2015 - 20 16
HANDBOOK
Mr. Warren Drake, Superintendent
C HILD W ELFARE & A TTENDANCE H ANDBOOK
Table of Contents
MISSION STATEMENT……………………………………………. page 3
GENERAL INFORMATION ……………………………………….. page 4
ATTENDANCE RECORDING PROTOCOL ………………………. page 6
Official Attendance Recording Procedures and Daily School Attendance Procedures page 6
Referral Procedures …………………………………………………………… page 6-7
Absence Codes ………………………………………………………………... page 7
REFERRALS FOR SUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE AND/OR NEGLECT page 8
REGISTRATION PROCEDURES ………………………………….. page 9-10
WORK PERMIT INFORMATION …………………………………. page 11-12
AGENCIES OF BENEFIT TO STUDENTS AND FAMILIES …….. page 13-19
FORMS ………………………………………………………………. page 20
Parent Request for Extenuating Circumstances ……………………………… page 21
No Show ……………………………………………………………………… page 22
Homeless Referral ……………………………………………………………. page 23
Suspected Child Abuse/Neglect Referral …………………………………….. page 24-25
Office of Hearings & Expulsions …………………………………………….. page 26
(Documents Needed)
Temporary Enrollment ………………………………………………………… page 27
Enrollment Follow-up …………………………………………………………. page 28
Mission Statement
OFFICE OF CHILD WELFARE AND ATTENDANCE HANDBOOK
I. General Information
A. History of the Department – The Office of Child Welfare and Attendance was created by a
legislative act in 1944 when the first compulsory school attendance law was enacted in Louisiana.
The law provided for each parish or city school system to employ visiting teachers. In 1964 the state
legislature made a provision for the optional title of Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance.
The State Board of Education approved the certification of Licensed Social Workers as Visiting
Teachers in 1974.
B. Scope of the Office - Supervisors of Child Welfare and Attendance, Visiting Teachers, and/or School
Social Workers have taken leadership in establishing, maintaining and supervising programs that
affect a student’s overall welfare and school adjustment. They seek out, cultivate, and utilize any
and all services in the community that will help alleviate problems for the student and his/her family.
Each school has its own contact person who will process and investigate referrals of excessive
unexcused absences via a home visit, school visit, phone call or letter of concern. Through regular
school visits, the attendance of the student will be monitored. Non-compliance with the compulsory
school attendance law can result in referrals to juvenile court and/or the District Attorney’s Office.
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II. Compulsory Attendance Law
A. Attendance Requirements –State law and school board policy require that elementary students (K – 8th) be present a minimum of 167 days per year. Secondary students (grades 9 – 12) are required to be present a minimum of 83.5 six hour days per semester. (LA Bulletin 741)
B. Penalties – Section 221 of Title 17 of the LA Revised Statues states that the responsibility of a child’s school attendance is placed with the child’s parent or legal guardian. This responsibility includes awakening the child in sufficient time each morning and ensuring that the child, in fact, arrives at school at the appointed time. Any parent, guardian, or tutor found to be in violation of the compulsory school attendance law may be fined not more than two hundred-fifty dollars ($250.00) and/or sentenced to thirty (30) days in jail or both. If the child is chronically absent from school, parents and/or child may be referred to the District Attorney’s office.
III. Attendance Standards
A. Regular school attendance is expected of all students. These attendance requirements also apply to students who have been assigned to the Discipline Centers or Alternative Centers.
B. Students shall attend school between 7 and 18 years of age. Students who enroll in kindergarten prior to their 7th birthday are subject to the attendance law. Students between 16 and 17 years of age may withdraw prior to graduation with an approved appeal request. The Appeal Waiver will only be granted for documentation of one of the following hardships: pregnant or actively parenting; incarcerated or adjudicated; institutionalized or living in a residential facility; chronic physical or mental illness; family and/or economic hardships. The student must attend the adult education center for 15 hours per week to meet attendance requirements. Locally established attendance requirement for the vocational-technical program in which students enroll must be met. These students, by enrolling in an adult education or vocational-technical program and meeting the attendance requirements, will be considered in compliance with the compulsory school attendance law.
