Madison Metropolitan School District
Board of Education Policies and Procedures

POLICY	EXCUSED ABSENCE	4041 Pupils

Excused Absence for Good Cause

The BOARD may excuse a student, with the written approval of the student's parents/guardian, for good cause.

s. 118.15(3)(b)

PROCEDURE	EXCUSED ABSENCE	4041 Pupils

Excused Absence for Good Cause

1. Good cause may not be based upon the student's disability.
2. Prior to the SUPERINTENDENT'S recommendation to excuse a student from school attendance for good cause, the following steps shall have been taken and documentation of those steps shall have been accomplished.
   1. A TEACHER or school staff member who has recognized the maladjustment or other apparent problem of the student shall advise the PRINCIPAL.
   2. The PRINCIPAL shall notify the parents or guardian, in writing, of the problems or maladjustment and shall use all reasonable means at her/his disposal to solve the problem with the parents/guardian and the pupil.
   3. The PRINCIPAL, if unable to solve the problems, shall request the assistance of the DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SERVICES.
   4. Staff members of the STUDENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT shall confer with the PRINCIPAL, SCHOOL STAFF, STUDENT, PARENTS or GUARDIAN to identify the problems and attempt to find an acceptable solution to the problems.
   5. If satisfactory solutions or acceptable progress has not been made at this point, the DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SERVICES may involve any community agency or agencies which may assist the student or parents/guardian.
   6. If satisfactory solutions have not been realized at this point, the DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SERVICES (with staff) and the PRINCIPAL (with staff) may structure a plan for excusing the student from attendance (Form SRO12 - EXCUSED FROM SCHOOL ATTENDANCE FOR GOOD CAUSE is initiated at this point).
      1. Written consent of parents or guardian shall be obtained.
      2. The PRINCIPAL and DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SERVICES shall make a joint recommendation to the appropriate ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT that the student be excused for good cause from school attendance.
   7. The APPROPRIATE ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT may recommend the excused absence to the SUPERINTENDENT.
   8. The SUPERINTENDENT may recommend the excused absence to, and furnish the BOARD with, the documentation.
   9. If the BOARD excuses the student for good cause, the SECRETARY OF THE BOARD shall notify the parents/guardian via a verified record of the notification.
      1. The BOARD reserves the right to hold a hearing prior to acting on the SUPERINTENDENT's recommendation.
3. Legally, the parents or guardian may appeal an excused absence for good cause to the STATE SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION with a final appeal to the CIRCUIT COURT.
4. During the period of excused absence, the student is in contact on a scheduled basis with a STUDENT SERVICES staff member and/or a community agency. The excused absence for good cause plan is subject to review at the end of each semester, at which time a written report is prepared by the PRINCIPAL and her/his staff and forwarded to the appropriate ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT and the DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SERVICES.
   1. An excused absence under this Policy shall be in writing and shall state the time period for which it is effective.
   2. The time period for an excused absence for good cause shall not extend beyond the current school year.
5. The SUPERINTENDENT shall provide to the BOARD at the end of each semester a report summarizing withdrawals from school and excused absences for physical or mental reasons or for good cause.

s. 118.15(3)(b)
8/26/02

Last Updated: Wed Nov 14 08:07:26 2007
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