Attendance Policies

Attendance Information

What Parents Need to Know

• Attendance is the responsibility of both parents and students.
• Absences are recorded as unexcused until a written excuse is received. 
• Submit documentation within 48 hours of the absence.
• Report cards include both attendance and tardies.
• A phone call alone does not excuse an absence.

Excused Absences

• OCPS recognizes the following reasons for excused absences:
  • Student illness, injury, or another insurmountable condition
  • Illness or death of an immediate family member
  • Recognized religious holidays or religious instruction (request in writing 5 days in advance) 
  • Medical or legal appointments
  • Participation in an approved activity or class of instruction at another site
  • A catastrophic disaster that significantly affects the student’s life
• A student may be excused for up to five days related to a parent’s or legal guardian’s military deployment, leave, or return from deployment.
• If a student is repeatedly absent due to illness, the school may require a physician’s statement for subsequent absences. A doctor’s note is not required for every illness-related absence.

Unexcused Absences

• Vacations, family trips, transportation problems, missed buses, oversleeping, and nonmedical appointments do not qualify as excused absences.
• An absence remains unexcused until acceptable documentation is received and reviewed.

Tardies and Early Check-Outs

• Students who are not in class when the bell rings are tardy.
• Students arriving late to school must be allowed to sign in, regardless of arrival time.
• A student who misses more than four class periods is considered absent for the day.
• 5 tardies or 5 early check-outs = 1 unexcused absence (for truancy purposes).

Truancy and Consequences

A pattern of nonattendance may be identified when a student accumulates:

• 5 unexcused or unexplained absences within one calendar month;
• 10 unexcused or unexplained absences within 90 calendar days; or
• 15 unexcused absences within 90 calendar days, which may result in habitual-truancy procedures.

The school may initiate parent conferences, attendance interventions, Child Study Team reviews, social work referrals and other actions required by law and OCPS policy.

Habitual attendance concerns may result in notification to the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (FLHSMV) and the suspension of driving privileges, as required by Florida law. Student attendance is reported in accordance with applicable state statutes. On-campus driving and parking privileges may also be suspended or revoked due to concerns about habitual attendance.