C. As absences occur, a written statement from a parent, legal guardian or physician stating the reasons for the absences shall be given to proper school personnel within five (5) school days after the student returns to school. After the five (5) school days, the absences will have to be approved by the Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance. (Refer to E.B.R. Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook.)
D. Students shall request makeup work for days missed due to excused absences or extenuating circumstances.
E. Since tardies are related to a child’s attendance in school, they will be addressed by the school’s recommended tardy plan. ( Refer to E.B.R. Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook.) è Please note: Accumulated excessive tardi ness cannot be convert ed into an absence.
F. Check-in and check-out policy must fall within the school’s guidelines. ( Refer to E.B.R. Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook.)
IV. Excused Absences
A. Students may be excused for whole or partial day absences for the following reasons (La R.S.17:226):
1. Personal illness
2. Serious illness in the student’s immediate family
3. Death in the student’s immediate family (Absences are not to exceed five school days.)
4. Natural catastrophe and/or disasters.
5. Military Deployment
B. Students granted excused absences for the above reasons shall be allowed to make up any schoolwork that was missed.
V. Extenuating Circumstances
A. Exceptions to the attendance requirements can be made only in the event of extenuating circumstances when requested by the school administration or parent/guardian using the appropriate form.
B. The Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance will verify these extenuating circumstances.
VI. State and Parish Attendance Mandates
Louisiana Statutes charge the Office of Child Welfare and Attendance with the responsibility of assuring that every school age child is in regular school attendance. This responsibility also includes filing charges to enforce the compulsory school attendance law when necessary, according to Act 109 (1964), as amended by Act 194 (1970), Act 777 (1975), and Bulletin 741 of the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. The state mandates for the Office of Child Welfare & Attendance include but are not limited to:
A. Enforce the Louisiana Compulsory School Attendance Law. (LA RS 17:221)
B. Have all powers, duties, and responsibilities vested in attendance officers by the compulsory attendance laws of the state.
C. Investigate cases of non-enrollment and/or unexcused absences for all children within the compulsory school attendance age. If no valid reason is found, the Office of Child Welfare and Attendance will make the necessary referrals to the court system.
D. Give written notice to parents of children for non-enrollment or excessive unexcused absences to facilitate regular attendance and to promote compliance with the compulsory school attendance law.
E. Visit the home or any other place in which the unexcused or non-enrolled child is likely to be found during school hours.
F. Receive reports from the school system of any unexplained, unexcused or illegal absences at 5, 10, 15, and 20, etc. day intervals.
G. Receive the cooperation of all teachers and principals so that school records can be examined at reasonable times (LA RS 17: 232).
H. File proceedings with the court system to enforce compulsory school attendance with the approval of the Superintendent (LA RS 17: 221).
I. Act as a liaison between the school, the family and the community interfacing with various social agencies which could best meet the needs of the student and his/her family.
ATTENDANCE RECORDING PROTOCOL /PROCEDURES
NOTE: The official record of a child’s attendance shall be the teacher’s roll book and/or Teachers Access Center (TAC) . Teachers are required by state law to maintain these records accurately and in accordance with established procedures. These records are subject to review for up to three years; therefore, they must be kept on file at the school. The attendance of all pupils shall be checked each day and at the beginning of each class period. These attendance records are open to inspection by the Director of Child Welfare and Attendance or duly authorized representative, at all reasonable times. (Act 109 RS 17:232)
I . Official Attendance Recording Procedures
Attendance and grades are to be maintained in Teacher Access Center Grade book and printed
Copies of the Teacher Access Center Grade book will need to be turned in to the office for each
marking period by the end of the school year signed and dated. The teachers are not required
to turn in the attendance at the end of the school year since it should have been maintained in
eSchoolPLUS over the course of the year, and can be printed by the office at any time if needed.
II. EBRP Daily School Attendance Procedures
A. Teacher documents absence by recording in eSchoolPLUS.
B. Automated call (robo call) is made through the Central Office of EBRPSS for each absence for each student in grades K-12th.
