Skip To Main Content

Logo Image

Logo Title

Attendance Law

Dear Parents/Guardians:

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania requires school districts to follow strict compulsory attendance laws. As a result, our school district attendance policies reflect these requirements. The state broadly defines absences as excused when a student is prevented from attendance for mental, physical, or other urgent reasons. The items below outline the key components of the attendance policy. Statements in bold are intended to help clarify the state’s wording.

  • All absences should be treated as unlawful until the school district (school) receives a written excuse explaining the reason(s) for an absence.  Parents/guardians and students should submit the written explanation within three calendar days of the absence.  If they fail to provide a written excuse within three days of the absence, the absence would be permanently counted as unlawful.

This means you must send a written excuse to school when your child returns to school after an absence.  If the school does not receive a written excuse within three days of the absence, it remains an unlawful (unexcused) absence.

  • A maximum of ten days of cumulative lawful absences verified by parental notification may be permitted during a school year.  All absences beyond ten cumulative days shall require an excuse from a licensed practitioner of the healing arts.

Per Board Policy 204, absences due to a family trip/vacation are considered unlawful unless the parent/guardian submits a written request for excusal before the absence.

Cumulative days are defined as the total number.  They may be consecutive or accumulated throughout the school year.

Research indicates that good school attendance habits are essential to academic success.  The benefits of regular classroom instruction are difficult to replicate and, once lost, are often not regained.  Please help us support your child's academic success by complying with the state attendance law and Avonworth School District policy.

 

Sincerely,

Jeffrey M. Hadley, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools