R277-607-3. Promotion of Regular Attendance

(1) An LEA governing board: (a) shall create an LEA attendance policy that: (i) outlines attendance expectations with language and definitions consistent with Title 53G, Chapter 6, Part 2, Compulsory Education; (ii) establishes a clear process, timeline, and standard for converting an unexcused absence into a truancy consistent with Subsection 53G-6-201(17); (iii) outlines the procedures and timelines for issuing a notice of compulsory education for students in grades 1 through 6 consistent with Section 53G-6-202; (iv) outlines the procedures and timelines for issuing a notice of truancy for students in grades 7 through 12 consistent with Section 53G-6-203; and (v) establishes that for students in grades 7 through 12, an LEA may enter an incident report of habitual truancy into the Utah Transcript and Record Exchange (UTREx) system after a student accumulates 20 truancies, provided the LEA has issued a notice of truancy in alignment with state law and LEA policy; and (vi) provides for school level procedure making; and (vii) provides an appeals process to contest: (A) a notice of truancy; (B) a notice of compulsory education; or (C) any disciplinary actions taken against a student pursuant to an LEA's attendance policy; (viii) shall review the attendance policy in an open and public meeting at least every five years. (b) shall annually publicize the LEA's attendance policy and appeals process through: (i) LEA and school websites; (ii) handbooks; (iii) letters to parents; and (iv) other reasonable means of communication; (c) shall support institutional efforts to promote regular attendance and address chronic absenteeism and truancy issues for school-age children enrolled in the LEA, in accordance with Subsection 53G-6-206(3) and Section 53G-9-804; and (d) may enlist the assistance of community agencies and organizations for early intervention and habitual truancy services, in accordance with Section 53G-8-211. (e) if an LEA adopts a policy for attendance-based grading, the LEA shall ensure their policy shall follow Section 53G-6-213. (2) An LEA shall annually report the following data separately to the Superintendent: (a) absences with a valid excuse; and (b) absences without a valid excuse.