Virginia Administrative Code › Title 8 - EDUCATION › Agency 20 - STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION › Chapter 730 - REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE COLLECTION AND REPORTING OF TRUANCY-RELATED DATA AND STUDENT ATTENDANCE POLICIES › Section 8VAC20-730-10 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 40, No. 24, July 15, 2024
The following words and terms when used in this chapter shall
				  have the following meanings unless the context clearly indicates
				  otherwise:
"Attendance conference" means a face-to-face meeting, or an
				  interaction that is conducted through the use of communication technology,
				  scheduled with the student, parent, and school personnel after the seventh
				  unexcused absence. The attendance conference shall be held no later than 10
				  school days after the 10th unexcused absence. The attendance conference is held
				  by a multi-disciplinary team and may include the parents and student.
"Attendance plan" means a plan developed jointly by a school
				  representative, such as a school principal or the principal's designee; parent;
				  and student to resolve the student's nonattendance and engage the student in
				  regular school attendance. The plan shall identify reasons for nonattendance
				  and academic, social, emotional, and familial barriers that impede daily
				  attendance along with positive strategies to address such reasons and
				  impediments and support regular attendance. This plan may include school-based
				  activities or suggested referrals to community supports, or both.
"Court referral" means filing a complaint with the Juvenile
				  and Domestic Relations Court after the multi-disciplinary team has held an
				  attendance conference and attempted interventions to address the student's
				  continued nonattendance. Documentation of interventions regarding the student's
				  unexcused absences, such as copies of the attendance plan and documentation of
				  conference meetings, and compliance with §
									22.1-258
				  of the Code of Virginia will be provided to the intake worker.
"Excused absence" means an absence of an entire assigned
				  instructional school day with a reason acceptable to the school administration
				  that is provided by the parent. If circumstances permit, the parent should
				  provide the school administration with the reason for the nonattendance prior
				  to the absence. Examples of an excused absence may include, but are not limited
				  to, the following reasons: funeral, illness (including mental health and
				  substance abuse illnesses), injury, legal obligations, medical procedures,
				  suspensions, religious observances, and military obligation. Suspended students
				  continue to remain under the provisions of compulsory school attendance as
				  described in §
									22.1-254
				  of the Code of Virginia. An absence from school attendance resulting from a
				  suspension shall be recorded in compliance with
				  8VAC20-730-30
				  for the period of the suspension.
"Instructional school day" means the length of a regularly
				  scheduled school day for an individual student.
"Multi-disciplinary team" means a conference team that may be
				  convened to review student records and to participate in prevention, early
				  intervention, and provision of support services to address unexcused absences,
				  including school-based case management. These services should address academic,
				  social, emotional, and familial issues in order to improve regular school
				  attendance. Team members may include the following: an administrator, school
				  counselor, social worker or psychologist, student assistance specialist,
				  special education and general education teacher, attendance officer, and
				  community representatives.
"Parent" means the parent or parents, guardian or guardians,
				  legal custodian or legal custodians, or other person or persons having legal
				  control or charge of the student.
"Truancy" means the act of accruing one or more unexcused
				  absences.
"Unexcused absence" means an absence where (i) the student
				  misses his scheduled instructional school day in its entirety and (ii) no
				  indication has been received by school personnel within five days of the
				  absence that the student's parent is aware and supports the absence, or the
				  parent provides a reason for the absence that is unacceptable to the school
				  administration. The school administration may change an unexcused absence to an
				  excused absence when it determines that the parent has provided an acceptable
				  reason meeting criteria for the student's absence or there are extenuating
				  circumstances.
Statutory Authority: §§
											22.1-16
					 and
					 22.1-258
					 of the Code of Virginia.