Absences and Truancy
There is a high positive correlation to excellent school attendance and academic achievement. Students need to be at school whenever possible. DMCS supports student achievement by spending the majority of its financial resources on staffing the school with a very low student to teacher ratio. This allows each child to receive more individualized attention and it allows us to individualize learning more effectively for all of our children.
The majority of our school’s budget is based upon the average daily attendance of the students who attend DMCS. Anytime that a student misses an entire instructional day of school because of illness, appointments, vacation, or any other circumstances, the school loses out on all the money that is allocated to educate that student on that given day. However, the school’s fixed costs do not change. When school attendance is low, it jeopardizes the school’s ability to maintain the low student to staff ratios that we all value for our children.
Appointments and vacations need to be scheduled outside of school time whenever possible. An independent study option may be used for absences of three or more days, otherwise only keep your children home on those days when they are too ill to attend school.
In California, people between the ages of 6 and 18 are subject to full-time education. DMCS is required by law to keep a record of all student absences and truancy. Student illness, dental and medical visits and the death of an immediate family member are the only absences excused by the State of California. Students are expected to be in class prior to 8:05 each morning as tardiness disrupts the learning process. DMCS defines habitual tardiness as tardiness in excess of 10 days of the total days in the school year. A student who exceeds this number of days will be notified in writing by the school’s director that the child’s placement at DMCS is in jeopardy if there are further incidents of tardiness. Tardy students must go the office before they enter class to get a Tardy Pass. Students will not be allowed to enter class without a tardy pass from the office even for a minute late.
A student who is absent in excess of 3 days without a letter authenticating an illness from a physician will be notified in writing by the school director that the child’s placement at DMCS is in jeopardy if there are further absences from school. The student will be referred to the school Attendance Review Team that is composed of school personnel and Dixon Montessori Governing Board Members if the absences or tardiness continues.
The Attendance Review Team will determine whether the student will be dismissed from DMCS due to attendance concerns or decide if the student may remain conditionally enrolled at the school. Charter schools are considered schools of choice and habitual tardiness or unexcused absences may lead to a student’s dismissal from DMCS.
Under AB 1610 which became effective January 1, 2006, charter schools are required to notify a student’s district of residence if a student leaves a charter school. Please let DMCS staff know if you plan to take your child out of DMCS before the school year is over.
Please call the school at 678-8953 before 9:00 am if your child will not be in attendance for ANY reason. Absences are excused by State Law for reasons of: illness, medical or dental appointment or attendance at a funeral (1 day in state, 3 days if out of state) of an immediate family member.
Anytime a student is absent from school, even when excused, the school loses state funding.
When a student has had 6 days of consecutive absences or 10 days of non-consecutive absences in the school year for illness, which were verified by a note or phone call to the school office, the school requires that any further absences be verified by a physician.
At a time when funding for public education has become increasingly scarce, there is a need to be concerned about unnecessary losses of revenue. Our families can help reduce this loss by scheduling vacations to coincide with the many school holidays. If your child must be away from school for travel or other non-excused reasons, he/she may be eligible for an Independent Study Contract.
The majority of our school’s budget is based upon the average daily attendance of the students who attend DMCS. Anytime that a student misses an entire instructional day of school because of illness, appointments, vacation, or any other circumstances, the school loses out on all the money that is allocated to educate that student on that given day. However, the school’s fixed costs do not change. When school attendance is low, it jeopardizes the school’s ability to maintain the low student to staff ratios that we all value for our children.
Appointments and vacations need to be scheduled outside of school time whenever possible. An independent study option may be used for absences of three or more days, otherwise only keep your children home on those days when they are too ill to attend school.
In California, people between the ages of 6 and 18 are subject to full-time education. DMCS is required by law to keep a record of all student absences and truancy. Student illness, dental and medical visits and the death of an immediate family member are the only absences excused by the State of California. Students are expected to be in class prior to 8:05 each morning as tardiness disrupts the learning process. DMCS defines habitual tardiness as tardiness in excess of 10 days of the total days in the school year. A student who exceeds this number of days will be notified in writing by the school’s director that the child’s placement at DMCS is in jeopardy if there are further incidents of tardiness. Tardy students must go the office before they enter class to get a Tardy Pass. Students will not be allowed to enter class without a tardy pass from the office even for a minute late.
A student who is absent in excess of 3 days without a letter authenticating an illness from a physician will be notified in writing by the school director that the child’s placement at DMCS is in jeopardy if there are further absences from school. The student will be referred to the school Attendance Review Team that is composed of school personnel and Dixon Montessori Governing Board Members if the absences or tardiness continues.
The Attendance Review Team will determine whether the student will be dismissed from DMCS due to attendance concerns or decide if the student may remain conditionally enrolled at the school. Charter schools are considered schools of choice and habitual tardiness or unexcused absences may lead to a student’s dismissal from DMCS.
Under AB 1610 which became effective January 1, 2006, charter schools are required to notify a student’s district of residence if a student leaves a charter school. Please let DMCS staff know if you plan to take your child out of DMCS before the school year is over.
Please call the school at 678-8953 before 9:00 am if your child will not be in attendance for ANY reason. Absences are excused by State Law for reasons of: illness, medical or dental appointment or attendance at a funeral (1 day in state, 3 days if out of state) of an immediate family member.
Anytime a student is absent from school, even when excused, the school loses state funding.
When a student has had 6 days of consecutive absences or 10 days of non-consecutive absences in the school year for illness, which were verified by a note or phone call to the school office, the school requires that any further absences be verified by a physician.
At a time when funding for public education has become increasingly scarce, there is a need to be concerned about unnecessary losses of revenue. Our families can help reduce this loss by scheduling vacations to coincide with the many school holidays. If your child must be away from school for travel or other non-excused reasons, he/she may be eligible for an Independent Study Contract.