Attendance

It is important that you contact your child’s school if your child is absent. The parent is to indicate the reason for the absence and the estimated duration of the absence. In special cases where absence is over an extended time or is frequent, the principal may request reasons in writing from the parent and/or a statement from a physician.

All absences must be reported to avoid being marked unexcused. Phone calls are the required reporting method at Urbana High School; written notes are accepted at all other buildings. Please note that reporting an absence does not guarantee it will be excused. At Urbana High School, telephone calls must be made between 7:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. on the day of the absence, or the absence will be considered unexcused.

Acceptable Reasons for Excused Absences under Illinois School Code

• Illness, including the mental or behavioral health of a student (Mental Health Day)
• Attendance at a verified medical or therapeutic appointment
• Appointment with a Victim Services Provider
• Observance of a religious holiday
• Death in the immediate family
• Attendance at a civic event per public act (PA) 102-981
• Family emergency

The maximum number of excused absences allowed in a school year is eight (8). Parents may request that an absence be excused for the following reasons: personal illness, family illness, medical/dental appointments, religious holidays, and funerals.

Once a student has accumulated eight absences per year, any additional absence will be considered unexcused and handled as an unexcused absence. Excluded from this policy shall be absences that are verified by a doctor’s statement. The doctor’s statement must be an original copy signed by a licensed medical professional. It must include the date(s) of the student’s relevant absence(s).

It is crucial for students to be in attendance. We have numerous avenues for support to help you in making attendance a priority. If your student is out for 15 or more consecutive days, they will be dropped, and the family will need to re-enroll upon return. Schools will implement multiple interventions for students who have received 15 or more unexcused absences; however, this may result in the student being dropped for nonattendance (105 ILCS 5/26-12).

Continued patterns of excessive excused or unexcused absences may result in a parent meeting with the school’s Student Engagement Attendance Advocate, Attendance Review Team, referral to the Regional Office of Education Truancy Officer, and/or a referral to the Champaign County State’s Attorney.

Chronic absence means missing 10 percent or more of school days due to absence for any reason—excused, unexcused absences, and suspension. Absences can translate into students having difficulty learning to read by the third grade, achieving in middle school, and graduating from high school.

Truancy is defined as unexcused absence for any school day or a portion of the school day. Habitual or chronic truancy is defined as unexcused absences totaling 5 percent or more of the previous 180 regular attendance days; approximately nine unexcused absences.

Parents will be notified by their school before a student’s absences reaches five percent. Schools will utilize supportive services and other school resources in an attempt to correct the truant behavior of students who are approaching a chronic truancy classification. 

If the positive measures provided by the school fail to correct the behavior of a student, a chronic truancy report will be made to the Truancy Officer at the Regional Office of Education, who will take appropriate action against the parents or the student, whichever is indicated by the situation.

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is a federal law that works to ensure educational stability for homeless youth. The McKinney-Vento act allows homeless students to enroll in school and receive transportation without delay.

Urbana School District 116 is committed to educating students who meet the guidelines under McKinney-Vento. If you have questions or need assistance regarding homelessness, please contact one of the District’s Homeless Liaisons:

• Dionne Webster: dwebster@usd116.org | (217) 384-3565 
• Jeniece Mitchell: jdmitchell@usd116.org | (217) 531-7112