Because regular and punctual patterns of attendance are important to a student's success in school and are expected of each student, an improvement plan will be developed for any student who is considered truant or habitually truant. When developing this improvement plan, the school administrator or designee will employ the following measures:
- Conference with student and parent, guardian, or legal custodian to determine the reason for the student's absence.
- Develop an attendance/performance improvement contract with student, parent, guardian, or legal custodian with the goal of assisting the student to remain in school. All school personnel who have direct contact with the student will participate in the development of this contract.
- Utilize all building, District, and community resources relevant to the student's individual needs to support the student in meeting the conditions of his/her improvement contract.
- Because teachers have the most extensive and instructionally significant contact with students, their regular and timely contact with parents is essential for the student's school success. Class absences and other relevant information regarding the student's performance should be shared directly with the parent by the teacher prior to the student's referral to the building administrator or designee.
- If the student continues to accrue unexcused absences after all possible interventions have been employed, the building administrator or designee will refer the student's attendance history to the District Attendance Officer for consideration by the Student Attendance Review Board (SARB).
- When appropriate, a SARB hearing will be held in the student's behalf. A contract will be developed during the course of this hearing. This contract will define systems and resources to address the student's needs relating to improved school attendance and academic achievement. In addition, the contract will outline consequences to be applied if the contract conditions are not met. These consequences may include a referral to truancy court if the student is between the ages of seven and sixteen. The SARB contract will be forwarded to the magistrate for consideration when a student is referred to truancy court.