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[JH: Attendance, Absenteeism and Truancy]

The Manchester School District takes attendance very seriously and will enforce and comply with New Hampshire law relative to attendance. The educational program offered by the District is predicated upon the presence of the student and requires continuity of instruction and classroom participation in order for students to achieve academic standards and consistent educational progress. The Superintendent or designee shall establish procedures in accordance with this policy and applicable law to address excessive absenteeism and truancy in schools.

Parents of students ages six (6) through eighteen (18) years of age are responsible to send their children to school pursuant to the parameters established in RSA 193:1. Students are required to be in school every day that school is in session unless their attendance is exempt per New Hampshire law or their absence meets criteria to be considered an excused absence. Unexcused absences are not acceptable. 

A.    Excused Absences

Students must be in school unless the absence has been permitted or excused for one of the reasons listed below which may require documentation. The Board considers the following to be excused absences:

1.      school-sponsored activities with administrative approval;

2.      classes missed due to Individualized Education Plan or Section 504 Plan;

3.      extreme weather conditions as determined by the Administration;

4.      illness of student or illness of an immediate family member;

5.      death in the family;

6.      religious holidays;

7.      required court appearance or subpoena;

8.      scheduled medical/dental appointments if such cannot be scheduled outside of normal school hours;

9.      college visitations as approved by Administration;

10.  chronic illness registered with the school nurse and verified by a physician’s note;

11.  students suspended externally; these students are entitled to make-up work; and

12.  the Principal or his/her designee shall determine if an absence is excused for good cause for any other reason not listed above.

Any absence that has not been excused will be considered an unexcused absence. Excessive excused absences shall be addressed on a case-by-case basis to determine if there is a pattern of non-attendance. Patterns of non-attendance shall be addressed as outlined below.

In the event of an illness, parents must call the school and inform the District of the student’s illness and absence. For other absences, parents must provide written notice or a written excuse that states one of these reasons for non-attendance. The Principal may require parents to provide additional documentation in support of their written notice, including but not  limited to doctor’s notes, court documents, obituaries, or other documents supporting the reason for non-attendance.

Other Excused Absences: Communication between the School and the parent is encouraged. If parents wish for their child to be absent for a reason not listed above, the parent must provide a written explanation of the reasons for such absence, including why the student will be absent and for how long the student will be absent. The Principal or designee will make a determination as to whether the stated reason for the student’s absence constitutes good cause under this policy and will notify the student and parent(s) of their decision as soon as practicable. If the Principal or designee determines that good cause does not exist, the parents may request a conference with the Principal to again explain the reasons for non-attendance. The Principal may then reconsider their initial decision. The Principal’s decision shall be final.

Make-Up Work. When students are absent, including absences for external short term or long term suspension, an opportunity to make-up work shall be provided. Students and parents are encouraged to obtain make-up work assignments before the student’s return to school by contacting the classroom teacher or guidance office to obtain information on work missed.

Participation in School-Sponsored Activities. Attendance at school is required for students to participate in school sponsored activities. Students shall not attend or take part in school sponsored activities on the day of an absence or suspension from school unless approved by the Principal or designee.

B.     Unexcused Absences

Any absence that has not been excused for any of the reasons listed above will be considered an unexcused absence. Excessive unexcused absences shall be addressed on a case-by-case basis to determine if there is a pattern of non-attendance. Examples of unexcused absences include but are not limited to:

1.      absences as a result of incomplete immunization records;

2.      family vacations outside of established school calendar;

3.      non-medical appointments unauthorized by Administration;

4.      childcare;

5.      leaving school grounds without permission during normal school hours; and

6.      absences determined by the Principal or designee to be unexcused in accordance with Section A, above.

Ten half-days of unexcused absence during a school year constitutes habitual truancy. A half-day absence is defined as a student missing more than two hours of instructional time and less than three and one-half hours of instructional time. Any absence of more than three and one-half hours of instructional time shall be considered a full-day absence.

a.       Tardiness

Tardiness is defined as a student not being in the classroom when the class is scheduled to begin.

