Source: http://hcps.us/cms/one.aspx?portalId=1251067&pageId=3559382
Timestamp: 2019-11-23 01:42:39
Document Index: 384452812

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 22', '§ 22', '§ 22', '§ 22', '§ 32', '§ 32', '§ 22', '§ 22', '§ 7912', '§22', '§ 1044', '§ 63', '§ 63', '§ 22', '§ 22', '§ 22', '§ 16', '§ 16', '§ 22', '§ 22', '§ 22', '§ 6399', '§ 11431', '§ 1101', 'arts 1', 'arts 1', '§ 22', '§ 32', '§ 16', '§ 18', '§ 22', '§ 20', '§22', '§ 22', '§ 16', '§ 18', '§ 22']

Student Attendance - Hanover County Public Schools
Hanover County Public Schools » About Us » Policy Manual » 7. Students » Student Attendance
Every parent, guardian, or other person in Hanover County having control or charge of any child who shall have reached the fifth birthday on or before September 30 of any school year and who has not passed the eighteenth birthday shall cause such child to attend the appropriate Hanover County Public School in accordance with Virginia Code § 22.1-254.
Further, in the case of any five-year-old child, the requirements of this policy may be alternatively satisfied by causing the child to attend any public education pre-kindergarten program, including a Head Start program, or in a private, denominational, or parochial education pre-kindergarten program.
As used in this policy, “attend” includes participation in educational programs and courses at a site removed from the school with the permission of the school and in conformity with applicable requirements.
1. The School Board shall excuse from attendance at school:
a. any students who, together with their parents, by reason of bona fide religious training or belief, are conscientiously opposed to attendance at school; and
b. on the recommendation of the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court of the county or city in which the student resides and for such period of time as the court deems appropriate, any student who, together with his parents, is opposed to attendance at a school by reason of concern for the student’s health, as verified by competent medical evidence, or by reason of such student’s reasonable apprehension for personal safety when such concern or apprehension in that student’s specific case is determined by the Court, upon consideration of the recommendation of the principal and division superintendent, to be justified.
2. The School Board may excuse from attendance at school:
a. on recommendation of the principal and the division superintendent, and with the written consent of the parent or guardian, any student the School Board determines, in accordance with regulations of the Board of Education, cannot benefit from education at school; and
b. on a recommendation of the Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court for the county or city in which the student resides, any student who, in the judgment of such court cannot benefit from education.
3. The requirements of this policy shall not apply to:
a. Any person 16 through 18 years of age who is housed in an adult correctional facility when such person is actively pursuing the achievement of a passing score on a high school equivalency examination approved by the Board of Education, but is not enrolled in an individual student alternative education plan;
b. Any child who has obtained a high school diploma or its equivalent, a certificate of completion, or a passing score on a high school equivalency examination approved by the Board of education, or who has otherwise complied with compulsory school attendance requirements;
c. Children suffering from contagious or infectious diseases while suffering from such diseases;
d. Children whose immunizations against communicable diseases have not been completed as provided in Virginia Code § 22.1-271.2;
e. Children under 10 years of age who live more than two miles from a Hanover County Public School, unless public transportation is provided within one mile of the place where they live;
f. Children between the ages of 10 and 17, inclusive, who live more than two and one-half from a public school, unless public transportation is provided within one and one-half miles of the place where the children live.
4. The School Board may allow the compulsory attendance requirements to be met pursuant to an individual student alternative education plan developed in conformity with guidelines prescribed by the Board of Education under the following conditions:
b. There shall be a meeting of the student, the student’s parents, and the principal or the principal’s designee of the school in which the student is enrolled to develop the plan, which must include the following: career guidance counseling; mandatory enrollment and attendance in a preparatory program for passing a high school equivalency examination approved by the Board of Education or other alternative education program approved by the School Board, with attendance reported to the principal or the principal’s designee; mandatory enrollment in a program to earn a Board of Education-approved career and technical education credential, such as the successful completion of an industry certification, a state licensure examination, a national occupational competency assessment, or the Virginia workplace readiness skills assessment; successful completion of the course in economic and personal finance required to earn a Board of education-approved high school diploma; counseling on the economic impact of failing to complete high school; and procedures for re-enrollment.
c. A student for whom such an individual student alternative education plan has been granted but who fails to comply with the conditions of the plan shall be deemed in violation of the compulsory attendance law, and the division superintendent or attendance officer shall seek immediate compliance with such law.
5. Any child who will not have reached his sixth birthday on or before September 30 may be exempted from school attendance until the following year if the parent notifies the School Board, or its designee, because the child, in the opinion of the parent or guardian, is not mentally, physically or emotionally prepared to attend school.
