Hickman County Board of Education Descriptor Code: Issued Date: Descriptor Term: 6.200 07/07/25 Attendance Rescinds: Issued: 6.200 04/07/25 1 Attendance is a key factor in student achievement and therefore, students are expected to be present each 2 day school is in session. The official school day for students begins at 8:00 a.m. and concludes at 3:00 3 p.m. unless SO noted on the Board approved calendar. 1 4 The attendance supervisor shall oversee the entire attendance program which shall include: 5 1. All accounting and reporting procedures and their dissemination; 6 7 2. Alternative program options for students who severely fail to meet minimum attendance 8 requirements; 9 10 3. Ensuring that all school age children attend school; 11 12 4. Providing documentation of enrollment status upon request for students applying for new or 13 reinstatement of driver's permit or license; and 14 15 5. Notifying the Department of Safety whenever a student with a driver's permit or license 16 withdraws from school. 2 17 Student attendance records shall be given the same level of confidentiality as other student records. Only 18 authorized school officials with legitimate educational purposes may have access to student information 19 without the consent of the student or parent/guardian.³ 20 Absences shall be classified as either excused or unexcused as determined by the principal/designee. 21 Excused absences shall include:4 22 1. Personal illness; 23 24 2. Illness of immediate family member; 25 26 3. Death in the family; 27 28 4. Extreme weather conditions; 29 30 5. Religious observances;5 31 32 6. Pregnancy; 33 Version Date: August 27. 2025 6.200 Attendance 1 7. School-endorsed activities; 2 3 8. Summons, subpoena, or court order; or 4 5 9. Circumstances which in the judgment of the principal create emergencies over which the 6 student has no control. 7 The principal shall be responsible for ensuring that:6 8 1. Attendance is checked and reported daily for each class; 9 10 2. Daily absentee sheets contain sign in/sign out sheets and indicate students present or absent 11 for the majority of the day; 12 13 3. All student absences are verified; 14 15 4. Written excuses are submitted for absences and tardiness; 16 17 5. System-wide procedures for accounting and reporting are followed. 18 TRUANCY 19 General 20 Annually, the Director of Schools/designee will provide written notice to parent(s)/guardian(s) that 21 attendance at school is required. Students shall be present at least fifty percent (50%) of the scheduled 22 school day in order to be counted present. Students may attend part-time days, alternating days, or for a 23 specific amount of time as indicated in their Individualized Education Plan or 504 Plan and shall be 24 considered present for school attendance purposes. If a student is required to participate in a remedial 25 instruction program outside of the regular school day where there is no cost to the parent(s) and the 26 school system provides transportation, unexcused absences from these programs shall be reported in the 27 same manner.⁷ 28 Students who are absent five (5) days without adequate excuse shall be reported to the director of 29 schools/designee who will, in turn, provide written notice to the parent(s)/guardian(s) of the student's 30 absence. If a parent does not provide documentation within adequate time excusing those absences, or 31 request an attendance hearing, then the Director of Schools shall implement the progressive truancy 32 intervention plan described below prior to referral to juvenile court. 33 The director of schools/designee shall develop appropriate administrative procedures to implement this 34 policy. 35 Progressive Truancy Intervention Plan⁸ 36 Prior to referral to juvenile court, the following progressive truancy intervention plan will be 37 implemented. Page 2 of 7 6.200 Attendance 1 Students with three (3) unexcused absences shall be subject to the progressive truancy intervention 2 framework outlined below. 3 Tier I 4 Tier I of the progressive truancy plan shall apply to all students within the district and include schoolwide 5 prevention-oriented supports to assist with satisfactory attendance. These supports shall include, but are 6 not limited to, 7 1. School-wide strategy to promote regular daily attendance with plans of action to prevent chronic 8 absence, truancy, late arrivals, and early dismissals. 9 2. An attendance expectation letter to be sent to parents/guardians during the first week of school 10 to communicate clear school level expectations. 11 3. Identify students who have been chronically absent from the previous year. 12 4. Take and submit accurate attendance in SMS (Skyward) for each class, every day, and on-time 13 during the first fifteen minutes of class. 14 5. Run daily absentee report to find discrepancies. 15 6. Make personal contact with the student's parent/guardian to investigate the reason for unexcused 16 absences at three (3) days of unexcused absences. 