Excused Absences

Excused absences are those where the student was on official school business or when the absence was due to one of the following reasons:

1. The student’s illness or when attendance could jeopardize the health of other students. A maximum of five (5) such days are allowed per semester unless the condition(s) causing such absences is of a chronic or recurring nature, is medically documented, and approved by the principal.
2. Death or serious illness in their immediate family;
3. Observance of recognized holidays observed by the student's faith;
4. Attendance at an appointment with a government agency;
5. Attendance at a medical appointment;
6. Exceptional circumstances with prior approval of the principal; or
7. Participation in an FFA, FHA, or 4-H sanctioned activity;
8. Participation in the election poll workers program for high school students.
9. Absences granted to allow a student to visit his/her parent or legal guardian who is a member of the military and been called to active duty, is on leave from active duty, or has returned from deployment to a combat zone or combat support posting. The number of additional excused absences shall be at the discretion of the superintendent or designee.
10. Absences granted, at the Superintendent's discretion, to seventeen (17) year-old students who join the Arkansas National Guard while in eleventh grade to complete basic combat training between grades eleven (11) and (12).
11. Absences for students excluded from school by the Arkansas Department of Health during a disease outbreak because the student has an immunization waiver or whose immunizations are not up to date.
12. Absences due to conditions related to pregnancy or parenting, including without limitation:
    • Labor, delivery, and recovery;
    • Prenatal and postnatal medical appointments and other medically necessary, pregnancy-related absences;
    • The illness or medical appointment of a child belonging to a parent who is enrolled at a District school;
    • A legal appointment related to pregnancy or parenting, including without limitation:
    • Adoption;
    • Custody; and
    • Visitation;
    • A reasonable amount of time to accommodate a lactating student’s need to express breast milk or to breastfeed the student’s child on the District’s campus; and
    • At least ten (10) school days of absences for both a parenting mother and a parenting father after the birth of a child.

Students who serve as pages for a member of the General Assembly shall be considered on instructional assignment and shall not be considered absent from school for the day the student is serving as a page.

Up to one (1) time during each scheduled election, a student shall not be considered absent from school for the time the student accompanies the student's parent when the parent is exercising the parent’s right to vote in a scheduled election.

In order for the absence to be considered excused, the student must:

1. Bring a written statement to the principal or designee upon the student’s return to school from the student’s parent, legal guardian or treating physician stating the reason for the student’s absence;
2. If the student is attending the District’s courses digitally, upload a written statement from the student’s parent, legal guardian, or treating physician stating the reason for the student’s absence through the District’s digital course management platform for review by the principal or designee; or
3. Provide documentation as proof of a student's participation in an activity or program scheduled and approved by the 4-H program that is provided by a 4-H county extension agent, 4-H educator, or other appropriate entity associated with the 4-H activity or program.

A written statement presented or uploaded for an absence having occurred more than five (5) school days prior to its presentation or upload will not be accepted.

Unexcused Absences

Absences that are not defined above; do not have an accompanying note from the parent, legal guardian, person having lawful control of the student, person standing in loco parentis, the student’s treating physician, or a 4-H county extension agent, 4-H educator, or other appropriate entity associated with the 4-H activity or program; or have an accompanying note that is not presented or uploaded within the timeline required by this policy, shall be considered as unexcused absences. Students with six (6) unexcused absences in a course in a semester may not receive credit for that course. At the discretion of the principal after consultation with persons having knowledge of the circumstances of the unexcused absences, the student may be denied promotion or graduation. Excessive absences shall not be a reason for expulsion or dismissal of a student.

When a student has three (3) unexcused absences in a semester, his/her parents, legal guardians, persons with lawful control of the student, or persons standing in loco parentis shall be notified. Notification shall be by telephone by the end of the school day in which such absence occured or by regular mail with a return address sent no later than the following school day.

When a student has four (4) unexcused absences in a semester, the parent, legal guardian, person having lawful control of the student, or persons standing in loco parentis will be mailed a second letter notifying them of the unexcused absences. Additionally, the building’s principal or designee will make a phone call to the parent, legal guardian, person having lawful control of the student, or persons standing in loco parentis to discuss attendance concerns.

Whenever a student exceeds four (4) unexcused absences in a semester, the District shall notify the prosecuting authority and the parent, legal guardian, person having lawful control of the student, or persons standing in loco parentis shall be subject to a civil penalty as prescribed by law. The parent, legal guardian, person having lawful control of the student, or persons standing in loco parentis will be asked to come to the school to meet with the building principal to discuss the reasoning for the unexcused absences. The principal after having knowledge of the circumstances of the unexcused absences will then determine whether or not if the student will be denied credit, promotion, or graduation.

Between the sixth (6th) and eight (8th) unexcused absence, a building administrator and resource officer will attempt to make a home visit to discuss the reasons for the excessive absenteeism.

When a student has eight (8) unexcused absences in a semester, a report will be faxed by the building counselor to the Arkansas Child Abuse Hotline for educational neglect.

When a student has ten (10) unexcused absences in a semester, a Family in Need of Services (FINS) petition will be filed by the building principal to the juvenile court system.

It is the Arkansas General Assembly’s intention that students having excessive absences be given assistance in obtaining credit for their courses. Therefore, at any time prior to when a student exceeds the number of unexcused absences permitted by this policy, the student, or his/her parent, legal guardian, person with lawful control of the student, or person standing in loco parentis may petition the school or district’s administration for special arrangements to address the student’s unexcused absences. If formal arrangements are granted, they shall be formalized into a written agreement which will include the conditions of the agreement and the consequences for failing to fulfill the agreement’s requirements. The agreement shall be signed by the student, the student’s parent; legal guardian; person having lawful control of the student; or person standing in loco parentis, and the school or district administrator or designee.

Students who attend in-school suspension shall not be counted absent for those days.

Days missed due to out-of-school suspension or expulsion shall be unexcused absences.

The District shall notify the Department of Finance and Administration whenever a student fourteen (14) years of age or older is no longer in school. The Department of Finance and Administration is required to suspend the former student’s operator’s license unless he/she meets certain requirements specified in the statute.