Attendance

Any student who has attained the age of six (6), but has not reached his/her eighteenth (18th) birthday, who has been absent from school without valid excuse for three (3) days or more, or tardy without valid excuse on three (3) days or more, is a truant.

Any student enrolled in a public school who has attained the age of eighteen (18) years, but has not reached his/her twenty-first (21st) birthday, who has been absent from school without valid excuse for three (3) or more days, or tardy without valid excuse on three (3) or more days, is a truant.

Any student who has been reported as a truant two (2) or more times is an habitual truant. Habitual truancy is defined as have six (6) unexcused absences.

After five (5) unexcused absences, the student will be sent a Final Notice stating that further unexcused absences will result in court charges being filed against the parent/student.

Continued unexcused absences will result in educational neglect charges being filed against the parent or guardian of the offending student.

For the purposes of establishing a student's status as a truant, a student’s attendance record is cumulative for an entire school year. When students transfer from one Kentucky district to another, attendance information from the previous district shall become part of their official attendance record for that school year.

According to the Kentucky Department of Education, Kentucky defines chronic absenteeism as missing 10 percent or more of the enrolled academic year for any reason (excused or unexcused). This means a student missing 2 days per month of school over the course of a school year results in being chronically absent.

Please contact your child's school to report absences. 

Students shall be granted an excused absence for up to ten (10) school days to pursue an educational enhancement opportunity determined by the Principal to be of significant educational value. This opportunity may include, but not be limited to, participation in an educational foreign exchange program or an intensive instructional, experiential, or performance program in one (1) of the core curriculum subjects of English, science, mathematics, social studies, foreign language, and the arts.

Unless the Principal determines that extenuating circumstances exist, requests for date(s) falling within State or District testing periods shall not be granted.

The Principal’s determination may be appealed to the Superintendent/designee whose decision may then be appealed to the Board under its grievance policy and procedures.

Students receiving an excused absence under this section shall have the opportunity to make up school work missed and shall not have their class grades adversely affected for lack of class attendance or class participation due to the excused absence.

• Download or print the Enhanced Educational Opportunity Form

If you and your child and/or family are struggling with attendance, we're here to help! Contact your child's school to learn how we can offer assistance. The following resources are also available to assist with barriers to attendance:

• Family Resource and Youth Services Centers
• Health Services - Reach out to our school nurses for assistance.
• Mental Health & Wellness - Reach out to our school psychologists, counselors or therapists.

Excused Absence

The following reasons will be considered excused absences: (All notes must be presented to the attendance clerk within two (2) school days after student's return.)

1. Illness of the pupil, including mental or behavioral health. For chronic illness, one doctor statement may be sufficient. (Parents and guardians need to contact the building Principal if this case exists;
2. Medical or dental appointments that cannot be made up after school hours. Must bring in statement from doctor confirming date and time;
3. Serious illness in the immediate household (Principal's discretion);
4. Order of a court;
5. Death in immediate family. (Limit three (3) days except for extenuating circumstances.);
6. Family emergency (Principal's discretion);
7. Natural disaster or emergency beyond control of student;
8. College days. Pre-approved by school official and verification of trip by college or tech school (Two (2) days for seniors). (Applies to Grades 7-12);
9. School-sponsored trips are not absences as they relate to the attendance policy. Students are required to make-up missed work;
10. Documented military leave;
11. One (1) day prior to departure of parent/guardian called to active military duty;
12. One (1) day upon the return of parent/guardian from active military duty,
13. Visitation for up to ten (10) days with the student’s parent, de facto custodian, or person with legal custody who, while on active military duty stationed outside of the country, is granted rest and recuperation leave, or
14. Test administered by school counselors or colleges. Documentation of attendance necessary (Applies to Grades 7-12);
15. Driver's license or driver's permit test. (1/2 day each; limit one) (Grades 7-12);
16. Pre-arranged educational family trips may be excused at the discretion of the Principal. (Students must be passing all subjects, have fewer than six (6) absences and none unexcused, student report or project required which reflects the educational value of the trip.) Two (2) day maximum;
17. Ten (10) days for students attending basic training required by a branch of the United States Armed Forces;
18. Students participating in any of the page programs of the General Assembly;2 or
19. Students must be in attendance for more than one-half day of the day to be allowed to attend or participate in any extra/co-curricular event.