17 A conference with the student and the student's parent/guardian: 18 19 An attendance contract, based on the conference, signed by the student, the parent/guardian, and 20 an attendance officer. The contract shall include: 21 22 a. A specific description of the school's attendance expectations for the student: 23 b. The period for which the contract is effective. 24 c. Penalties for additional absences and alleged school offenses, including additional 25 disciplinary action and potential referral to juvenile court; and 26 27 Regularly scheduled follow up meetings to discuss the student's progress. 28 If the student accumulates additional unexcused absences in violation of the attendance contract, in Tier 29 I, he/she shall be subject to Tier II. 30 Tier II 31 An individualized assessment by a school employee of the reasons a student has been absent from school. 32 This may result in referral to counseling, community based services, or other services to address the 33 student's attendance problems. Tier II of the progressive truancy plan shall be implemented after the 34 student accumulates five (5) unexcused absences, but before referral to juvenile court, and includes the 35 following: 36 1. A conference with the student and the student's parent/guardian; 37 38 2. An attendance contract, based on the conference, signed by the student, the 39 parent/guardian, and an attendance officer. The contract shall include: 40 Page 3 of 7 6.200 Attendance 1 a. A specific description of the school's attendance expectations for the student; 2 b. The period for which the contract is effective. 3 c. Penalties for additional absences and alleged school offenses, including additional 4 disciplinary action and potential referral to juvenile court; and 5 3. Regularly scheduled follow-up meetings to discuss the student's progress. 6 4. An individualized assessment by a school employee of the reasons a student has been 7 absent from school. This may result in referral to counseling, community-based services, 8 or other services to address the student's attendance problems. 9 Tier III 10 This tier shall be implemented if the truancy interventions under Tier II are unsuccessful. 11 Tier III interventions must include a review of the previous individualized assessment and an amended 12 attendance contract but may also result in further action including but not limited to a review of grades 13 and the discipline record, a referral to restorative justice programs, a referral to community-based 14 services, or a referral to the Department of Children's Services. 15 These interventions shall be determined by a team formed at each school. The interventions shall 16 address student needs in an age-appropriate manner. Finalized plans shall be approved by the Director 17 of Schools/designee. 18 NON-SCHOOL SPONSORED EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY⁹ 19 A principal/designee may excuse a student to participate in non-school sponsored extracurricular 20 activities. The principal shall document the approval in writing and shall excuse no more than ten (10) 21 absences each school year. No later than seven (7) business days prior to the student's absence, the 22 student shall provide documentation to the school as proof of the student's participation along with a 23 written request for the excused absence from the student's parent/guardian. The request shall include 24 the following: 25 1. Student's name and personal identification number; 26 27 2. Student's grade; 28 29 3. The dates of the student's absence; 30 31 4. The reason for the student's absence; and 32 33 5. The signatures of the student and parent/guardian, 34 RELEASED TIME COURSE¹ 35 A principal/designee may excuse a student to attend a course in religious moral instruction for up to 36 one (1) class period per school day. Students shall not be excused during any class which requires an 37 examination for state or federal accountability purposes. Page 4 of 7 6.200 Attendance 1 Students shall only be permitted to attend courses provided by entities that certify in writing that they 2 have complied with the background check requirements outlined in state law. 11 The student shall 3 submit a written consent form signed by the student's parent/guardian prior to participation in the 4 released time course. The principal/designee shall document the approval in writing. The student shall 5 provide documentation to the principal/designee as proof of the student's participation in the released 6 time course. 7 The district shall not be responsible for transporting students to and from the place of instruction. 8 Upon submission of the student's transcript from the entity that provided the released time course, the 9 student may be awarded one-half (1) unit of elective credit. 10 The Director of Schools shall develop procedures with secular criteria for determining whether credit 11 shall be awarded. 