Stevensville School District

STUDENTS

Attendance Policy – Truancy

Students are expected to attend all assigned classes each day.  Teachers shall keep a record of absence and tardiness.  Before the end of the school day, each school shall attempt to contact every parent, guardian, or custodian whose child is absent from school but who has not reported the child absent for the school day, to determine whether the parent, guardian, or custodian is aware of the child’s absence from school.

For the purpose of this policy “truant” or “truancy” means the persistent non-attendance without excuse, as defined by this policy, for all or any part of a school day equivalent to the length of one class period of a child required to attend a school under 20-5-103. “Habitual truancy” means recorded unexcused absences of 9 or more days or 54 or more parts of a day, whichever is less, in 1 school year.

[The Stevensville school district’s definition of non-attendance without excuse is stated in the respective student handbooks.]

The Stevensville School district has appointed the K-3 principal, the 4-8 principal, and the 9-12 school principals as the attendance officers of the district.

Upon the board designating one or more of its staff as the attendance officer(s), the attendance officer(s) shall have the powers and duties as stated in 20-5-105(1) (Section 2), MCA.

Legal Reference:
§ 20-5-103, MCA Compulsory attendance and excuses
§ 20-5-104, MCA Attendance officer
§ 20-5-105, MCA Attendance officer – powers and duties
§ 20-5-106, MCA Truancy
§ 20-5-107, MCA Incapacitated and indigent child attendance
§ 41-5-103(22), MCA Definitions

Policy History:
Adopted on: October 8, 2013
Reviewed on: October 13, 2015; November 6, 2023
Revised on: November 10, 2015