Every school day counts!
When you miss school, you miss out on learning and extracurricular activities.
Daily attendance in school is a strong indicator of future success. and student attendance is the responsibility of the parent/guardian.
FAST FACTS
– Absenteeism must be reported by phone to your child’s school via the automated system.
– Medical excuses will require a doctor’s note that can be given to the attendance secretary or faxed to the school.
– All communication will be given to the building’s attendance secretary.
Reasons to avoid absences:
– Continuation of student’s mastery of the instructional materials.
– There is a high correlation between good attendance, academic achievement, and successful everyday work experience.
– To foster positive work and study habits.
Attendance Expectations
Keokuk Community School District has set a goal to be within 95% of compliance for student attendance for the year. We strive for excellence and student success in our district, and we want to help you with any resources that you might need. If the student has a medical condition or need that has led to absence from school it is important to reach out to the attending school to meet with the attendance staff to discuss and plan for future absences. Parents are also encouraged to contact their school office with any questions about attendance records.
Why do we have these new attendance laws?
SF 2435 was passed as law on May 9, 2024 with an effective date of July 1, 2024. In follow up to the passing of code, the Iowa Department of Education provided guidance to school districts in Iowa this fall. We wrote our policies to be in compliance with these expectations.
What ages fall under this policy?
Children who are at least six years old and under age sixteen by September 15 are of compulsory attendance age. The provisions of the law apply to this group in terms of communication with the County Attorney, design of plans, etc. However, the District is required to report the attendance to the state for all students enrolled regardless of age.
Should I be worried about my child’s attendance?
We know that students have better success with regular, predictable attendance. These changes will help ensure the district is communicating with families of students who are chronically absent to alert them to trends and provide resources that may be helpful. Please note that families will receive a letter and have a meeting with the district before any referral to a county attorney would take place.
I’m planning to do college visits with my student. Are those excused absences?
Per Iowa Code and Iowa Department of Education guidance, college visits are not exempt. Our District will track these absences as required by the state and they will count toward chronic absenteeism. However, three absences will be excused by the KCSD and we will not impose any additional school-based consequences.
What about field trips and other school-sponsored activities or work-based learning experiences?
Students participating in school-sponsored activities and athletics, field trips and work-based learning experiences through an assigned course will be considered a school related activity. These will not count against any of the thresholds mentioned above.
Are family funerals an excused absence?
KCSD will allow 3 bereavement days per semester. Per Iowa Code and Iowa Department of Education guidance our District will track these absences as required by the state and they will count toward truancy within the chronic absenteeism law.
We have a family vacation planned. How does that impact my student’s attendance record?
Families are encouraged to schedule vacations and trips when school is not in session. Family trips and vacations are not considered excused absences per Iowa Code. Please notify your student’s teachers in advance of your vacation, so they can make a plan for your student to complete their school work. These absences will count towards a student being considered chronically absent or truant.
My family is leaving the country for a couple weeks. How do we proceed?
If a family is leaving the country, they would need to be unenrolled during the time period for which they are gone. Once the family returns, the enrollment can be resumed. Please speak with your building administrator if this situation applies to your family.
My student isn’t feeling well, but it doesn’t warrant a doctor’s visit. Do I need to make an appointment to get a note?
All health related absences will require documentation from a doctor (ex. Medical appointments, physical therapy, speech therapy, mental health therapy, orthodontists, comp rehabilitation etc.) in order to be excused. Please inform your school of all absences and provide necessary documentation before or when you return from the appointment or illness in order to be counted as excused.
What does it mean for my student’s attendance record if the nurse sends them home sick?
When a nurse sends a student home for health-related reasons, the absence will be considered medically exempt.
My student has a planned surgery (e.g. tonsillectomy). Will that count against their attendance record?
With a doctor’s note, this would be considered a medically exempt absence. A medically exempt absence will still be recorded as an absence but will be excused and exempt from chronic absenteeism laws.
My student has recurring appointments (i.e. physical therapy, counseling, specialist).
Does each appointment require a doctor’s note, or can I bring in one note for the year?
It may be possible for recurring doctor appointments to be outlined with one note. Please speak with a building administrator regarding your specific situation.
Who do I give a doctor’s note or other documentation to, and when?
Doctor’s notes can be given to the building secretary, nurse, or an administrator either prior to the absence or upon return.
My student competes in competitive activities (e.g. gymnastics, volleyball) that are not school-related. At times, these non-school related activities require traveling to competitions. Will these absences count toward the calculations of chronic absenteeism and truancy?
Per Iowa Code and Iowa Department of Education guidance, students participating in non-school competitive activities requiring them to be absent from school are not exempt. Our District will track these absences as required by the state and they will count toward chronic absenteeism.
What happens if my student’s bus is late?
Students will not be counted absent or tardy due to bus-related delays.
What is the District doing to help families comply with these policies?
If families need support from school personnel to help them with strategies to comply with these policies, please contact your school’s administrator or counselor.
Where can I see my student’s attendance record?
You can see your student’s attendance record by logging into the PowerSchool portal. Your student’s absences are displayed on the landing page under Attendance History. Scroll down to see a list of attendance codes.
What are all the different types of absences, and can I see that in PowerSchool?
The following are specific examples provided by the Iowa Department of Education. The attendance codes that will be visible in PowerSchool, as recommended by the Iowa Department of Education, are visible toward the bottom of this answer.