12 MAKE-UP WORK 13 All missed class work or tests (whether from excused or unexcused absence) may be made up provided 14 the student makes the request immediately upon returning to school and provided instruction time is not 15 taken from other students. 16 A grade of incomplete will be received for any work missed until the work is completed. A student may 17 have up to three (3) days to make up work from a single absence and up to five (5) days to make up work 18 from an absence longer than a single day. It is the student's responsibility to make arrangements for 19 make-up work, and if not completed in the allotted time, a grade of zero (0) will be recorded for the 20 assignments. 21 For school-sponsored activities, the student will be required to make up all work missed and will receive 22 full credit for the assignment or upon completion of a test. The student will not be counted absent for a 23 school sponsored event (school planned, school-directed, and teacher supervised). 24 STATE-MANDATED TESTS/END OF COURSE EXAMS 25 Students who are absent the day of the scheduled End of Course Exams must present a signed doctor's 26 excuse or must have been given an excused release by the principal prior to testing to receive an excused 27 absence. Students who have excused absences will be allowed to take a make-up exam that will count 28 as 15% of their grade. Excused students will receive an incomplete in the course until they have taken 29 the End of Course Exam. 30 Students who have an unexcused absence shall receive a failing grade on the course exam which shall 31 be averaged into their final grade at 15%. 32 CREDIT/PROMOTION DENIAL 33 Credit/promotion denial determinations may include student attendance, however, student attendance 34 may not be the sole criterion. 11 However, if attendance is a factor, prior to credit/promotion denial, the 35 following shall occur: 36 Page 5 of 7 6.200 Attendance 1 1. Parents and students shall be advised if a student is in danger of credit/promotion denial due 2 to excessive absenteeism. 3 2. Procedures in due process are available to the student when credit or promotion is denied. 4 DRIVER'S LICENSE REVOCATION² 5 More than ten (10) consecutive or fifteen (15) reported unexcused absences by a student during any 6 semester renders a student ineligible to retain a driver's permit or license, or to obtain such if of age. 7 ATTENDANCE HEARING¹ 8 Students with excessive (more than 5) unexcused absences or those in danger of credit/promotion denial 9 shall have the opportunity to appeal to an attendance hearing committee appointed by the principal. If 10 the student chooses to appeal, the student or their parent/guardian shall be provided written or actual 11 notice of the appeal hearing and shall be given the opportunity to address the committee. The committee 12 will conduct a hearing to determine if any extenuating circumstances exist or to determine if the student 13 has met attendance requirements that will allow him/her to pass the course or be promoted. Upon 14 notification of the attendance committee decision, the principal shall send written notification to the 15 director of schools/designee and the parent(s)/guardian(s) of the student of any action taken regarding 16 the excessive unexcused absences. The notification shall advise parents/guardian(s) of their right to 17 appeal such action within two (2) school days to the director of schools/designee. 18 The appeal shall be heard no later than ten (10) school days after the request for appeal is received. 19 Within five (5) school days of the director of schools/designee rendering a decision, the student's 20 parent(s)/guardian(s) may request a hearing by the Board, and the Board shall review the record. 21 Following the review, the Board may affirm or overturn the decision of the director of schools/designee. 22 The action of the Board shall be final. 23 The director of schools/designee shall ensure that this policy is posted in each school building and 24 disseminated to all students, parents, teachers and administrative staff. Legal References Cross References 1. TCA 49-6-3006 School Calendar 1.800 2. TCA 49-6-3017(c) Extracurricular Activities 4.300 3. 20 USCA § 1232g Interscholastic Athletics 4.301 4. TRR/MS 0520-01-02-.17(5): State Board of Field Trips/Excursions/Competitions 4.302 Education Policy 4.100 Reporting Student Progress 4.601 5. TCA 49-6-2904(b)(5) Promotion and Retention 4.603 6. TCA 49-6-3007 Recognition of Religious Beliefs. Customs, & Holidays 4.803 7. TCA 49-6-3021 Voluntary Pre-K Attendance 6.2011 8. TCA 49-6-3007: TCA 49-6-3009 Homeless Students 6.503 9. TCA 49-6-3022 Students in Foster Care 6.505 Page 6 of 7 6.200 Attendance 10. TCA 49-2-130 Students from Military Families 6.506 11. TCA 49-2-203(b)(7); TCA 49-6-3002(b); Student Records 6.600 Public Acts of 2025. Chapter No. 401 12. TRR/MS 0520-01-02-.17(7) Page 7 of 7 Hickman County School System Attendance 6.200AP Each day, student attendance is taken by staff and reported to the front office of each school and recorded in the student information system (Skyward). Students who are absent will have