LEGAL REFERENCE: Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, §§ 22.1-254
Amended: November 7, 2007, November 6, 2018
Annual notification of intent to educate children at home shall be provided by parents to the division superintendent by August 15 prior to the opening of school. Such notification shall include evidence that the teaching parent meets one of the four legal requirements for providing home instruction: 1) holds a high school diploma, a copy of which must be provided with the notification; 2) is a teacher of qualifications prescribed by the Virginia Board of Education, and whose teaching certificate or license is provided with the notification; 3) provides a program of study or curriculum which may be delivered through a correspondence course or distance learning program or in any other manner; or 4) provides evidence that he or she is able to provide an adequate education for the child. Annual notification shall include a description of the curriculum, limited to a list of subjects to be studied during the coming year.
Within thirty (30) days of notification of intention to instruct at home, the division superintendent or his designee shall ensure that the parents have submitted evidence of having met one of the four requirements listed above.
Instruction in certain courses is required for a regular high school diploma, should a student who has previously received home instruction return to the Hanover County Public Schools. All graduates beginning shall have earned the units of credit, as required by the Standards of Quality and prescribed by the State Board of Education. All graduates shall have earned the standard and verified credits, as required by the Standards of Quality and prescribed by the State Board of Education.
Hanover County Public Schools will not be required to place home instructed students who subsequently seek public school enrollment in specific grade level classes unless the required subject areas have been satisfactorily mastered, nor will Hanover County Public Schools be responsible for enforcing such course requirements on home-instructed students who may, at some future point, seek a regular high school diploma.
By August 1 following the school year in which children have received home instruction, the parents shall submit either (i) evidence that the children have attained a composite score in or above the fourth stannine on any nationally normed standardized achievement test, or an equivalent score on the ACT, SAT, or PSAT test; or (ii) an evaluation or assessment which the division superintendent determines to indicate that the child is achieving an adequate level of educational growth and progress, including, but not limited to: (a) an evaluation letter from a person licensed to teach in any state, or a person with a master’s degree or higher in an academic discipline, having knowledge of the child’s academic progress, stating that the child is achieving an adequate level of educational growth and progress; or (b) a report card or transcript from a community college or college, college distance learning program, or home-education correspondence school.
In the event that evidence of progress as required above is not provided by the parent, the home instruction program for that child may be placed on probation for one year. Parents shall file with the division superintendent evidence of their ability to provide an adequate education for their child in compliance with this regulation and a remediation plan for the probationary year which indicates their program is designed to address any educational deficiency. Upon acceptance of such evidence and plan by the division superintendent, the home instruction may continue for one probationary year. If the remediation plan and evidence are not accepted or the required evidence of progress is not provided by August 1 following the probationary year, home instruction shall cease and the parents shall make other arrangements for the education of the child which comply with § 22.1-254 of the Code of Virginia. These requirements shall not apply to children who are under the age of six (6) as of September 30 of the school year.
Any parent, guardian or other person having control or charge of a child being home instructed shall comply with immunization requirements provided in §§ 32.1-46 in the same manner and to the same extent as if the child has been enrolled and is attending school. Upon the request of the division superintendent, the parent shall submit to the division superintendent documentary proof of immunization in compliance with §§ 32.1-46 and Hanover County School Board Policy 7- 2.3. No proof of immunization shall be required of any child upon submission of (i) an affidavit to the division superintendent stating that the administration of immunizing agents conflicts with the parent’s religious tenets or practices or (ii) a written certification from a licensed physician, licensed nurse practitioner, or local health department that one or more of the required immunizations may be detrimental to the child’s health, indicating the specific nature of the medical condition or circumstance that contraindicates immunization.
Any parent aggrieved by a decision of the division superintendent may appeal his decision within 30 days to an independent hearing officer in accordance with § 22.1-254.1(E) of the Code of Virginia.
Amended: September 9, 2003, August 13, 2015
Students must attend school in the attendance areas where their parents or guardians reside except as provided by the policy on transfers, below. However, the division superintendent is authorized to assign students to any school when necessary for reasons of instruction and/or to balance class sizes.
3. School Board employees residing within Hanover County and who work in a school outside the attendance area where they reside, may be permitted, in cases of hardship, to enroll their child or children in a school outside their attendance area.