Open Enrollment and Truancy
Any student who has been absent from school, for any reason, for at least 20% of the days or hours in a grading period is considered truant (Iowa Code 299.8, as amended by Senate File 2435). If the student is participating in open enrollment and defined as truant, the receiving district school board may terminate the open enrollment agreement AND prohibit the student from re-enrolling in the receiving district after official notice and the opportunity to be heard has been provided to the student’s parent/guardian.
If the receiving district has terminated the open enrollment agreement for the student, the receiving district must notify the resident district. The resident district must enroll the student. A parent or guardian may apply for their child to open enroll to another school district, except the previous receiving district where the student was previously attending under open enrollment, and must follow the procedures outlined in the Application Information and Deadlines section.
What if my student is absent for 10 consecutive days?
If a student is absent for 10 consecutive days, without parent contact, the school will contact the District Registrar. The student will be unenrolled from the District unless the absence is exempt under Senate File 2435. Please note: If a student is open enrolled, the family must reapply for open enrollment with good cause.
Scenarios Provided by the Iowa Department of Education
Scenarios Provided by the Iowa Department of Education:
A student is PRESENT per SF2435:
Participating in state athletic competition, show choir, art show, attending community college course, CTE placement, school-directed/supervised activity (e.g., FFA Conference, Art Show, Class Trip), medically homebound but completing work.
A student is ABSENT and not exempt per SF2435:
Family vacation, funeral, “out of town,” helping family (e.g., planting, harvest, working shift at family business), arrived to school then skipped classes, college visit, student is not at school and there is no parent contact or the parent does not give a reason, watching classmates in competition, car trouble.
A student is ABSENT BUT EXEMPT per SF2435:
Religious service, holiday, or education, Court-directed activity, Jury Duty, IEP that restricts attendance, Section 504 plan that restricts attendance.
EXEMPT CODES in PowerSchool
GRDX: Graduated
- Completed the requirements for graduation or has obtained a high school equivalency diploma.
CRTX: Court Ordered
- Excused for sufficient reason by any court of record of judge (e.g. jury duty).
RELX: Religious
- Attending religious services or receiving religious instructions.
MEDX: Medical
- Unable to attend school due to legitimate medical reason(s).
IEPX: Individualized Education Program
- IEP that affects attendance.
504X: Section 504
- Section 504 plan under the Federal Rehabilitation Act that affects attendance.
Student attendance is the responsibility of the parent/guardian.
Absenteeism must be reported by phone to your child’s school via the automated system, you may contact:
TORRENCE: (319) 526-3665
GW: (319) 524-1953
HAWTHORNE: (319) 524-3503
KMS: (319) 524-3737
KHS: (319) 524-2542
NOTE:
– Medical excuses will require a doctor’s note that can be given to the attendance secretary or faxed to the school.
– All communication will be given to the building’s attendance secretary.
STATE ABSENTEEISM LAW
Iowa state law (SF2435) provides clear guidelines for limited circumstances that are exempt from attendance requirements (medical absences with a physician’s note; school-related field trips and events; court appearances; religious services or instruction; eligible IEPs and 504s; and those students who have already completed required graduation requirements).
Tardy Process (High School and Middle School)
Students are considered tardy when they do not arrive to school on time. Students who arrive late and miss 50% or more of any class period, will be marked absent for that period.
Tardy Process (Keokuk Elementary Schools)
At Keokuk Community School District we strive for excellence and timeliness, a big part of reaching that excellence is through timeliness and good attendance. For every minute that your student is tardy to school it will be tracked and documented. Once a student is tardy to school in the accumulation of minutes equal to one full school day this will be documented as an unexcused absence.
COUNTED ABSENT
A student will be counted absent from class when the student has missed more than 10 minutes of a class period. Every student is allowed up to five excused absences at the discretion of their parent or custodial guardian. Subsequent absences are unexcused unless students have provided medical documentation or absences have been approved by administration at the attending school.
If a student is absent for three consecutive days with no communication from a custodial guardian or emergency contact, a home visit will be conducted.
If a student is absent 20% or more during a semester, the student will be considered truant. Iowa state law requires school districts to notify the parents/guardians of students who are truant and to also notify the county attorney. The Lee County Attorney may file a truancy complaint against parents/guardians of a student found to be truant.
ATTENDANCE & HIGH SCHOOL CREDIT
If a student accumulates 20% of unexcused absences (truant in a class), they may lose credit for that class. Prior to loss of credit, the principal will first provide a warning letter that will be given after 10% of unexcused absences or truancies in a class to inform the student and parent how many absences the student has left before loss of credit will be considered and allow the student to correct the behavior (High School only).
A student who loses credit may be assigned to the learning center for the period(s) in which the course(s) meet or the student may be reassigned to another class or location.
NEW ATTENDANCE LEGISLATION (For the 2024-2025 school year)
New legislation, for the most part, does not differentiate between excused and unexcused absences, however there are some exceptions which include:
- – School Related Participant (Attendance at a school-related event like a field trip or participating in an extracurricular activity)
- – Graduated (Completion of graduation requirements or high school equivalency diploma)
- – Court (Excusal for sufficient reason by any court of record or judge)
- – Religious (Attendance at religious services or religious instruction)
- – Medical (Inability to attend due to legitimate medical reasons)
- – IEP (Individualized education program (IEP) affecting attendance)
- – 504 (Section 504 plan under the Federal Rehabilitation Act affecting attendance)