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New attendance policy hits first deadline

Coweta County education officials are trying to get out the message about the state’s new school attendance policy.

Under the policy approved by the General Assembly earlier this year, a student may have no more than five unexcused absences.

Students were provided an information sheet at the beginning of the school year explaining the new policies. State law requires that the sheet be signed by all parents and by all students 10 years of age or older. The sheet must be signed and returned to schools by Wednesday.

The school system will send parents a warning letter when a student has three absences, excused or unexcused. The letters are meant only to keep parents informed of their child's attendance records, and to alert parents early to any problems.

A conference will be required when a student has four unexcused absences. When a student accumulates more than five unexcused absences, parents of truant students may face penalties of $25 to $100, community service, or imprisonment of up to 30 days.

For elementary students, absences accumulate by days, and for middle and high school students, absences accumulate by periods or blocks.

"The state has made significant changes in regards to attendance," said Iva King, who works with the Coweta County school system department of Student Services. Schools systems across Georgia are working to implement the new rules and communicate them to parents.

King said that the new attendance rules may worry parents, but noted that parents need to distinguish between excused and unexcused absences. Excused absences are generally due to illness, death in the family, religious holidays and school sponsored activities.

"Written excuses are important, explaining why the child is out," said King. "If parents have a concern about whether something is going to be excused or not, then they need to talk to their principal early and communicate with the school."

"Communicating with the school and instilling in children the habits of attending school every day and being on time are probably the most important things parents can do," said King.