4. Transfers into the School division. Students new to this school division generally will be placed in the grade to which they were assigned by the last school or school system they attended. Home school students may be subject to testing for appropriate grade level and course placement. In addition, any transfer students may be eligible for Carnegie credit and or verified credit under Policy and Regulation 6-4.3: Promotion and Retention. If, after an appropriate period of time and testing, the student is found to be placed inappropriately, the student shall be reassigned to the class or grade for which he is most qualified. Principals shall communicate appropriately with parents on grade placement and the assignment of students. Students transferring from another public or private school system or home school allowing children to enter school prior to the age requirement in Virginia must be assigned in accordance with law.
5. Persistently dangerous schools. A student attending a school that has been designated as a persistently dangerous school by the Virginia Department of Education will be offered the opportunity to transfer to another school, which is not so designated, within the School Division. Such transfers may remain in effect as long as the student’s original school is identified as persistently dangerous.
LEGAL REFERENCE: Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, §§ 22.1-3, 22.1-3.3, 22.1-78, 22.1-79; 20 U.S.C. § 7912.
Amended: September 9, 2003, September 14, 2004, June 9, 2015
A regular transfer form is to be filled out carefully and completely.
One copy of the form shall be sent with the report card and cumulative record to the school to which the student is transferring.
One copy of the transfer form shall be kept in files in the school from which the child is transferring.
A person of school age (i.e., a person who will have reached his fifth birthday on or before September 30 of the school year and who has not reached 20 years of age on before August 1 of the school year) is eligible for admission on a non-tuition basis if residing in the Hanover County School Division, or if eligible for admission under this Policy.
When the person is living with a natural parent, or a parent by legal adoption in the Hanover County school division;
When, in accordance with the provisions of the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children, Va. Code §22.1-360, the person is living with a noncustodial parent or other person standing in loco parentis, not solely for school purposes, pursuant to a Special Power of Attorney executed under 10 U.S.C. § 1044b by the custodial parent;
When the parents of such person are deceased and the person is living with a person in loco parentis who actually resides within the school division;
When the parents of such person are unable to care for the person and the person is living, not solely for school purposes, with another person who resides in the school division and is (i) the court-appointed guardian, or has legal custody of the person, (ii) acting in loco parentis pursuant to placement of the person for adoption by a person or entity authorized to do so under VA Code§ 63.2-1220; or (iii) an adult relative providing temporary kinship care as that term is defined in Va. Code § 63.2-100. Both parents and the relative providing kinship care must submit signed, notarized affidavits (a) explaining why the parents are unable to care for the person, (b) detailing the kinship care arrangement, and (c) agreeing that the kinship care provider or the parent will notify the school within 30 days of when the kinship care arrangement ends. The parents must also provide a power of attorney authorizing the adult relative to make educational decisions regarding the person. A parent or the kinship care provider must obtain written verification from the department of social services where the parent or parents live and the department of social services where the kinship provider lives, that the kinship arrangement serves a legitimate purpose that is in the best interest of the person other than school enrollment. With written consent from the parent or adult relative, for the purposes of expediting enrollment, a school division may obtain such written verification directly from the local department or departments of social services. If the kinship care arrangement lasts more than one year, both departments of social services will be required to provide continuing verification that the parents are unable to care for the person and that the kinship care arrangement serves a legitimate purpose other than school enrollment.
When the person is living in the school division not solely for school purposes as an emancipated minor;
When all or any portion of the building in which such person resides (i) with another person, as set forth in (1) through (4) above or (ii) as an emancipated minor, as set forth in (5) above is taxable by the locality in which the school division is located;
When the person living in the school division is a homeless child or youth who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. Such persons shall include (i) children ￼￼and youths, including unaccompanied youths who are not in the physical custody of their parents, who (a) are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason; are living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to lack of alternative adequate accommodations or in emergency, or transitional shelters or are abandoned in hospitals; (b) have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings; or (c) are living in parked cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings; and (ii) migratory children, as defined in the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, P.L. 89-10, as amended, who are deemed homeless as they are living in circumstances set forth in clause (i);. or
When the person has been placed in a foster care placement within the school division by a local social services agency. The sending and receiving school divisions will cooperate in facilitating the enrollment of any child placed in foster care across jurisdictional lines to enhance continuity of instruction. The child will be allowed to continue to attend the school in which he was enrolled prior to the most recent foster care placement, upon the joint determination of the placing social services agency and the school division that such attendance is in the best interest of the child. No person of school age who is the subject of a foster care placement will be charged tuition regardless of whether the child is attending the school in which he was enrolled prior to the most recent foster care placement or is attending a school in the receiving school division.
No child of a person on active military duty -
Who is attending a school free of charge in accordance with this policy shall be charged tuition by the school division upon such child's relocation to military housing located in another school division in the Commonwealth, pursuant to orders received by such child's parent to relocate to base housing and forfeit his military housing allowance. Such children shall be allowed to continue attending school in the school division and shall not be charged tuition for attending such school;
Who is attending a school free of charge in accordance with this policy shall be charged tuition upon such child’s relocation pursuant to orders received by such child’s parent to relocate to a new duty station or to be deployed. Such children shall be allowed to remain enrolled in the current school division free of tuition through the end of the school year;
Who is eligible to attend school free of charge in accordance with this policy shall be charged tuition by a school division that will be the child’s school division of residence once his service member parent is relocated pursuant to orders received. Such a child shall be allowed to enroll in the school division of the child’s intended residence if documentation is provided, at the time of enrollment, of military orders of the service member parent or an official letter from the service member’s command indicating such relocation. Documentation indicating a permanent address within the school division shall be provided to the school division within 120 days of a child’s enrollment in school. In the event that the child’s service member parent is ordered to relocate before the 120th day following the child’s enrollment, the school division shall not charge tuition. Students eligible to enroll pursuant to this subsection of the policy may ￼￼￼￼￼￼register, remotely or in person, for courses and other academic programs in the school division in which such student will reside at the same time and in the same manner as students who reside in Hanover. The assignment of the school such child will attend shall be determined by the school division.
A resident is defined as one who resides permanently in Hanover County. Proof of residence shall include -
one of the following, which must reflect the resident’s name and physical address: a sales contract for the purchase of the residence (signed by seller and purchaser), a deed, a current mortgage statement from the lender, or a signed current lease; AND
two of the following, which must reflect the resident’s name, physical mailing address, and service address: a current bill for land-line telephone, cable, internet, satellite, water, gas/oil, or electricity service; a voter registration card; a current automobile registration card; a W-2 tax document for the most recent tax year; a combined bill and receipt for personal property taxes paid within the current year; bank statements, medical bills, or official correspondence from a governmental agency dated within the last two months.
The school division will accept only original documents for proof of residence. No copies or online printouts of such documents will be accepted. Copies of all documents presented for proof of residence will be retained in the student’s cumulative file as part of the student’s enrollment documentation.
Parents submitting a Multiple Family Disclosure form when registering their child must provide proof of county residency for the host family. The parent of the incoming student must provide two documents proving the parent’s residency within 60 calendar days after registration.
A homeless child or youth seeking enrollment shall be enrolled immediately even if the student is unable to produce proof of residency as required by this Policy.
Final decisions regarding residence for school attendance purposes shall be made by the division superintendent or his/her designee.
Any person who knowingly makes a false statement concerning the residency of a child for the purposes of (i) avoiding the tuition charges authorized by § 22.1-5 of the Code of Virginia or (ii) enrollment in a school outside the attendance zone in which the student resides, shall be subject to prosecution, pursuant to § 22.1-264.1, and shall be liable to the school division for tuition charges, pursuant to § 22.1-5 of the Code of Virginia, for the time the student was enrolled in the school division.
If an investigation regarding residency is conducted and it is determined that the student is not a resident or living within the appropriate attendance zone, the student will be withdrawn within five (5) school days of written notification to the parent.
A. Except as otherwise provided below, no pupil shall be admitted for the first time to any public school in any school division in Virginia unless the person enrolling the pupil presents, upon admission, a certified copy of the pupil's birth record. The principal or his designee shall record the official state birth number from the pupil's birth record into the pupil's permanent school record and may retain a copy in the pupil's permanent school record. If a certified copy of the pupil's birth record cannot be obtained, the person so enrolling the pupil shall submit an affidavit setting forth the pupil's age and explaining the inability to present a certified copy of the birth record. If the school division cannot ascertain a child's age because of the lack of a birth certificate, the child shall nonetheless be admitted into the public schools if the division superintendent determines that the person submitting the affidavit presents information sufficient to estimate with reasonable certainty the age of such child. However, if the student is a homeless child or youth, the school shall immediately enroll such student, even if such student is unable to produce the records required for enrollment, and shall immediately contact the school last attended by the student to obtain relevant academic and other records.
D. Prior to admission to the Hanover County Public School Division, the parent, guardian, or other person having control or charge of the child shall provide, upon registration,
a sworn statement or affirmation indicating whether the student has been expelled from school attendance at a private school or in a public school division of the Commonwealth or another state for an offense in violation of school board policies relating to weapons, alcohol or drugs, or for the willful infliction of injury to another person. This document shall be maintained as a part of the student’s scholastic record; and
a sworn statement or affirmation indicating whether the student has been found guilty of or adjudicated delinquent for any offense listed in subsection G of Va. Code § 16.1-260 or any substantially similar offense under the laws of any state, the District of Columbia, or the United States or its territories. This document shall be maintained by the superintendent and by any others to whom he disseminates it, separately from all other records concerning the student.
