JH/JHB, Student Absences and Excuses

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Regular, punctual attendance is essential for a student’s success in school. Frequent absences may lead to poor academic performance, a lack of social development, and potential academic failure. Moreover, regular attendance is of utmost importance for school interest, social adjustment, and scholastic achievement. No single factor may interfere with a student's progress more quickly than frequent tardiness or absence.

According to state law, it is the obligation of every parent/guardian to ensure that every child under their care and supervision receives adequate education and training and, if of compulsory attendance age, attends school.

Continuity in the learning process and social adaptation is seriously disrupted by excessive absences. In most situations, the work missed cannot be made up adequately. Students who have good attendance generally achieve higher grades, enjoy school more, and are more employable after leaving school. For at least these reasons, the Board believes that a student must satisfy two basic requirements in order to earn full class credit: (1) satisfy all academic requirements and (2) exhibit good attendance habits as stated in this policy.

The Board affirms its commitment to proactive, collaborative, and compassionate efforts to promote regular and punctual school attendance. These efforts shall be implemented in partnership with district and school staff, community partners, students, and families. When attendance interventions are necessary, they shall be conducted in accordance with applicable Board policy, state statutes, and established best practices.

Excused absences

The following will be considered excused absences:

Temporary Illness or Injury Absences: Absences caused by a temporary illness, injury, or individual medical appointments for a temporary physical, mental, or behavioral health concern. Recurring medical appointments for students shall be considered under the “Recurring Treatment Absences” provision and shall not fall under this provision.
Recurring Treatment Absences: Absences for a period of 4 or more consecutive days within a 30-day period, or 10 or more absences within one calendar year related to an identified physical, mental, or behavioral health disorder or disability addressed through recurring treatment appointments (for example, intensive ABA Therapy, mental health treatment, orthodontia, or similar ongoing treatments) that disrupt the child’s school attendance to pursue medical treatment under the care of a medical provider. Requests for Recurring Treatment Absences excusals must be supported by documentation from the child’s medical provider regarding the schedule for the recurring treatment.
Prearranged Absences: Absences which are neither Temporary Illness or Injury Absences nor Recurring Treatment Absences, but rather are absences required to address an emergent family need, preventative medical care (annual check-ups with a pediatrician or dentist, evaluations), or are otherwise approved by the administrator of the student’s school of attendance prior to the absence occurring.
Extended Period for Disability or Disorder: Absences for an extended period due to a physical disability or a mental or behavioral health disorder.
Work-Study Absences: Absences for a student who is pursuing a work-study program under the supervision of the school or who is absent pursuant to a school release permit/work permit to work during school hours, consistent with Colorado law.
Activity Absences: Absences due to a student’s participation in school-sponsored activities
Removal Absences: Absences due to suspension or expulsion.
Bereavement Absences: Absences due to a death in a student’s immediate family. “Immediate family” includes parents/guardians/long-term caregivers, siblings, grandparents, cousins, nieces/nephews, and aunts and uncles, regardless of adoptive status, blood relationship, or marital status. “Immediate family” does not include non-human animals (i.e., pets & livestock).
Legal Absences: Absences related to a student’s required presence in court, or at court-ordered activities, meetings, and events. The foregoing provision shall include all matters related to students in out-of-home placements as that term is defined by Colorado Revised Statute 22-32-138 (1)(h). The student’s assigned social worker must verify that the student´s absence was for a court appearance or court-ordered activity.
Religious Absences: Absences related to a student’s participation in an observance of their religion. The United States Department of Labor defines religion as sincere, deeply held moral and ethical beliefs about life, death, and individual purpose.
Detainment Absences: Absences due to a student’s detainment by a court or law enforcement authorities.
Discrimination / Harassment Absences: Absences where a student is receiving therapy, medical, legal, or victim services support due to harassment or discrimination, or for behavioral or mental health concerns related to harassment or discrimination.
Child-Birth Absences: Absences due to a student’s birth of a child. All students who have given birth to a child shall be entitled to 12 calendar weeks of voluntary, consecutive days of excused absence commencing upon the date of the child’s birth. Absences due to pregnancy-related disabilities shall be considered “disability related absences” and shall not interfere with a student’s right to voluntary leave under this provision.
Abbreviated School Day Absences: A child with a disability who is appropriately placed on an abbreviated school day schedule by an IEP team or Section 504 Team may not be considered truant or chronically absent based solely on the abbreviated schedule. Accordingly, students shall not be considered absent for periods of the school day when the child’s abbreviated school day schedule prescribes that the child will not be in attendance at school for such portions of the day.

