504 - Attendance Cooperation Process

When it is determined that a student in grades K-6 is in violation of the District’s Attendance Policy and Procedures, the principal will check the Department of Human Services records to determine whether the student’s family is receiving Family Investment Program (FIP) benefits.  If the student’s family is receiving FIP benefits, the principal will notify DHS.  DHS is then responsible for the Attendance Cooperation Process (ACP).

If the student’s family is not receiving FIP benefits, the principal will initiate the ACP.  The parents will be contacted to participate in the ACP.  The principal may also invite juvenile court officers, the county attorney, other school officials and others deemed appropriate.  If others are invited who do not have access to the student’s records either by law or a Juvenile Justice Agency Information Sharing Agreement, parental consent is needed for them to participate in the ACP.

The purpose of the ACP is to determine the cause of the student’s nonattendance, arrive at an agreement between the parties to solutions addressing the nonattendance and initiate referrals to any other services that may be necessary.  Any agreement reached will be reduced to writing.  The agreement is to include all terms agreed to and future responsibilities of all parties.  All parties must sign the agreement and failure to sign by the parents is considered a violation of the process and initiates the next level.

If the parents do not participate in the ACP, if the parties do not enter into an Attendance Cooperation Agreement (ACA) or if the parents violate a term of the ACA, the student is deemed truant.  For FIP students and non-FIP students, the school district notifies the county attorney when students are truant.  When a FIP student is deemed truant, DHS is again notified and DHS then initiates the process whereby FIP benefits are reduced.

 

REVIEWED: 11/18/2019 - APPROVED 12/03/2019

REVISED: 02/05/2021 – APPROVED 03/15/2021

REVIEWED: 07/18/2022