Attendance & Code of Conduct

  • A. Excused Absences

    1. School Attendance Florida Statute 1003.21 requires that all students between the ages of six (6) and sixteen (16) attend school regularly. Students who have attained the age of sixteen (16) and who have not graduated are subject to compulsory school attendance until a formal declaration of intent to withdraw, signed by student and parent/guardian, is filed with the district school board. Students are obligated to attend one hundred eighty (180) days of school each year. It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to see that this law is obeyed. It is important to note that failure to attend school in a regular and timely fashion hinders the educational process. In addition, truancy and poor performance have a direct relationship to juvenile delinquency and destructive behavior, not to mention the disproportionate percentage of juvenile crime that occurs during school hours. Each parent or legal guardian of a child within the compulsory attendance age is responsible for the child’s school attendance as required by law.

    2. It is the responsibility of the parent(s) or guardian to provide a written statement or oral notification, oral notifications are to be documented, indicating the reason for the absences within two (2) days of the student’s return to school. Denial of an excused absence based on this time frame will require documentation of parental contact to inform the parent that the absence remains unexcused after the two-day period. The written statement must include the following information for each absence:
    • Date the excuse is written
    • Date(s) of the absence(s)
    • Full name of the student
    • Reason for the absence
    • Daytime telephone number of parent or guardian
    • Signature of parent or guardian
    3. An excused absence should be coded as an “E” for reporting purposes. Final determination on whether an absence is excused or unexcused is the responsibility of the principal. Any planned absences, other than medical appointments, must be approved in advance by the principal. 

    B. Unexcused Absences

      •  Any absence which is not justified by the parent or guardian according to allowable excuses (see above) or for which the reason is unknown
      • Not attending class while on a school campus OCSB Attendance Procedures 6
      • Final determination on whether an absence is excused or unexcused is the responsibility of the principal.
      • An unexcused absence should be coded as a “U” for reporting purposes.

  • Reporting Absences

    Any student absent from school shall provide a note from a parent or guardian within forty-eight (48) hours of returning to school stating the cause of the absence. Please send your inquiries to our attendance officers at nancy.irizarrymontalvo@osceolaschools.net, and erianna.walker@osceolaschools.net they will update your child's attendance. The enrolling parent will need to include a copy of the driver's license for her to honor this request.