Excused Absence Documentation

As applicable, the district will require suitable proof regarding the above exceptions, including written statements from medical sources, students, and/or parents/guardians. Documentation from such written statements may be considered and incorporated into a proactive support plan to address recurring absences. Students who have been declared Habitually Truant or Chronically Absent, as defined by the Colorado Department of Education, will be required to submit suitable proof for all absences for excusal for the remainder of the school year, or a length of time as documented through a support plan developed by their school administrator or attendance officer.

Unexcused Absences

An unexcused absence is any absence that does not meet the criteria for excused absences as defined herein. Each unexcused absence shall be recorded in the student’s official record. The district shall notify the student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) of each unexcused absence, either orally or in writing. Any absence not excused by a parent or guardian within two (2) school days shall remain unexcused until proper documentation is provided.

In accordance with state law, the district may implement appropriate measures that are directly related to instructional time lost due to unexcused absences. Academic penalties, out-of-school suspensions, or expulsion will not be imposed solely on the basis of unexcused absence or accumulation of unexcused absences for which the student has been designated as a chronically absent student and/or a habitually truant student. District and school personnel shall follow district guidelines for progressive interventions and consequences for excessive absences and habitual truancy.

The district administration will develop procedures to implement appropriate interventions and consequences for unexcused absences. In developing these procedures, school administration shall consider the relationship between course failure, truancy, and student dropout, and shall implement research-based strategies to re-engage students with a high number of unexcused absences.

Students and parents/guardians may petition the Board of Education for exceptions to this policy, provided that no exception will be sustained if the student fails to abide by all requirements imposed by the Board as conditions for granting any such exception.

Chronic Absenteeism and Habitual Truancy

Regardless of whether absences are excused, excessive absences negatively impact the student’s academic and social growth. Per Colorado Department of Education definition, a student in grades kindergarten through twelfth grade who has been absent for 10% or more of total school days after the 40th school day within a school year, whether the absences are excused or unexcused, will be identified as "chronically absent."

Per Colorado Department of Education definition, when a student who is at least the age of six on or before August 1 of the school year in question and under the age of seventeen years having four (4) total days of unexcused absences from public school in any one calendar month, or ten (10) accumulated unexcused absent days in a school year, the student will be identified as “habitually truant” by the principal or designee. Absences due to suspension or expulsion will not be counted in the total number of absences considered for purposes of identifying a student as “habitually truant.”

Nothing herein will require the principal or designee to identify a student as "chronically absent" prior to declaring the student as a "habitual truant.”

Effect of Chronically Absent or Habitually Truant Designation

If a student is identified as "chronically absent” or “habitually truant,” the principal or designee will develop a plan to improve the student’s attendance (referred to as “attendance support plan”). In accordance with district guidance and expectations, the plan will include best practices and research-based strategies to address the reasons for the student’s chronic absenteeism. When practicable, the student’s parent/guardian will participate in the development of the plan. Appropriate school personnel shall make reasonable efforts to meet with the parent, guardian or legal custodian to review and evaluate the reasons for the student's excessive absences.

In the event that a) the student or family refuses to participate in the development of the attendance plan, or b) the student or family fails to comply or refuses to comply with the terms of the attendance plan, the principal or designee shall refer the matter to an acting attendance officer, so long as the student meets the definition of a habitually truant student.

The Board has designated the following roles to act as attendance officers to the maximum extent permitted by state law on behalf of the district:

Director of Student Success;
Truancy Specialist;
Other Learning Services Coordinators as designated by the Director of Student Success;
Legal Counsel employed or retained by the Board.

Upon review of the referral from the principal or their designee, a district attendance officer shall issue notice that failure to comply with the provisions of the attendance plan or otherwise comply with the compulsory attendance obligations set forth in C.R.S. 22-32-104 within ten school days from the date of the notice will result in judicial proceedings being filed to enforce such provisions. The notice shall inform parents that the school district will not initiate truancy proceedings if the student complies with the identified provisions before the proceedings are filed on the 10th day.

