1 Colo. Code Regs. § 301-78-3.00
Current through Register Vol. 47, No. 22, November 25, 2024
Section 1 CCR 301-78-3.00 - Standardized Calculation for Counting Absences of Students3.01District/BOCES Uphold Written Attendance Policy.3.01(1) The local board of education shall adopt a written policy setting forth the district's or BOCES' attendance requirements. Said policy shall provide for Excused Absences, including those listed as exclusions from compulsory school attendance as declared in 22-33-104(4)(a).3.01(2) The school district or BOCES shall uphold its written attendance policy. To ensure consistency in reporting attendance and Truancy data, districts and BOCES shall enforce uniform interpretations of the definitions of Excused Absences and Unexcused Absences across all schools within the school district or BOCES, according to the adopted district/BOCES attendance policy.3.01(3) The district/BOCES attendance policy shall be implemented in accordance with 22-33-107 C.R.S. which states that school district/BOCES policies shall include provisions for the development of a plan with the goal of assisting the child who is habitually truant to remain in school and when practicable, with the full participation of the child's parent, guardian or legal custodian.3.02Excused Versus Unexcused Absences.3.02(1) Excused Absences. 3.02(1)(a) Excused Absences occur when the student is absent for an acceptable reason as identified within the attendance policy set by local school board of education as declared in 22-33-104(4)(a) C.R.S. which may include, but is not limited to, the following reasons: funeral, illness, injury, legal obligation, medical procedure and religious observation.3.02(1)(b) Local schools may require appropriate documentation to verify excused absences.3.02(1)(c) Absences due to suspension or expulsion of a child shall be considered excused absences for purposes of calculating habitually truant students (22-33-107(3)(a) C.R.S.).3.02(2) Unexcused Absences. 3.02(2)(a) Unexcused Absences occur when the student is absent without a reason or for an unacceptable reason as identified within the attendance rules set by local school board of education policy as declared in 22-33-104(4)(a) C.R.S.3.02(2)(b) If authorized school officials determine that the parent's excuse is not valid or verified, the absence shall be unexcused.3.02(2)(c) Unexcused Absences are used to calculate Truancy rates.3.03Aggregation of Absences.3.03(1) A district or BOCES, and its schools, shall report truancy/attendance data as specifically as its student information system (SIS) allows, i.e., by minutes, hours or by periods.3.03(2) At a minimum, attendance shall be recorded once during each scheduled school day.3.03(3) For Department reporting purposes, a student who is absent more than 50 percent of any Attendance Period during a scheduled school day shall be considered absent for that entire recorded and reported period. For the 2020-21 academic year, during any period during which students are participating in remote learning due to public health and safety requirements, students may be recorded as present when participating in that remote learning. Districts should record absences and attendance consistent with the district's attendance policy as it applies to these remote learning situations.3.03(4) For Department reporting purposes, a student who is present 50 percent or more of any Attendance Period during a scheduled school day shall be considered present for that entire recorded and reported period. For the 2020-21 academic year, during any period during which students are participating in remote learning due to public health and safety requirements, students may be recorded as present when participating in that remote learning. Districts should record absences and attendance consistent with the district's attendance policy as it applies to these remote learning situations.3.03(5) All units of time shall be summed and converted to the number of days absent for reporting to the Department.3.03(6) Student Excused Absences shall be totaled for each student utilizing the most specific Level of Detail collected and reported to the Department through the Attendance collection. When totaling this sum, the calculation shall include percentages of each student's scheduled instructional day as applicable.3.03(7) Student Unexcused Absences shall be totaled for each student utilizing the most specific Level of Detail collected and reported to the Department through the Attendance collection. When totaling this sum, the calculation shall include percentages of each student's scheduled instructional day as applicable.3.04Days Suspended/Expelled.3.04(1) Days suspended or expelled shall be totaled within the student Total Days Excused reported to the Department in accordance with 22-33-107 C.R.S. through the Attendance collection.3.04(2) Absences due to suspension or expulsion of a student shall not be totaled into the student Total Days Unexcused reported to the Department through Attendance collection.3.04(3) For expelled students enrolled in a district-sponsored or BOCES-sponsored expulsion program, attendance shall be taken and counted toward the school that administers the program or the student's school of record at the discretion of the district/BOCES. Absences for students in such programs shall be determined to be excused or unexcused in accordance with the rules in this document.43 CR 19, October 10, 2020, effective 10/30/2020