Disputed Absences/Tardies

Teachers mark students TARDY and ABSENT, not the Attendance Office. If a student feels they were marked absent by mistake, they should contact their teacher directly, who can correct the error within 24 hours. 

DO NOT contact the attendance office about incorrect attendance before contacting the teacher directly! We DO NOT clear tardies - if a student arrives back to campus from an appointment, they need a pass to clear the ABSENCE that the teacher has marked. 

With an increased focus on student attendance, TUHSD schools will send automated calls home when students are absent or tardy to class. 

EXCUSED ABSENCES are:

• Personal illness; including absences for the benefit of a student’s mental or behavioral health. 

• Quarantine under city or county direction;

• Medical, dental, optometry, or chiropractic services, although students are strongly encouraged to make these appointments outside of school hours;

• Attending funeral services of an immediate family member. Excused absences are limited to one (1) day if the funeral is in California and three days (3) if the service is conducted outside California;

• Exclusion for not having been properly immunized. Such absence be excused for not more than five (5) school days;

• Jury duty

• Participation in religious instruction or exercises in accordance with District policy; and

• Serving as a member of a precinct board for an election (Election Code Section 12302).

• Upon advance written request by the parent/guardian and the approval of the principal or designee, justifiable personal reasons;

• To spend time with an immediate family member who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, and has been called to duty for deployment to a combat zone or a combat support position or is on leave from or has immediately returned from such deployment;

• To attend their naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen.

TARDIES

Unless your child is arriving late because of an appointment, we do not “clear” tardies.  If a teacher has indicated your child was tardy to class, and you feel this is an error, please contact the teacher directly to discuss this.  This is not handled in our attendance office.

WHEN A MEDICAL NOTE IS NEEDED

As per AR 5113, the school is required to document verification of the reason for an absence. In addition to a note or call, a school employee may visit the student's home or use any other reasonable method to establish the fact that the student was actually absent for the reason stated. If a student shows a pattern of chronic absenteeism due to illness, district staff may require physician verification of any further student absences (AR 5113). Chronic absenteeism is when a student has missed 10% or more of school days due to excused absence.

For more information regarding attendance, you may consult the TUHSD Parent Handbook