1.      Excessive tardiness shall be addressed on a case-by-case basis to determine if there is a pattern of non-attendance.

2.      Tardiness to class without documentation shall be considered unexcused.  Every third unexcused tardy shall constitute a one full-day unexcused absence. 

3.      Principals and their designee(s) shall have the discretion to excuse tardiness for extenuating circumstances.

b.      Dismissals

Dismissal is defined as removal from school prior to the conclusion of the school day.

1.      Excessive dismissals shall be addressed on a case-by-case basis to determine if there is a pattern of non-attendance.

2.      Dismissal from class without documentation shall be considered unexcused. Every third unexcused dismissal from class shall constitute a one full-day unexcused absence from that class. 

3.      Principals and their designee(s) shall have the discretion to excuse dismissals for extenuating circumstances.

High school late arrival and early dismissal procedures are referenced in Students 165.

C.    Truancy

Truancy is defined as any unexcused absence from class or school. Students who are truant shall have an attendance plan and interventions as outlined in this section, below.

Attendance Plan & Interventions to address Truancy

Attendance Plans should be utilized by school staff when a student has five (5) or more unexcused absences. Meetings to develop Attendance Plans shall be convened by the administrator or his/her designee with the parent, student and appropriate youth serving agencies immediately following a student’s fifth (5th) full-day unexcused absence from school.

Attendance Plans shall provide appropriate interventions for students and their families and ensure communication between and with students, parents/guardians, representatives from social service agencies working with the student and family and school staff.  It is highly desirable to establish this communication prior to disciplinary measures or withdrawal/suspension actions by the school.  Attendance Plans shall provide proactive interventions that will benefit students.  The Attendance Plan shall include, in addition to proactive interventions to benefit the student, the consequences if the interventions fail to improve attendance issues.  Such consequences may include, but not be limited to referral to the Truancy Officer, the Department of Health and Human Services and or loss of course credit. Each plan should outline a set schedule for regular review by the school and parents to address the student’s progress.

The building Principal or designee shall contact parents/guardians if a student develops a pattern of absences. This correspondence shall provide the parents with documentation outlining the unexcused absences and a copy of the Manchester School District Policy and Regulations regarding attendance and a date, time and location for a meeting with parent(s)/guardian(s), student, school staff and applicable youth serving agencies to develop an attendance plan. The administration or designee shall confirm parent receipt of this correspondence.

The Attendance Plan shall include components which monitor, mentor and tutor the student. In order to facilitate a successful Attendance Plan for a student who is regularly absent, the pursuit of interventions is required. These interventions may be one of the following or any other intervention acceptable to administration and parties involved:

·         alternative Education Plan;

·         modification of student schedule;

·         Saturday School from 9 to 12 noon to make up missed work

·         counseling services within the purview and ability of the guidance department;

·         referral to outside agencies and involvement of community partners to support the child and/or family; and/or

·         the filing of an educational neglect petition with the Court.

Attendance plans should be regularly reviewed by the Principal or designee in consultation with parents and other school personnel.

D.    Habitual Truancy

Truancy is defined as any unexcused absence from class or school.  Habitual Truancy is defined as ten (10) or more unexcused absences. The Principal or Truant Officer is hereby designated as the District employee responsible for overseeing truancy issues in consultation with the building Principal or designee and the district administration.

            Intervention Plan to Address Habitual Truancy

The Principal or designee shall regularly review attendance records to identify students who are, or may soon become, habitually truant. When the Principal identifies a student who is habitually truant or who is in danger of becoming habitually truant, they shall commence an intervention with the student, the student's parents, and other staff members as may be deemed necessary. The intervention shall include processes including, but not limited to:

1.      investigation of the cause(s) of the student's truant behavior and exploration of supports that may address the identified cause of the truant behavior;

2.      consideration of potential modifications to the student’s educational program to meet their particular needs that may be causing the truancy;

3.      involving the parents in the development of a plan designed to reduce the truancy;

4.      seeking alternative disciplinary measures as practicable;

5.      determination as to whether school record keeping practices and parental notification of the student's absences impact the child's attendance; and

6.      notification to the Office of Student Services for any student with an identified or suspected disability.