automated phone calls made to their parent/guardian notifying them that the student is absent. State law describes truant as a student having 5 unexcused absences. Attendance personnel in each school have access to attendance reports that indicate when students have reached 3 days and/or 5 days unexcused absences. Letters may be sent out at the principal's discretion at 3 unexcused absences to inform parents that their student is approaching a truant status. At 5 days unexcused, schools should send out a letter requesting parents to provide notes to excuse those absences in a timely manner. If a parent fails to provide documentation that would excuse those days of unexcused attendance, the student is reported to the At-Risk Coordinator as truant. The At- Risk Coordinator will then summon the parent/guardian and the student(s) to Truancy Council (ONLY students in middle or high school should attend). Abbreviated Days Parents should be aware that abbreviated school days count as full days towards attendance. Students who miss abbreviated days will receive an unexcused absence that counts the same as a whole day. Parent Notes Hickman County allows parents to write notes for missed days when taking a child to the doctor is not deemed necessary or when emergencies arise. Parents are allowed to write a total of 8 parent notes for the school year that may excuse a whole day or a partial day. Notes for any excused absence should be turned in to the school upon the return of the student to school. Seniors School administration may deny participation in graduation exercises, prom, or any other senior activities, to those seniors who accumulate more than 15 cumulative unexcused absences regardless of the age of the senior. 104 Perfect Attendance Students in attendance for 3 hours, 16 minutes (½ school day), they will be counted as having attended that day. (The computer will continue to count minutes not in attendance which may result in the student showing more than 1 day absent when added up. This will not effect their perfect attendance.) Unexcused tardies and early dismissals when accumulated to add up to one or more days will result in that student losing their Perfect Attendance status. Students who have been home schooled and transfer into our system after October 1 of any school year will not be eligible for having Perfect Attendance that school year. Students who transfer from another system which would have started after our school year starts will not be eligible for Perfect Attendance if they had not started school in their old system and enroll with us after October 1 of that school year. Students who transfer into our system from another system will be counted as having perfect attendance if documentation is provided from the previous school system that they have had perfect attendance at their previous school. Progressive Truancy Plan Database administrators will send parent notification forms home with students when students meet the qualifications under the attendance policy. Parent Attendance Notification Form Released Course Time When evaluating a course under the released time course policy, the secular criteria of the course may include, but is not limited to: 1) The amount of classroom instruction time 2) The course syllabus 3) Methods of assessment used in the course 4) Whether the course was taught by an instructor licensed 105 ## Table 1 | | Hickman County Board of | Education | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | | Descriptor Term: | Descriptor Code: 6.200 | Issued Date: 07/07/25 | | | Attendance | Rescinds: 6.200 | Issued: 04/07/25 | ## Table 2 | 1 | 7. School-endorsed activities; | | --- | --- | | 2 3 | 8. Summons, subpoena, or court order; or | | 4 5 6 | 9. Circumstances which in the judgment of the principal create emergencies over which the student has no control. | | 7 | The principal shall be responsible for ensuring that:6 | | 8 | 1. Attendance is checked and reported daily for each class; | | 9 10 11 | 2. Daily absentee sheets contain sign in/sign out sheets and indicate students present or absent for the majority of the day; | | 12 | | | 13 | 3. All student absences are verified; | | 14 15 | 4. Written excuses are submitted for absences and tardiness; | | 16 17 | 5. System-wide procedures for accounting and reporting are followed. | | 18 | TRUANCY | | 19 | General | | 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 | Annually, the Director of Schools/designee will provide written notice to parent(s)/guardian(s) that attendance at school is required. Students shall be present at least fifty percent (50%) of the scheduled school day in order to be counted present. Students may attend part-time days, alternating days, or for a specific amount of time as indicated in their Individualized Education Plan or 504 Plan and shall be considered present for school attendance purposes. If a student is required to participate in a remedial instruction program outside of the regular school day where there is no cost to the parent(s) and the school system provides transportation, unexcused absences from these programs shall be reported in the same manner.