However, if the school administrators or the school board takes disciplinary action against a student based upon an incident which formed the basis for the adjudication of delinquency or conviction for an offense listed in subsection G of § 16.1-260, the notice shall become a part of the student's disciplinary record. When the child is registered as a result of a foster care placement, the information required under this subsection must be furnished by the local social services agency or licensed child-placing agency that made the placement.
E. This policy does not preclude contractual arrangements between the Hanover County School Board and agencies of the federal government or the school board of another jurisdiction to permit students not otherwise eligible to attend Hanover County Public Schools.
F. Prior to admission, the student must document compliance with, or eligibility for exemption from, the preschool physical examination and immunization requirements contained in §§ 22.1-270, 22.1-271.2 and 32.1-46 of the Code of Virginia.
If the person enrolling a child who has been placed in foster care by a local social services agency and the placing social services agency is unable to produce any of the documents required for enrollment, the student shall be immediately enrolled; however, the person enrolling the child shall provide a written statement that, to the best of his knowledge, sets forth (i) the student’s age, (ii) compliance with the requirements of Virginia Code § 22.1-3.2; and (iii) that the student is in good health and is free from communicable or contagious disease. In addition, the placing social service agency shall obtain and produce the required documents or otherwise ensure compliance with the statutory requirements for the foster child within 30 days after the child’s enrollment.
If the person enrolling a homeless child or youth is unable to produce a report of a comprehensive physical examination and/or proof of immunization, the student shall be enrolled immediately; however the person enrolling the child shall provide an affidavit stating that, to the best of his or her knowledge, the child or youth is in good health and free from any communicable or contagious disease. The school division shall assist in obtaining the necessary physical examination and/or immunization of the child or youth by a clinic or physician’s office.
The Hanover County School Board is committed to educating homeless children and youth. Homeless children and youth are not stigmatized or segregated on the basis of their status as homeless. The school division will coordinate the identification and provision of services to such students with relevant local social services agencies and other agencies and programs providing services to such students, and with other school divisions as may be necessary to resolve interdivisional issues.
Hanover County Public Schools serves each homeless student according to the student’s best interest and will:
Continue the student’s education in the school of origin, (1) for the duration of homelessness if the student becomes homeless between academic years or during an academic year, or (2) for the remainder of the academic year, if the student becomes permanently housed during an academic year; or
Enroll the student in any school in the school division that non-homeless students who live in the attendance area in which the student is actually living are eligible to attend.
The decision regarding school placement shall be made regardless of whether the student lives with the homeless parents or has been temporarily placed elsewhere.
The term “school of origin” means the school that the student attended when permanently housed or the school in which the student was last enrolled.
The term “unaccompanied youth” includes a youth not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian.
The Hanover County School Board will not accept children from outside Hanover County on a tuition basis except as provided below. Non-resident students who are enrolled in Hanover County Public Schools prior to January 9, 2018, may continue as tuition-paying students until they graduate, provided they require educational services that can be provided by the staff of the Hanover County School Board in its existing facilities and utilizing its existing programs and services and comply with the Code of Student Conduct (Policy 7-3.1). Student behavior that is inconsistent with the Code of Student Conduct and that requires excessive dedication of School Division staff resources shall result in the student’s withdrawal from Hanover County Public Schools.
Students who are enrolled, but whose parents move out of Hanover County and thus become non-residents after the third nine-week grading period, will be allowed to complete the current school year without paying tuition. Students who are enrolled, but whose parents move out of Hanover County and thus become non-residents during the student’s junior (11th grade) year, will be allowed to complete their senior (12th grade) year as tuition-paying students, with the approval of the student’s principal.
Siblings of non-resident students who are enrolled in Hanover County Public Schools prior to January 9, 2018, may apply to enroll as tuition-paying students, provided they require educational services that can be provided by the staff of the Hanover County School Board in its existing facilities and utilizing its existing programs and services and comply with the Code of Student Conduct (Policy 7-3.1).
The Hanover County School Board may accept children of full-time Hanover County School Board employees residing outside Hanover County on a no more than half-tuition basis in accordance with section 22.1-5 of the Code of Virginia, depending on space availability, provided such students require educational services that can be provided by the staff of the Hanover County School Board in its existing facilities and utilizing its existing programs and services, and comply with the Code of Student Conduct (Policy 7-3.1). Student behavior that is inconsistent with the Code of Student Conduct and that requires excessive dedication of School Division staff resources shall result in the student’s withdrawal from Hanover County Public Schools. Tuition for elementary (K-5) and secondary (6-12) school students will be based on local cost and shall be set by the division superintendent or his designee for each academic year.