In the event that the student fails to comply with the provisions of the written notice issued by the attendance officer, the attendance officer may initiate judicial proceedings pursuant to Colorado Revised Statute 22-33-108 to compel the student’s attendance in the juvenile court of the judicial district for which the student resides.

Nothing herein will require the principal or designee to identify a student as "chronically absent" prior to declaring the student as a "habitual truant.”

Make-up work

Make-up work will be provided for any class in which a student was absent. This work will receive full credit to the extent possible as determined by the building administrator. Make-up work for Concurrent Enrollment or other similar coursework will be provided in alignment with the policy of the physical location of the class (e.g. Thompson School District, local community college). For high school courses offering specialized certifications, make-up work requirements shall be determined on a course-specific basis in coordination with the certification provider.

For prearranged absences and recurring treatment absences (unless a student is excused from a course/class for an entire school term), the student shall retrieve all make-up work prior to missing class. It is the responsibility of the student to pick up any make-up assignments permitted on the day returning to class. There will be three (3) school day(s) allowed for make-up work for each day of absence.

Make-up work will be allowed following an unexcused absence or following a student´s suspension from school, with the goal of providing the student an opportunity to keep up with the class and an incentive to attend school.

Unless otherwise permitted by the building administrator, make-up work will not be provided during a student’s expulsion. Rather, the district will offer alternative education services to the expelled student in accordance with state law. The district will determine the amount of credit the expelled student will receive for work completed during any alternative education program.

Tardiness

Tardiness is defined as the appearance of a student without proper excuse after the scheduled time that a class begins. Due to the disruptive nature of tardiness and the detrimental effect upon the rights of the non-tardy student to uninterrupted learning, appropriate penalties may be imposed for excessive tardiness. Parents/guardians will be notified of all penalties regarding tardiness. All tardies will be considered unexcused until proper excusal from a parent/guardian is provided in accordance with district policy.

Tardy policies, including the maximum amount of time a student may be late to class before the non-appearance is designated as an absence, shall be aligned by level; i.e., elementary schools shall maintain aligned tardy procedures, as shall secondary schools. School and district personnel shall follow district guidelines regarding these aligned, leveled tardy policies, including the application of progressive consequences.

In unavoidable circumstances, a student detained by another teacher or administrator shall not be considered tardy, provided that the detaining staff gives the student a pass to enter the next class, or the tardiness is retroactively approved by the detaining teacher. Teachers are required to honor passes presented in accordance with this policy.

Applicability of this Policy

The provisions of this policy are applicable to all students in the district, including those above or below the age for compulsory attendance as required by law.

This policy is likewise applicable to all students with disabilities; however, nothing herein prevents a student’s IEP or Section 504 plan from including accommodations related to this policy as a component of the student’s free appropriate public education.

Revised September 18, 2013
Revised: June 19, 2024
Revised: February 18, 2026

Legal References

C.R.S. 22-14-101 et seq. (dropout prevention and student re-engagement)
C.R.S. 22-20-123 et seq. (Addressing Abbreviated School Days)
C.R.S. 22-32-109 (1)(n) (length of school year, instruction & contact time)
C.R.S. 22-32-109.1 (2)(a) (conduct and discipline code)
C.R.S. 22-32-138 (6) (excused absence requirements for students in out-of-home placements)
C.R.S. 22-33-101 et seq. (School Attendance Law of 1963)
C.R.S. 22-33-104 (compulsory school attendance)
C.R.S. 22-33-105 (suspension/expulsion)
C.R.S. 22-33-105 (3)(d)(III) (opportunity to make up work during suspension)
C.R.S. 22-33-107 (enforcement of compulsory school attendance)
C.R.S. 22-33-108 (judicial proceedings to enforce school attendance laws)
C.R.S. 22-33-203 (educational alternatives for expelled students and determination of credit)
1 CCR 301-78 Rules 1.00 et seq. (standardized calculation for counting student attendance and truancy)

Cross References

IC/ICA, School Year/School Calendar/Instruction Time
JEA, Compulsory Attendance Ages
JFABE*, Students in Foster Care
JFC, Student Withdrawal from School/Dropouts

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