Attendance & Independent Study

1. Personal illness, including absence for the benefit of the student's mental or behavioral health  (Education Code 48205)
    

2. Quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer  (Education Code 48205)
    

3. Medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic service or appointment  (Education Code 48205)
    

4. Attendance at funeral services for a member of the student's immediate family (Education Code 48205)
   
   Such absence shall be limited to one day if the service is conducted in California or three days if the service is conducted out of state.  (Education Code 48205)
    

5. Illness or medical appointment of a child to whom the student is the custodial parent  (Education Code 48205)
    

6. Upon advance written request by the parent/guardian and the approval of the principal or designee, justifiable personal reasons including, but not limited to:  (Education Code 48205)
    

   1. Appearance in court
       

   2. Attendance at a funeral service
       

   3. Observance of a religious holiday or ceremony of his or her religion
       

   4. Attendance at religious retreats for no more than four hours per semester
       

   5. Attendance at an employment conference
       

   6. Attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization
       

7. Service as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Elections Code 12302  (Education Code 48205)
    

8. To spend time with an immediate family member who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined in Education Code 49701, and has been called to duty for deployment or is on leave from or has immediately returned from such deployment  (Education Code 48205)
   
   Such absence shall be granted for a period of time to be determined at the discretion of the Superintendent or designee.  (Education Code 48205)

9. Attendance at the student's naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen  (Education Code 48205)
    

10. Participation in a cultural ceremony or event which relates to the habits, practices, beliefs, and traditions of a certain group of people  (Education Code 48205)
     

11. For a middle school or high school student, engagement in a civic or political event, provided that the student notifies the school ahead of the absence  (Education Code 48205)
    
    Unless otherwise permitted by the Superintendent or designee, students shall be limited to one such school day-long absence each school year  (Education Code 48205)
     

12. When a student's immediate family member or, as determined by the student's parent/guardian, a person so closely associated with the student as to be considered the student's immediate family has died:  (Education Code 48205)
     

    1. To access services from a victim services organization or agency

    2. To access grief support services

    3. To participate in safety planning or take other actions, including, but not limited to, temporary or permanent relocation, to increase the safety of the student, an immediate family member of the student, or a person determined by the student's parent/guardian to be in such close association with the student as to be considered immediate family
       
       Such absence shall be excused for not more than three days for each incident.  (Education Code 48205)

13. Participation in religious exercises or to receive moral and religious instruction at the student's place of worship or other suitable place away from school property as designated by the religious group, church, or denomination  (Education Code 46014)
    
    Absence for student participation in religious exercises or instruction shall not be considered an absence for the purpose of computing average daily attendance if the student attends at least the minimum school day as specified in Administrative Regulation 6112 - School Day, and is not excused from school for this purpose on more than four days each school month.  (Education Code 46014)
     

14. For a student who holds a work permit authorizing work in the entertainment or allied industries for a period of not more than five consecutive days, work in such industry  (Education Code 48225.5)
    
    For this purpose, student absence shall be excused for a maximum of up to five absences each school year.  (Education Code 48225.5)
     

15. Participation with a nonprofit performing arts organization in a performance for a public school audience  (Education Code 48225.5)
    
    A student may be excused for up to five such absences each school year provided that the student's parent/guardian provides a written explanation of such absence to the school.  (Education Code 48225.5)
     

16. Other reasons authorized at the discretion of the principal or designee based on the student's specific circumstances  (Education Code 48205, 48260)

For the purpose of the absences described above, immediate family means the student's parent/guardian, sibling, grandparent, or any other relative living in the student's household.  (Education Code 48205)

To help our school’s office staff process attendance and to ensure our families are aware if their student has been marked absent, USD schools use ParentSquare to send families attendance notices each day for a student who is absent for any reason. You may have received a notice like this before via text or app notice, voice call or email, that also includes a link for a parent/guardian to send a note to the school. 

If you receive a notice and you have already provided the school’s attendance line or a staff member with an absence reason, then no action is needed on your part. If you haven’t yet, we recommend you use the send a note feature to share the reason for the absence.