LEGAL REFERENCE: Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, §§ 22.1-1, 22.1-3, 22.1-3.1, 22.1-3.2, 22.1-3.4, 22.1- 5, 22.1-70, 22.1-78, 22.1-79, 22.1-253.13:1, 22.1-254.1, 22.1-260, 22.1-270, 22.1-271.1, 22.1-271.2, 22.1-277, 22.1- 288.2, 32.1-43, 32.1-46, 32.1-48; and 63.2-900; 20 U.S.C. § 6399; The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 11431, et. Seq.; Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended, 8 U.S.C §§ 1101, et seq.; 8 CFR Parts 1 – 499; and 22 CFR Parts 1 - 1799.
Amended: April 23, 2001, March 12, 2002, April 16, 2002, May 7, 2003, July 16, 2003, September 14, 2004, August 4, 2009, September 10, 2013, June 9, 2015, August 11, 2015, January 9, 2018
Persons of school age must satisfy residency requirements as set out in Virginia Code § 22.1- 3 and School Board Policy 7-2.3.
Upon request, it shall be the responsibility of the parent or guardian to furnish satisfactory proof of actual and bona fide residency in Hanover to the Hanover County School Board or its designee. Proof of residency shall be considered on a case by case basis, including but not limited to:
Note:	The school division will accept only original documents for proof of residence. No copies or online printouts of such documents will be accepted. Copies of all documents presented for proof of residence will be retained in the student’s cumulative file as part of the student’s enrollment documentation.
Amended: August 28, 2007, June 9, 2015, January 9, 2018
2. J-1 students are defined as persons who have residence in a foreign country to which they plan to return, and who are coming to the United States temporarily as participants in a cultural exchange program that has been approved by the United States Department of State (State Dept.). Sponsors of J-1 Exchange Visitor Programs, as described in the Mutual Education and Cultural Exchange Act (the "Fulbright-Hays Act"), include government agencies, educational institutions, hospitals, not-for-profit organizations, etc.
4. Under the J-1 regulations the Exchange Visitor Program must comply with all State Department requirements, including, but not limited to the following:
1. Completed applications to place foreign exchange students within Hanover County Public Schools shall be filed with the division superintendent’s designated central office coordinator not later than April 30 for possible placement of foreign exchange students during the next school year.
2. The central office coordinator shall review all applications and forward to principals those of foreign exchange students who meet eligibility requirements for placement in the Hanover County Public Schools.
3. Each school to which applications have been submitted shall communicate to the central office coordinator its acceptance or disapproval of each application within ten (10) school days of receipt of the application.
4. The central office coordinator shall notify, in writing, each applying agency the status of application(s) forwarded from a school within ten (10) days of the notification from the school regarding acceptance or disapproval.
5. The combined number of full-time foreign exchange students from all placing agencies shall not exceed five (5) students at any one Hanover County public school, unless the school requests, in writing, the placement of more than five students.
6. Enrollment of foreign exchange students in any Hanover County public school will be completed by June 30 preceding the beginning of the school year in which the student will be enrolled.
7. The division superintendent retains authority to make all final decisions on placement of foreign exchange students in the Hanover County Public Schools.
Before entering a Hanover County public school for the first time, every pupil shall furnish a certificate confirming that the pupil has been immunized against communicable diseases as required by §§ 32.1-46, 22.1-271.2 and 22.1-271.4 of the Code of Virginia, has begun receiving the first series of all such vaccinations, or is exempt as provided elsewhere in this regulation. Any parent, guardian, or other person having control or charge of a child being home instructed or exempted or excused from school attendance shall comply with state immunization requirements.
1. When the parent or guardian has an objection on the grounds that the administration of immunizing agents conflicts with his religious tenets or practices and provides the principal with a written statement of such objection, unless an emergency or a disease epidemic has been declared by the Virginia Board of Health.
2. When the parent or guardian presents a statement from a physician or a local health department that states that the physical condition of the child is such that the administration of one or more of the required immunizing agents would be detrimental to the health of the child.
Before any child is admitted for the first time to any public preschool, kindergarten, or elementary school (grades K-6), such child must furnish a report from a qualified licensed physician or a licensed nurse practitioner acting under the supervision of a licensed physician, of a comprehensive physical examination of a scope as prescribed by the Virginia Health Commissioner, performed within the twelve (12) months prior to the date such child first enters kindergarten or elementary school. At the end of such report shall summarize abnormal physical findings, if any, and shall specifically state what, if any, conditions are found that would identify the child as disabled.
