CHS Attendance

Folsom Cordova Unified School District has implemented a closed campus policy for all of its schools. This means that students are not allowed to leave their respective school campus during school hours without prior notification from the parent/guardian to the Administration Office.

Additionally, students should not be on another school’s campus during school hours unless they have been permitted for a school/district-sanctioned activity.

The closed campus policy is for the safety and wellbeing of every student.

• Students who are absent due to a medical/dental appointment should obtain a note from their doctor/dentist to turn in to the Admin Office. A student’s dated medical note may excuse their absence from school (coded ‘IMV’ in attendance for a full day, or ‘EED’ if they were dismissed early from the Admin Office). 
• FCUSD & its schools allow 10 parent-verified absence days per school year due to illness, medical appointments &/or mental health days (coded ‘IPV’ in attendance). Any absences after the 10th will require a medical note or will be marked ‘unexcused’ (UNX).
• Appointment reminders do not equate to a medical note.
• FCUSD & its schools do not accept indefinite/open-ended medical notes to excuse absences.

• Truancy accrues from any of the following attendance codes: NOC, CUT, TDY, UNX & IZ.
• California requires parents/guardians be notified when their student is deemed ‘truant’.
• FCUSD mails 1st, 2nd and 3rd truancy letters when a student has a minimum of 3, 6, & 9 occurrences of truancy, as defined by CA Ed Code.

Chronic Absence letters are sent when a student has missed 10% of school. This includes both excused & unexcused absences. Chronic absence letters are not truancy letters. They do, however, highlight learning loss and the potential for struggles and barriers to form and grow. 

State and country-wide, more institutions are turning their focus to reducing chronic absenteeism, because studies have shown that attendance is the #1 indicator of student success. When students are present to school, they have increased opportunities for academic success, social-emotional learning, positive engagement, and connectedness to their school & peers.

Truancy vs. Chronic Absence

• School Attendance Review Team is a school site-based intervention scheduled after a 2nd truancy letter is generated.
• School Attendance Review Board hearings are held after a referral is made to the FCUSD’s Attendance & Due Process Dept. by the school site for students with notable attendance concerns.

• Parents/guardians must submit the signed agreement at least 2 weeks prior to the first date the student will be absent. Any contracts submitted less the day 10 days before the absence will be denied
• Parents/ Guardians are responsible for the supervision of the child while he or she  is completing assignments necessary for evaluation.
• Independent Study cannot be approved during the first/ last 2 weeks of school. 
• Days Excused are determined by the amount of school work a student completes. All work is due upon the END date stated in the contract. NO Exceptions/Nor extension are given.
• Students on an IEP MUST have a letter of approval or an addendum of services. This includes Speech IEPs as well. *PLEASE ALLOW EXTRA TIME FOR THIS STEP*
• Short Term Independent Study will NOT be issued during final exams. Please see school calendar for dates.

• Students have the responsibility to communicate and obtain work with their teachers prior to leaving. Students leaving without the appropriate tools for the time out risk: failure to complete assignments, not receiving attendance credit and possible lowering of grades.

• students must turn in their work product (i.e. assignment) in person or electronically in pdf format on the END date on the Independent Study Contract in order to receive attendance credit NO Exceptions/Nor extension are given.