Student Attendance
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Attendance BenefitsTop of Page
Attendance is the largest indicator of student graduation rate - even larger than student test scores and family income.
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Did you know?Top of Page
- Missing 10 percent of school (about 2 days a month or 18 days a year) makes it harder to learn to read or write.
- Students can still fall behind if they miss just a day or two every few weeks.
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ESUHSD Attendance PoliciesTop of Page
East Side Union High School District has developed strategies that focus on supportive attendance practices, which include, but are not limited to, efforts to provide a safe and positive school environment, relevant and engaging learning experiences, school activities that help develop students' feelings of connectedness with the school, school-based health services, and incentives and rewards to recognize students who achieve excellent attendance or demonstrate significant improvement in attendance.
You can find detailed ESUHSD Attendance Policies on the Student and Parent Handbook (also available in Spanish and available in Vietnamese.)
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Excused AbsencesTop of Page
Every student must be in school unless it is necessary for them to be absent. When a student is absent, there are specific reasons that would qualify the student's absence to be excused. Some of these reasons include illness, medical/dental appointment, court subpoena, court appearance, or the funeral of an immediate family member. For a full list of excused absences the link below.
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How to Report an Absence Due to Illness or Other ReasonTop of Page
When a student is absent, the student’s parent/guardian must contact the attendance office to report the absence within 5 days.
You may be wondering when to keep your child home from school due to symptoms of illness. The following suggestions were created in the 2023-2024 school year by the California Department of Public Health.
- When to Keep Your Child Home from School or Child Care
- Versión en español / Spanish Version
- Phiên bản tiếng Việt / Vietnamese Version
View the latest guidance on the California Department of Public Health Website.
If a student will be out of school for an extended period of time please contact the student's school attendance office. We may have an educational option to assist the student in earning credits while absent.
- Short Term Independent Study - if your student will be absent between 5-14 days in a semester
- Home Hospital - students who will be absent 15+ days due to a physical or psychological need may apply for Home & Hospital. We will work with the student's medical team to determine the student's eligibility.
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Truancy, Chronic Absenteeism, and School Attendance Review Board (SARB)Top of Page
Please remember, school attendance is mandatory, students who are Chronically Absent or Habitually Truant may be referred to the School Attendance Review Board (SARB) and may be referred to the Santa Clara County District Attorney.
A student missing more than 30 minutes of instruction without an excuse three times during the school year would be considered truancy. A student is considered habitually truant when they are truant three times. A student who misses 10% (18 days) or more of the school year would be considered chronically absent.
For more information on truancy and chronic absenteeism, please visit the California Department of Education Website.
You can also review the Truancy Flowchart to see the support processes for students facing truancy.
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School Attendance Review Board (SARB)Top of Page
East Side Union High School District operates a Student Attendance Review Board (SARB) process designed to support children and families in maintaining positive school attendance patterns which allow students the maximum opportunity to learn. The SARB is composed of school staff and community partners who collaborate with families and students to identify what is impacting school attendance and work together to keep studnets in school.
School attendance is mandatory, students who are Chronically Absent or Habitually Truant may be referred to the SARB and may be referred to the Santa Clara County District Attorney.
A student missing more than 30 minutes of instruction without an excuse three times during the school year would be considered truancy. A student is considered habitually truant when they are truant three times. A student who misses 10% (18 days) or more of the school year would be considered chronically absent.
