School Attendance is required by law. Education Code 48200 of the State of California requires every child six through 18 years of age to attend school every day and on time. Studies prove that student attendance increases student achievement.
It is very important for your child to be at school every day and on time. There is no substitute for time spent with the teacher in class and a great deal of material is covered every day. We encourage you to plan ahead for medical and dental appointments and vacations, and take advantage of the minimum day every Wednesday to schedule appointments.
The tardy bell rings at 8:30 a.m. Students arriving after 8:30 a.m. MUST report to the attendance clerk in the school office for an admit slip to class. If your child is absent for ANY reason, the office must be notified the day of or prior to the absence. Please call Attendance at 619-605-3700 x 102.
Excused Absence
The only absences that are excused as mandated by the State of California are those due to illness, medical or dental appointments, funeral services and bereavement, court appearances, family emergencies, Independent Study Contracts (if completed), or religious holidays or ceremonies.
- Illness - more than 5 days needs a Doctor's note
- family medical emergency
- medical/dental appointment
- religious holiday, court
Unexcused
Unexcused absences include, but are not limited to, those due to oversleeping, transportation issues, going on vacation, or similar situations.
Truant-more than 3 unexcused absences. For questions, call the office at 619-605-3700 ext. 102.
Planned Absence in Excess of Five Days
If your child will be absent from school for five or more days, the parent must make an appointment with the Principal at least a week prior and make arrangements for a short-term Contract for Independent Study (CIS) for the absence period. Academic assignments will then be given to the student to complete during the absence. When the student returns and turns in the successfully completed assignments, he/she will be given credit for the missed days. For attendance purposes, they will not be considered unexcused absences. Without the contract, however, the absence would be unexcused. Independent study contracts are not available for students receiving special education support.
These contracts are only given for special circumstances. If a contract is not approved, students will be dis-enrolled for the period of the absence.
Daily Attendance Matters
Students are expected to attend school every day. Children who miss school miss out on opportunities to learn, build lasting friendships, and develop the skills and attitudes needed to become good citizens and valued employees. There is a clear connection between student attendance and student performance in school. This is especially true for English Learners in terms of their gains on the English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics portions of the California Standards Tests (CST).
Student absences also affect school budgets. Schools and school districts get a significant amount of their funding based upon the number of students who actually attend school each day. This is called Average Daily Attendance (ADA). Potential losses in ADA revenue affect all students because they can lead to budget cuts affecting a variety of programs, as well as individual schools. To learn more, visit the district's Calculating ADA page.
Student Attendance Laws
All children between 6 and 18 years of age are required by California's Education Code to attend school, and their parents have a legal responsibility to ensure their child's attendance. The law also states that a student's refusal to attend school regularly can result in referral to the community-based School Attendance Review Board (SARB) Juvenile Probation, or the Juvenile Court System. Additionally, parents who fail to compel their child's attendance may face criminal prosecution and penalties.
For guidance on when to keep your child home from school due to illness, see the Student Health page.