JBE Truancy

JBE 
Truancy 
Unless reporting would violate the terms of any memorandum of understanding between the district and  the authority to which reports would be made. The building principal or designee shall report students who are inexcusably absent from school to the appropriate authority. 

Truancy is defined as any three consecutive unexcused absences, any five unexcused absences in a semester, or  seven unexcused absences in a school year, whichever comes first. Truancy shall not apply to students who have  attained a high school diploma, a general educational development credential, or a high school equivalency credential. Exceptions also exist for students attending the Kansas academy of mathematics and  science and for students who are part of a recognized church or religious denomination objecting to a regular public high school education under circumstances specified in state law.  

For truancy purposes, being enrolled and continuously attending a public school; a private, denominational,  or parochial school taught by a competent instructor for a period of time which is substantially equivalent to the period of time public school is maintained in the school district in which the private, denominational,  or parochial school is located; or a combination of attendance in both a public school and a  private, denominational, or parochial school may satisfy compulsory attendance requirements. School year  means the period from July 1 to June 30. Students who are absent without a valid excuse for a significant part  of any school day shall be given an unexcused absence for truancy accounting purposes considered truant. 

Prior to reporting to either the Department for Children and Families (if the student is under 13) or the  county or district attorney (if the student is 13 or more years of age but less than 18 years of age), a letter shall be sent to the student’s parent(s) or guardian notifying them that the student’s failure to attend school without  a valid excuse shall result in the student being reported truant. 

Waiver of Compulsory Attendance Requirements 
Students 16 or 17 years of age may be exempt from compulsory attendance regulations if: 

• The student is regularly enrolled in and attending a program recognized by the board as an approved alternative educational program; 
• the parent(s) or person acting as parent provides written consent to allow the student to be exempt from the compulsory attendance requirement and the student and the student’s parent or person acting as parent attend the counseling session required by law and signs the appropriate consent and waiver form; 
• the student is not subject to truancy law in accordance with law or this policy; 
• the child is regularly enrolled and continuously attending school as required by law and is concurrently enrolled in a postsecondary educational institution; or 
• the student is exempt from compulsory attendance requirements pursuant to a court order. 

Involvement of Law Enforcement 
Law enforcement officers may return truant children to the school where the child is enrolled, to the child’s parent or guardian, or to another location designated by the board to address truancy issues.

Reporting to Parents 
If a truant child is returned to school by a law enforcement official, the principal shall notify the parent or guardian. 

Dual Enrollment Students 
Eligible students who are enrolled in a board-approved dual enrollment program shall not be considered truant for the hours during the school day they attend classes at a Regent’s university, community college, technical college, vocational educational school, or Washburn University. 

Policy Reference: AEB

Policy Reference: IDCE

Policy Reference: JBD and JQ

Adoption Date: 06/06/2006, Revised: 06/08/2009; 07/09/2012; 08/12/2013; 08/08/2016;  07/09/2018; 01/25/2021; 07/11/2022; 01/09/2023; 06/24/2024 

Waiver of Compulsory Attendance Form 

I, (name of parent(s) or legal guardian), understand that pursuant to Kansas law, (name of student) is required  to attend school until he/she receives a high school diploma or General Educational Development (GED)  credential or reaches the age of 18, whichever occurs first. 

Pursuant to K.S.A. 72-3120, as amended, Unified School District No. 443 encourages (name of student) to remain  in school or to pursue an education alternative. 

• The school has informed me that the academic skills listed below have not been achieved by (name of student): 
  • Reading
  • Speaking
  • Decision-making
  • Computer
  • Sociability
  • Diversity Skills
  • Writing
  • Thinking Skills
  • Problem-solving
  • Responsibility
  • Self-management
  • Leadership
  • Arithmetic/Mathematics
  • Listening
  • Self-esteem
  • Team Skills
  • Science
  • Career Technical Skills

Based on information attached, I understand the difference in future earnings power between a high school graduate and a high school dropout. 

• The school has indicated to me and to my child that (name of student) is encouraged to attend one of the following alternative educational programs: 
  • Dodge City Education Center
  • GED

The undersigned hereby give(s) written consent to allow (name of student), who is [choose one] 16 or 17 years of age, to be exempt from the Kansas compulsory attendance requirement and state I/we have attended the final counseling session conducted by Unified School District No. 443 in which the aforementioned information was presented to us. 

Parent/Legal Guardian Sign: ________________________________ Date: _________________________

Students Sign: ________________________________ Date: _________________________ 

Unemployment rates and earnings by educational attainment, 2024

(Note: Data are for persons 25 and over. Earnings are for full-time wage and salary workers.

Source: U.S. Bureau of labor Statistics, Current Population Survey.)