3. Transfer students entering a Hanover County elementary school must provide one of the following: a. Records establishing that a physical examination was completed prior to enrolling in another school (evidence of such an examination may be:
(a) a copy of the report of the medical examination or (b) transcript notation or phone verification from the other school with records to follow); OR
Each parent/guardian having control or charge of a child within the compulsory attendance age is responsible for such child’s regular and punctual attendance at school as required under provisions of the law.
Students shall attend school for a full day unless otherwise excused. Secondary students shall be scheduled for a full school day unless they are enrolled in a High School to Work Partnership established pursuant to guidelines developed by the Board of Education. All other exceptions to a full-day schedule must be approved on an individual basis by the division superintendent or his designee.
Parents/guardians of students who are absent must inform the school of the reason for the absence no later than upon the student’s return to school.
Students who are absent to observe a religious holiday will be excused upon presentation of written verification from the student’s parent/guardian. No student will be deprived of any award, eligibility or opportunity to compete for any award, or the right to take an alternate test or examination the student missed by reason of such verified absence, if the absence is verified in an acceptable manner.
Credit for make-up work will be granted only for absences which are pre-approved in writing, or with a written note from the parent when the student returns to school. Medical documentation may be required at the principal’s discretion. Under certain conditions a waiver of these attendance policies may be considered by the division superintendent. See Regulation 7-2.4.
Whenever a student fails to report to school on a regularly scheduled school day and no information has been received by school personnel that the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) is aware of and supports the absence, the school principal, principal’s designee, attendance officer or other school personnel or volunteer notifies the parent/guardian by phone, email or other electronic means to obtain an explanation. Schools shall keep a log of call attempts. School staff shall record the student’s absence for each day as “excused” or “unexcused.” Early intervention with the student and parent/guardian shall take place for repeated unexcused absences. Unexcused absences shall be handled according to regulations issued by the division superintendent. Student attendance shall be monitored and reported as required by state law and regulations.
If (1) a student fails to report to school for a total of five scheduled school days for the school year, (2) there is no indication that the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) is aware of and supports the absence, and (3) reasonable efforts to notify the parent/guardian of the absences have failed, then the principal or designee shall make a reasonable effort to ensure that direct contact is made with the parent/guardian in person, through telephone conversation, or through the use of other communication devices to obtain an explanation of the student’s absence and to explain to the parent/guardian the consequence of continued nonattendance. The principal or principal’s designee, the student, and the student’s parent/guardian shall jointly develop a plan to resolve the student’s nonattendance. Such plan shall include documentation of the reasons for the student’s nonattendance. If the student’s parents have joint physical custody of the student and the school has notice of the custody arrangement, then both parents shall be notified at their last known addresses. If the parent/guardian fails to comply with the principal’s or designee’s request within three school days, the principal or designee shall notify the attendance officer or division superintendent who shall enforce the school compulsory attendance rules.
B. Additional Absences Without Parental Awareness and Support
If the student is absent for more than one additional day after direct contact with the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s) and school personnel have received no indication that the student’s parent/guardian is aware of and supports the student’s absence, the principal or designee shall schedule a conference with the student, the student’s parent/guardian and school personnel. Such conference may include the attendance officer and other community service providers to resolve issues related to the student’s nonattendance. The conference shall be held no later than 10 school days after the tenth absence of the student, regardless of whether his parent/guardian approves of the conference. The conference team shall monitor the student’s attendance and may meet again as necessary to address concerns and plan additional interventions if attendance does not improve. In circumstances in which the parent/guardian is intentionally noncompliant with compulsory attendance requirements or the student is resisting parental efforts to comply with compulsory attendance requirements, the principal or designee shall make a referral to the attendance officer. The attendance officer shall schedule a conference with the student and the student’s parent/guardian within 10 school days and may (i) file a complaint with the juvenile and domestic relations district court alleging the student is a child in need of supervision as defined in Va. Code § 16.1-228 or (ii) institute proceedings against the parent/guardian pursuant to Va. Code § 18.2-371 or § 22.1-262. In filing a complaint against the student, the attendance officer shall provide written documentation of the efforts to comply with the provisions of this Policy. In the event that both parents have been awarded joint physical custody pursuant to Va. Code § 20-124.2 and the school has received notice of such order, both parents shall be notified at the last known addresses of the parents.
