Issues for Attendance Accounting By Dr. Paul A. Rodriguez

Positive Attendance Students marked when they are actually present “negative” systems assume student is present unless marked absent Attendance collected in aggregate hours for all students Any portion of an hour counts for a full hour

Compulsory Attendance Applies to all persons between the ages of 6 and 18 There is no prohibition on serving students older than 18 if they have not earned a diploma Continuation schools are mandated under ED 48432

ADA Computation Based on total number of hours earned by all students 15 hour per week cap for each student and is reduced proportionately to the number of days in the week Minimum attendance day is 180 minutes adjusted for passing periods Excess hours for a student can be applied back to prior weeks or poor attendance Length of school year is the same as the district school years Basic calculation is to total hours earned and divide by 3 determine the number of apportionment days earned which is then divided by the days of the month for monthly ADA and by 180 to determine annual ADA

Purpose of Attendance Accounting Compliance with compulsory attendance law Allocation of state funding apportionment Requirements Minimum school days is 180 minutes Maximum attendance credit is 15 hours per week May exceed a day of attendance credit for any one day Working student may attend a minimum of four hours per week

Other Issues If year-round schedule then inter-session time can use summer school allocation Staff-development days count for apportionment and use day prior or day after for ADA calculation Compulsory attendance laws require schools to maintain accurate attendance accounting Excused absences are no longer allowed for apportionment accounting purposes. Attendance accounting is necessary to comply with compulsory attendance laws.

Audit and Reports Audit requirements Notes and logs are source documents These are “Class 3” records Maintain individual student records Reports/Recordkeeping All forms/software approved by CDE Teachers sign attendance records Attendance reported in clock hours Monthly summary report required Records are Class 3

Involuntary transfer requires procedural action Voluntary transfer open to all over age 16 Notice of voluntary alternative education programs is required to be posted at every high school and communicated to parents [EC 48980 (1)] Involuntary transfer requires procedural action Board Policy adopted Written notice provided pupil and parent/guardian Based on EC 48900 or habitual truancy Hearing required Applies to current and next semester

Adjunct Programs Claim no more than one day of attendance for any student Keep programs separate for attendance accounting purposes Students can access services of other programs without ADA earning Know the rules of attendance for other programs