⁷ | | 28 29 30 31 32 | Students who are absent five (5) days without adequate excuse shall be reported to the director of schools/designee who will, in turn, provide written notice to the parent(s)/guardian(s) of the student's absence. If a parent does not provide documentation within adequate time excusing those absences, or request an attendance hearing, then the Director of Schools shall implement the progressive truancy intervention plan described below prior to referral to juvenile court. | | 33 34 | The director of schools/designee shall develop appropriate administrative procedures to implement this policy. | | 35 | Progressive Truancy Intervention Plan⁸ | | 36 37 | Prior to referral to juvenile court, the following progressive truancy intervention plan will be implemented. | ## Table 3 | 7 | 1. School-wide strategy to promote regular daily attendance with plans of action to prevent chronic | | --- | --- | | 8 | absence, truancy, late arrivals, and early dismissals. | | 9 | 2. An attendance expectation letter to be sent to parents/guardians during the first week of school | | 10 | to communicate clear school level expectations. | | 11 | 3. Identify students who have been chronically absent from the previous year. | | 12 | 4. Take and submit accurate attendance in SMS (Skyward) for each class, every day, and on-time | | 13 | during the first fifteen minutes of class. | | 14 | 5. Run daily absentee report to find discrepancies. | | 15 | 6. Make personal contact with the student's parent/guardian to investigate the reason for unexcused | | 16 | absences at three (3) days of unexcused absences. | | 17 | A conference with the student and the student's parent/guardian: | | 18 | | | 19 | An attendance contract, based on the conference, signed by the student, the parent/guardian, and | | 20 | an attendance officer. The contract shall include: | | 21 | | | 22 | a. A specific description of the school's attendance expectations for the student: | | 23 | b. The period for which the contract is effective. | | 24 | c. Penalties for additional absences and alleged school offenses, including additional | | 25 | disciplinary action and potential referral to juvenile court; and | | 26 | | | 27 | Regularly scheduled follow up meetings to discuss the student's progress. | | 28 | If the student accumulates additional unexcused absences in violation of the attendance contract, in Tier | | 29 | I, he/she shall be subject to Tier II. | | 30 | Tier II | | 31 | An individualized assessment by a school employee of the reasons a student has been absent from school. | | 32 | This may result in referral to counseling, community based services, or other services to address the | | 33 | student's attendance problems. Tier II of the progressive truancy plan shall be implemented after the | | 34 | student accumulates five (5) unexcused absences, but before referral to juvenile court, and includes the | | 35 | following: | | 36 | 1. A conference with the student and the student's parent/guardian; | | 37 | | | 38 | 2. An attendance contract, based on the conference, signed by the student, the | | 39 | parent/guardian, and an attendance officer. The contract shall include: | | 40 | | ## Table 4 | 1 | a. A specific description of the school's attendance expectations for the student; | | --- | --- | | 2 | b. The period for which the contract is effective. | | 3 | c. Penalties for additional absences and alleged school offenses, including additional | | 4 | disciplinary action and potential referral to juvenile court; and | | 5 | 3. Regularly scheduled follow-up meetings to discuss the student's progress. | | 6 | 4. An individualized assessment by a school employee of the reasons a student has been | | 7 | absent from school. This may result in referral to counseling, community-based services, | | 8 | or other services to address the student's attendance problems. | | 9 | Tier III | | 10 | This tier shall be implemented if the truancy interventions under Tier II are unsuccessful. | | 11 | Tier III interventions must include a review of the previous individualized assessment and an amended | | 12 | attendance contract but may also result in further action including but not limited to a review of grades | | 13 | and the discipline record, a referral to restorative justice programs, a referral to community-based | | 14 | services, or a referral to the Department of Children's Services. | | 15 | These interventions shall be determined by a team formed at each school. The interventions shall | | 16 | address student needs in an age-appropriate manner. Finalized plans shall be approved by the Director | | 17 | of Schools/designee. | | 18 | NON-SCHOOL SPONSORED EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY⁹ | | 19 | A principal/designee may excuse a student to participate in non-school sponsored extracurricular | | 20 | activities. The