Attendance Records/Student Accounting Records
One of the most important records that teachers are required to keep is the teacher’s “register,” otherwise known as the daily attendance register. The purposes of the register are for proper student pupil accounting in the instructional program, for school administration, and for the distribution of major state school funds. Hanover County public school teachers shall maintain attendance registers in accordance with state law. At the end of each school year, each public school principal shall report to the division superintendent the number of students by grade level for whom a conference was scheduled pursuant to this Policy. The division superintendent shall compile this information and provide it annually to the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Principals shall not release a student during the school day to any person not authorized by the student’s parent/guardian to assume responsibility for the student. Students shall be released only on request and authorization of the parent or guardian. The burden of proof regarding the authority of the person to receive the student is on the requesting party. A formal check-out system shall be maintained in each Hanover County public school.
LEGAL REFERENCE: Code of Virginia, 1950, as amended, §§22.1-227.1; 22.1-254, 22.1-258 through 22.1-260; 22.1-262; 22.1-267; 22.1-279.3; 46.2-323; 46.2-334.001; Regulations Governing Pupil Accounting Records, 8 VAC 20-110-10; Regulations Governing the Collection and Reporting of Truancy-Related Data and Student Attendance Policies, 8 VAC 20-730-10, 8 VAC 20-730-20.
Amended July 16, 2003, August 4, 2009, July 13, 2010, October 9, 2018
All elementary school students, grades K-5, shall not be absent from school for more than twenty (20) days in order to receive academic credit for the grade or subject(s) in which enrolled.
All middle school students, grades 6-8, shall not be absent from school for more than twenty (20) single class periods for any one class or ten (10) blocks of any one alternate day schedule class in order to receive academic credit for the grade or subject(s) in which enrolled.
All high school students, grades 9-12, shall not be absent from school for more than twenty (20) single class periods for any one class or ten (10) blocks of any one alternate day schedule class in order to receive academic credit for the grade or subjects(s) in which enrolled.
Absences resulting from out-of-school suspension may not be counted as absences against the twenty (20) day limit for elementary and twenty (20) single class periods or ten (10) blocks for secondary; however, the student may be required to make-up work missed during the period. (See Code of Student Conduct.)
Students who transfer from other school divisions are not penalized for absences prior to the day of enrollment in a Hanover County public school; however, the transfer student may not be absent for more than the pro-rated share of the twenty (20) days for elementary or twenty (20) single class periods for any one class or ten (10) blocks limit of an alternate day schedule class. For example, if a student enters on day 90, he may not be absent for more than ten (10) days for elementary, ten (10) single class periods or five (5) blocks for secondary. When a student transfers within the Hanover County, the number of absences is transferred and applied toward the maximum allowable number. Residents of Hanover County who enter school late may be required to make up school work/time or to have the days counted toward the maximum allowable of twenty (20) days for elementary or twenty (20) single class periods or ten (10) blocks for secondary.
All elementary schools, grades K-5, shall monitor student attendance and shall report absences to students and parents/legal guardians. Attendance reports may accompany deficiency notices and/or report cards.
All middle schools, grades 6-8, shall monitor student attendance and shall report absences both by day and by individual class periods or blocks to students and parents/legal guardians. Attendance reports may accompany deficiency notices and/or report cards.
All high schools, grades 9-12, shall monitor student attendance and shall report absences both by day and by individual class periods or blocks to students and parents/legal guardians. Attendance reports may accompany deficiency notices and/or report cards.
3. develop an alternative education plan which includes: a) description of the program, b) maximum number of credits that can be awarded, c) maximum number of absences, and d) conduct conditions. The alternative plan must be approved by the principal and the division superintendent or his designee. A contract signed by the principal, parent(s) or guardian(s), student and division superintendent or his designee shall govern the program.
The Student Support Attendance Coordinator shall enforce compulsory attendance requirements (Virginia Code § 22.1-254, et seq.) by either or both of the following: (1) filing a complaint with the Hanover County Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court alleging the student is a child in need of supervision as defined in Virginia Code § 16.1-228 or (2) instituting proceedings against the parent(s) pursuant to Virginia Code § 18.2-371 or § 22.1-262. In filing the complaint against the student, the attendance coordinator shall provide written documentation of the efforts already undertaken to resolve the pupil’s nonattendance. Such filings occur after review and approval by the Director of Special Education, where appropriate.
The principal shall submit to the Director of Special Education the names of those students for whom no follow-up information can be obtained on the ten-day non-enrollment report.
The Director of Special Education shall forward the ten-day non-enrollment reports to the appropriate school social worker who shall review the ten-day principal’s report of non-enrolled children and identify potential truants.
Contact Sheet Form 1
Referral for Services of School Social Worker Form 2
School Attendance Conference Form 3
Procedure for Truancy Referral