A student’s absences from school shall be considered “excused” if written documentation of the reason for such absence has been submitted within ten (10) school days of the student’s return to school and meets the following criteria:
A. For absences one through nine, a student’s absences from school are considered “excused” when the student’s parent/guardian approves such absence and submits appropriate documentation to school officials. Such documentation includes: a signed note from the student’s parent/guardian; a signed note from a school official that spoke in person with the parent/guardian regarding the absence; or a note confirming the absence by the school nurse or by a licensed medical professional. Documentation should explain the nature of and the reason for the absence as well as the length of the absence. Separate documentation must be submitted for each incidence of absenteeism.
B. For the tenth absence and all absences thereafter, a student’s absences from school are considered excused for the following reasons:
- Student illness (must be verified by a licensed medical professional to be deemed excused, regardless of the length of the absence)
- Student’s observance of a religious holiday
- Death in the student’s family or other emergency beyond the control of the student’s family
- Mandated court appearances (documentation required)
- The lack of transportation that is normally provided by a district other than the one a student attends (no parental documentation required)
- Extraordinary educational opportunities pre-approved by the district administration and in accordance with Connecticut State Department of Education guidance.
C. A student’s absence from school shall be considered unexcused unless: 1. The absence meets the definition of an excused absence and meets the documentation requirements; 2. The absence meets the definition of a disciplinary absence, which is the result of school or district disciplinary action and is excluded from the State Board of Education approved definitions.