principal shall document the approval in writing and shall excuse no more than ten (10) | | 21 | absences each school year. No later than seven (7) business days prior to the student's absence, the | | 22 | student shall provide documentation to the school as proof of the student's participation along with a | | 23 | written request for the excused absence from the student's parent/guardian. The request shall include | | 24 | the following: | | 25 | 1. Student's name and personal identification number; | | 26 | | | 27 | 2. Student's grade; | | 28 | | | 29 | 3. The dates of the student's absence; | | 30 | | | 31 | 4. The reason for the student's absence; and | | 32 | | | 33 | 5. The signatures of the student and parent/guardian, | | 34 | RELEASED TIME COURSE¹ | | 35 | A principal/designee may excuse a student to attend a course in religious moral instruction for up to | | 36 | one (1) class period per school day. Students shall not be excused during any class which requires an | | 37 | examination for state or federal accountability purposes. | ## Table 5 | 1 2 3 4 5 6 | Students shall only be permitted to attend courses provided by entities that certify in writing that they have complied with the background check requirements outlined in state law. 11 The student shall submit a written consent form signed by the student's parent/guardian prior to participation in the released time course. The principal/designee shall document the approval in writing. The student shall provide documentation to the principal/designee as proof of the student's participation in the released time course. | | --- | --- | | 7 | The district shall not be responsible for transporting students to and from the place of instruction. | | 8 9 | Upon submission of the student's transcript from the entity that provided the released time course, the student may be awarded one-half (1) unit of elective credit. | | 10 11 | The Director of Schools shall develop procedures with secular criteria for determining whether credit shall be awarded. | | 12 | MAKE-UP WORK | | 13 14 15 | All missed class work or tests (whether from excused or unexcused absence) may be made up provided the student makes the request immediately upon returning to school and provided instruction time is not taken from other students. | | 16 17 18 19 20 | A grade of incomplete will be received for any work missed until the work is completed. A student may have up to three (3) days to make up work from a single absence and up to five (5) days to make up work from an absence longer than a single day. It is the student's responsibility to make arrangements for make-up work, and if not completed in the allotted time, a grade of zero (0) will be recorded for the assignments. | | 21 22 23 | For school-sponsored activities, the student will be required to make up all work missed and will receive full credit for the assignment or upon completion of a test. The student will not be counted absent for a school sponsored event (school planned, school-directed, and teacher supervised). | | 24 | STATE-MANDATED TESTS/END OF COURSE EXAMS | | 25 26 27 28 29 | Students who are absent the day of the scheduled End of Course Exams must present a signed doctor's excuse or must have been given an excused release by the principal prior to testing to receive an excused absence. Students who have excused absences will be allowed to take a make-up exam that will count as 15% of their grade. Excused students will receive an incomplete in the course until they have taken the End of Course Exam. | | 30 31 | Students who have an unexcused absence shall receive a failing grade on the course exam which shall be averaged into their final grade at 15%. | | 32 | CREDIT/PROMOTION DENIAL | | 33 34 35 36 | Credit/promotion denial determinations may include student attendance, however, student attendance may not be the sole criterion. 11 However, if attendance is a factor, prior to credit/promotion denial, the following shall occur: | ## Table 6 | Legal | References | Cross References | | --- | --- | --- | | 1. | TCA 49-6-3006 | School Calendar 1.800 | | 2. | TCA 49-6-3017(c) | Extracurricular Activities 4.300 | | 3. | 20 USCA § 1232g | Interscholastic Athletics 4.301 | | 4. | TRR/MS 0520-01-02-.17(5): State Board of Education Policy 4.100 | Field Trips/Excursions/Competitions 4.302 Reporting Student Progress 4.601 | | 5. | TCA 49-6-2904(b)(5) | Promotion and Retention 4.603 | | 6. | TCA 49-6-3007 | Recognition of Religious Beliefs. Customs, & Holidays 4.803 | | 7. | TCA 49-6-3021 | Voluntary Pre-K Attendance 6.2011 | | 8. | TCA 49-6-3007: TCA 49-6-3009 | Homeless Students 6.503 | | 9. | TCA 49-6-3022 | Students in Foster Care 6.505 | ## Table 7 | 10. TCA 49-2-130 | Students from Military Families 6.506 | | | --- | --- | --- | | 11. TCA 49-2-203(b)(7); TCA 49-6-3002(b); Public Acts of 2025. Chapter No. 401 12. TRR/MS 0520-01-02-.17(7) | Student Records 6.600 | | ## Table 8 | Hickman County | School System | | --- | --- | | Attendance | 6.200AP |