SUMMARY OF FRESNO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
HIGH SCHOOL ATTENDANCE POLICY
The Board of Education and the Superintendent of Fresno Unified School District approved and Attendance Policy for high school students which was put into operation beginning with the fall semester of the 1991-1992 school year.
Following are the specifics of the policy which all students and parents must respect:
EXCUSED ABSENCES
Absences which remain uncleared for more than five school days following a student's return to class will be permanently classified as unexcused. A parent may clear an absence for the following reason: illness; medical/dental service; justifiable personal reasons, such as a courtappearance, observance of a religious holiday, etc.
A parent or guardian may clear fifteen absence, due to illness for a student during the course of a semester; subsequent clearances for illnesses require verification be a doctor or other valid health care professional. Student attendance will be monitored to detect patterns of excessive excused absences so that appropriate intervention actions may be taken.
Every effort will be made to ensure the students and parents are continually apprised of impact of attendance-- excused and unexcused-- on student achievement.
UNEXCUSED ABSENCES
The Board of Education allows teachers to assign an "F-Attendance" grade to any student who has accumulated a total of seven unexcused absences in a class. Unexcused absences due to suspension will not be counted toward the seven unexcused absences maximum. Special circumstances will be accommodated through the appeals process. Students who establish a pattern of excessive absenteeism may be withdrawn from the traditional school program and transferred into an appropriate alternative program.
ATTENDANCE APPEALS BOARD
Each school site shall develop an attendance appeals process which shall be clearly communicated to all pupils and their parents or guardians. A reasonable opportunity for any pupil to the pupil's parent or guardian to appeal shall be accumulation of seven unexcused absented absences in a class.
ATTENDANCE RECORD CUMULATIVE FOR SEMESTER
The record of attendance will begin the first day of enrollment for the semester and will be cumulative despite program changes or transfers from one school to another within the district.
