Download CSHS Excused Absence Request

Attendance Requirements:

Each parent and legal guardian of a child within the compulsory attendance age is responsible for the child’s school attendance as required by law [Florida Statute §1003.21]. All students are expected to attend school regularly and to be on time for classes in order to benefit from the instructional program and to develop habits of punctuality, self-discipline, and responsibility.

Excused Absences:

• Parents must report the absence the day before, the day of, or within two schooldays following the absence, otherwise the absence will be considered unexcused.
• Tardy students must be signed-in at the Main Office.
• Parent/Guardian notification of an absence does not in-and-itself require the school administration to record the absence as excused.
• Parents/Guardians who sign their student out before the end of school for medical/dental appointment will be marked unexcused. When the attendance office receives a medical/dental note, the absence will be changed to excused.

Tardy Policies:

Note: Excessive tardies may result in revocation of choice hardship.

Excused Tardies:

• Illness; After two days a medical note is must be submitted in order for the illness to be excused; medical/dental appts – with submitted medical/dental notes;
• automobile accident;
• death or funeral;
• emergency situations acceptable to the principal;
• required court appearance;
• established religion observance;
• severe weather;
• breakdown of school bus.

Unexcused Tardies:

• car problems (e.g., flat tire, no gas, car won’t start, etc.);
• heavy traffic;
• overslept;
• returned for forgotten items;
• non-educational appts.

Unexcused Absences:

Including absences not defined in the excused absence section and absences not documented within two school days.

Examples include but are not limited to:

• shopping trips;
• family vacations/trips;
• activities that should be conducted outside of the school day (e.g., hair/nail appts, sleeping, doing homework, DMV business, dance lessons); non-school events/programs/sporting activities; and activities more related to parental responsibilities (e.g., babysitting or providing transportation).
• Any unexcused absence will result in a grade penalty for work missed.

Special Guidelines:

• Students leaving early must check out through the Main Office.
• Students have 2 days for each day missed to make up class work upon return to school from an absence.
• After 3 consecutive absences, the teacher determines the due date for make-up work
• Students are responsible for meeting due dates set prior to an absence (e.g., tests, projects, etc).
• High School: more than 6 missed class periods requires a passing grade on the semester exam to receive course credit towards graduation.
• Students will be referred to the Child Study Team after 5 unexcused absences within a calendar month or 10 unexcused absences within 90 calendar days.
• More than six absences per semester are considered excessive .
• Habitual Truant is defined by law as a student who has 15 unexcused absences within 90 calendar days.
• Truancy Petitions can be filed with the Circuit Court pursuant to §1003.26
• Truant minor students will either have their learner’s/driver’s license suspended or will not be able to receive a learner’s license. §322.091
• Illness or Injury of Student
• Religious Instruction/Holidays of the Student’s Own Faith (3 days notification required)
• Doctor/Dentist Appointment• Attendance at Student’s IEP Meeting
• Court/Legal Appearances
• Death in the Immediate Family (no more than 7 days)
• Placement at the FL Keys Children’s Shelter
• With Written Permission of the Principal
• Special Event Approved by the Principal
• Communicable Disease/Infestation