Parental Involvement in Truancy Intervention

When a student reaches habitual truancy status or is in danger of reaching habitual truancy status, the Principal or designee will send the student's parent a letter which includes:

1.      a statement that the student has become or is in danger of becoming habitually truant;

2.      a statement of the parent's responsibility to ensure that the student attends school; and

3.      a request for a meeting between the parents and the Principal to discuss the student's truancy and to develop a plan for reducing the student's truancy.

Developing and Coordinating Strategies for Truancy Reduction

The Board encourages the administration to seek truancy-prevention and truancy-reduction strategies along the lines of those listed below. The Superintendent or designee is authorized to develop and utilize other means, guidelines and programs aimed at preventing and reducing truancy, such as:

1.      coordinating truancy-prevention strategies based on the early identification of truancy, such as prompt notification of absences to parents;

2.      assisting school staff to develop site attendance plans by providing development strategies, resources, and referral procedures;

3.      encouraging the involvement of community partners to support the child and/or the family to reduce unexcused absences;

4.      encouraging and coordinating the adoption of attendance -incentive programs at school sites and in individual classrooms that reward and celebrate good attendance and significant improvements in attendance; and

5.      implementing teams at each school and at the district level to compile and monitor data on habitually truant students.

Parental & Student Notification of Truancy Policy

Prior to adopting this policy, the Board will place the item on the agenda of a public school board meeting and will allow two weeks for public input as to the policy's provisions.  Any public input shall be advisory only and final adoption as to the policy's provisions will remain solely with the Board. Additionally, the Superintendent shall include this policy or a link thereto in the student handbook.

E.      Limit of Absences

When a high school student has been absent from a particular class five (5) or more unexcused days in a marking period, that student shall receive an “NG” “No Grade” for that marking period.  The “NG” shall be not less than 64.9999 for a student whose grade would have been a “D” or better without excessive absenteeism.  Failures due to absenteeism shall be designated on student records. The use of “NG” shall result in the automatic printing of the comment “due to excessive unexcused absences.”

F.     Appeals

Appeals for receipt of a “NG” due to excessive unexcused absences shall be addressed  by contacting the Principal and completing the Marking Period Attendance Appeal Form. This form will be reviewed and responded to at the building level. Such cases shall be addressed on a case-by-case basis with the Principal to determine if any make up work is possible to avoid a “NG” marking for the marking period.

G.    Remote Learning

On days during the school year in which classroom instruction is unable to be held in person due to inclement weather or other significant disruption, school may be held remotely in accordance with Board Policy Safety 106: School Closings and Cancelations. When such days are designated, students are expected to participate by completing assigned work for the day. Students who do not participate will be marked absent by the teacher unless the student was unable to establish sufficient internet connection, in which case the work may be submitted upon return to the school building.  

Policy References:

Students 165: High School Late Arrival/ Early Dismissal

Safety 106: School Closings and Cancelations

Instruction 125: Middle and High School Grading

Legal References:

RSA 193:1 Duty of Parent; Compulsory Attendance by Pupil

RSA 193:7 Penalty

RSA 193:8 Notice Requirements

RSA 193:16 School Attendance

NH Code of Administrative Rules, Section Ed 306.04 (a) (1), Attendance and Absenteeism

NH Code of Administrative Rules, Section Ed 306.04 (c), Policy Relative to Attendance and Absenteeism

NH Code of Administrative Rules, Section Ed 306.18 (c) (6)

RSA 189:35-a Truancy Defined

RSA 189:1-a Duty to Provide Education

Manchester School District Code of Conduct

History: Revised from 4/96, 8/23/10, 7/9/12, 9/24/2012, 4/29/2013 

First Reading Policy Committee: 12/21/2022, 1/18/2023

Second Reading and BOSC Adoption: 01/30/2023