Attendance Policy

Purpose

1. Studies show that attendance is one of the major predicting factors of success for students. 

2. Students are more likely to succeed if they attend school regularly. 

3. Students who attend school regularly will help them build skills, teacher-student relationships and progress faster. 

4. To inform parents of the attendance expectations

 

In accordance with the Colorado School Attendance Law and the Colorado State Board of Education, every child who is six years of age, on or before August 1 of each year and is under the age of seventeen years, shall attend public school for for at least the following number of hours during each school year:

 

• One thousand fifty-six hours if in middle school; and 

• Nine hundred sixty-eight hours if in elementary school

 

A student is not to miss more than 10 days of school, per school year, EXCUSED or UNEXCUSED. 

 

These rules do not apply to a child: 

• Who is temporarily ill or injured or whose absence is approved by the administrator of the school of attendance;

• Who is absent for an extended period due to physical, mental, or emotional disability;

• Who is in the custody of a court or law enforcement authorities.

 

An excused absence* means a student is absent for one of the following reasons:

 

• Illness (including mental or behavioral health of the student)

• Medical appointment or procedure

• Observance of a religious holiday or event

• Death in the immediate family, family emergency

• Legal obligations

• Circumstances that cause reasonable concern to the parent/guardian for the student’s mental, emotional, or physical health or safety

• Suspension, expulsion, or denial of admission in accordance with C.R.S. 22-33-105 and 106

• Students to whom a current age and school certificate or work permit has been issued pursuant to the Colorado Youth Employment Opportunity Act of 1971

• Attending a military honors funeral to sound TAPS, or other reason as approved by the building principal

*The above list is not exhaustive and documentation must be provided for all excused absences (i.e doctor’s note)

 

An unexcused absence (also known as truancy) is defined as a student that is absent from school without a valid and verifiable excuse by the parent/guardian that is consistent with the school’s attendance policy or the student leaves school or class without permission of authorized school staff. Students with excessive unexcused absences can be classified as habitually truant. 

 

A habitually truant student is defined as any student having four total days of unexcused absences from school in any one calendar month or ten total days of unexcused absences from public school during the reported school year.

 

A meeting will be called with guardians and a plan shall be developed for a student who is at risk of being declared habitually truant with the goal of assisting the child to remain in school. When practicable, the child’s parent, guardian or legal custodian shall participate, with district personnel during the development of the plan. Appropriate school personnel shall make all reasonable efforts to meet with the parent or guardian to review and evaluate the reasons for the child’s truancy.

 

Once a student meets the criteria for unexcused absences, the school district is able to file a Petition in Truancy with the district court of the judicial district where the student resides. Once the determination of habitual truancy has been established, the court has jurisdiction over the student and the parent(s) to enact orders and possibly a treatment plan.  

 

If a child or parent(s) should fail to follow the court’s orders regarding school attendance or any part of the treatment plan, one or all could face contempt of court charges.  

 

By signing below, I am acknowledging that I have received and understand the Prospect Academy Attendance Policy for the 2025 - 2026 school year.