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Were policies and procedures regarding student attendance at the public schools of the school district or at day schools in which students are provided with equivalent instruction adopted by the district board of education? (N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.6(a))

District Student Attendance Policies and Procedures

Do the district’s policies and procedures regarding student attendance include, at a minimum, the following (N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.6(a)1 through (a)4iv(2)(A))?

1. Expectations and consequences regarding students’ timely arrival to school and classes
2. Expectations and consequences regarding attendance at school and classes
3. Definition of unexcused absences that counts toward truancy that, at a minimum, is consistent with the definition of a school day, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:32-8.3— i.e., a school day consists of:
   1. Not less than four hours, or
   2. For kindergarten, one continuous session of 2.5 hours may be considered a full day.

Students with up to Four Cumulative Absences Policies/Procedures

The next five statements pertain to students with up to four cumulative unexcused absences.

Do the policies and procedures require school staff to do the following?

1. Make a reasonable attempt to notify the student’s parents of each unexcused absence prior to the start of the following school day.
2. Make a reasonable attempt to determine the cause of the unexcused absence, including through contact with the student’s parents.
3. Identify in consultation with the student’s parents needed action(s) designed to address patterns of unexcused absences, if any, and to have the child return to school and maintain regular attendance.
4. Proceed in accordance with N.J.S.A. 9:6-1 et seq. and N.J.A.C. 6A:16-11 if a potential missing or abused child situation is detected.
5. Cooperate with law enforcement and other authorities and agencies, as appropriate.

Students with Five to Nine Cumulative Absences Policies/Procedures

The next five statements pertain to students with between five and nine cumulative unexcused absences.

Do the policies and procedures require school staff to do the following?

1. Make a reasonable attempt to notify the student’s parents of each unexcused absence prior to the start of the following school day.
2. Make a reasonable attempt to determine the cause of the unexcused absence, including through contact with the student’s parents.
3. Evaluate the appropriateness of action taken to identify in consultation with the student’s parents needed action designed to address patterns of unexcused absences, if any, and to have the child return to school and maintain regular attendance.
4. Develop an action plan to establish outcomes based upon the student’s patterns of unexcused absences and to specify the interventions for supporting the student’s return to school and regular attendance, which may include any or all of the following:
   1. Refer or consult with the building’s intervention and referral services team, pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-8.
   2. Conduct testing, assessments or evaluations of the student’s academic, behavioral and health needs.
   3. Consider an alternate educational placement.
   4. Make a referral to or coordinate with a community-based social and health provider agency or other community resource.
   5. Refer to a court or court program pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.6(a)4iv.
   6. Proceed in accordance with N.J.S.A. 9:6-1 et seq. and N.J.A.C. 6A:16-10 if a potential missing or abused child situation is detected.
   7. Engage the student’s family.
5. Cooperate with law enforcement and other authorities and agencies, as appropriate.

Students with More than 10 Cumulative Unexcused Absences Policies/Procedures

The next four statements pertain to each student with cumulative unexcused absences of 10 or more.

Do the policies and procedures require school staff to do the following?

1. Make a determination regarding the need for a court referral for the truancy pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.6(a)4iv.
2. Continue to consult with the parent and the involved agencies to support the student’s return to school and regular attendance.
3. Cooperate with law enforcement and other authorities and agencies, as appropriate.
4. Proceed in accordance with N.J.S.A. 18A:38-28 through 31 and other applicable state and federal statutes, as required.

Students with up to Four Cumulative Absences Sent to a Receiving School Policies/Procedures

The next five statements pertain only to schools that send students to a receiving school. Skip this section if the district has zero students attending a receiving school.

For each student with up to four cumulative unexcused absences, do the policies and procedures require the receiving school to do the following?

1. Make a reasonable attempt to notify the student’s parents of each unexcused absence prior to the start of the following school day.
2. Make a reasonable attempt to determine the cause of the unexcused absence, including through contact with the student’s parents.
3. Identify in consultation with the student’s parents needed action designed to address patterns of unexcused absences, if any, and to have the child return to school and maintain regular attendance.
4. Proceed in accordance with N.J.S.A. 9:6-1 et seq. and N.J.A.C. 6A:16-11 if a potential missing or abused child situation is detected.
5. Cooperate with law enforcement and other authorities and agencies, as appropriate.

Skip this section if the district has zero students attending a receiving school.

1. The district assures that each receiving school is required to report to the sending district each student with five or more cumulative unexcused absences (N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.6(c)i).
2. The district assures that for each student with five or more cumulative unexcused absences reported by the receiving school, it follows the policies and procedures pursuant to N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.6(a) above and the provisions of N.J.A.C. 6A:16-7.6 (a)4ii through iv and (b).

District Policies and Procedures Regarding Student Attendance

Did the district provide evidence of compliance with the following regulations addressing scenarios where 10% or more students in a school are identified as chronically absent?

1. The district provides a corrective action plan to improve absenteeism rates in each school with 10 percent or more of its enrolled students identified as chronically absent.
2. In accordance with N.J.S.A. 18A:38-25.1, the district provides evidence that the schools required to develop a corrective action plan conducted a parental survey that includes questions related to a parent’s beliefs regarding why students are chronically absent and recommendations on the best ways to improve attendance.

If the answer to every question in this checklist is “yes,” then the district fulfilled the requirements of Operations—Indicator 20.