C. Attendance Clerk/School Staff responsibilities:
1. Attendance Clerk and/or designated school personnel will call the home of each absent student daily and document the results on Form A
2. Documentation of excuses
a. Students must submit ALL excuses directly to the attendance Clerk/office designee, not the teacher.
b. Excuses will be stamped with the date received
c. Attendance clerk (office designee) must document all excuses daily in eSchoolPLUS.
d. It is strongly recommended that the attendance clerk/designated office personnel will develop a “filing system.”
e. The number of parental statements is limited to five (5) each semester.
3. Suspended Students:
a. Attendance Clerk/designated personnel will fax to the assigned Discipline Center required information for suspended students (AP – 1 Form).
b. Discipline Center personnel will fax to the suspended student’s registered school a daily attendance report for each of the assigned suspended students.
c. A code of DC (discipline center) will be posted in eSchoolPLUS each day that the student attends the discipline center.
d. A code of SUS (suspension) will be posted in eSchoolPLUS each day that the student is suspended and does not attend the discipline center.
D. Accumulation of THREE (3) unexcused absences:
1. Attendance Clerk/designated personnel will submit to CWA a copy of all of the required documents.
E. Accumulation of FIVE (5) unexcused absences :
1. Letters on District Attorney/EBRSS letterhead are sent from the Central
Office to the home of students in grades K-12th grades
a. Addresses the state attendance law, parent/guardian responsibilities, consequences for violation of law
b. Signed by Superintendent and District Attorney
I II . Referral Procedures for Excessive Absences
A. TASC
TASC (Truancy Assessment and Service Center) a K-5 program that works with families whose children are truant. The state of LA states that a child is truant once 5 unexcused days have occurred. TASC works through the 19th Judicial District Court and has a select number of schools.
B. DA (District Attorney) Office
1. Parents who are found to be in violation of the Compulsory School Attendance Law regarding their child’s attendance will be referred to the District Attorney’s office for prosecution.
C. Juvenile Services (FINS)
1. FINS REFERRALS
Families In Need of Services (FINS) Referrals can be completed by school personnel for middle & high school students up to the age of 16. Child Welfare & Attendance employees also complete referrals. Check with your assigned CWA employee to see if he/she has already completed a referral to Juvenile Services. The referral form is available on the EBRP web site as a template. When the form is completed, make a copy for your records and forward to Juvenile Services, 8333 Veterans Memorial Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA 70807.
2. Who should be referred to FINS?
a. Students who are ungovernable
b. Students who are consistently truant
c. Students who have repeatedly violated school rules
d. Student is a runaway
e. Families who are dysfunctional and you feel the parent has caused, encouraged or
contributed to the problem
e. Families in which the parent has failed to attend school meetings set up with the teacher, principal, or
other school employees to discuss the child’s problems.
3. What happens when a family is referred to FINS?
a. The referral is reviewed by an intake officer.
b. The family is mailed a letter with an appointment date to go to Juvenile Services for an
interview.
c. The intake officer interviews the child and family. An assessment instrument will be administered to the child. If the results of the interview & assessment indicate that the
child/family would benefit from FINS services, the case is referred to a FINS officer.
d. The FINS officer completes an informal family service plan agreement with the family to address the problems.
e. The family can be ordered to attend a mandatory conference with a number of agencies
present. Another plan of action is written to address the problems. Failure to comply
with this agreement will result in a petition to juvenile court.
IV. Absence Codes in eSchoolPLUS
Code Description
JUVI Juvenile Detention Center
UNXPN Unexcused-Parent Note
BUS Late Bus
CI Check Back In (after same day Early Checkout)
CRT Court
CV College Visit
DC Discipline Center
DTH Death in Family
EC Early Checkout
EXC Excused
FT Field Trip
HMB Homebound
ILL Illness
REL Religious
SA School Activity
SUS Suspension
T Class Unexcused Tardy
TE Tardy Excused
TOR Time-Out Room
TU Tardy Unexcused
UNX Unexcused
WTR Weather Related
GUID Meeting with Counselor
R EFERRALS FOR S USPECTED C HID A BUSE AND / OR N EGLECT
A. Child and Family Services
1. All school personnel are required to immediately report suspected child abuse and/or neglect cases. If the abuser is believed to be a parent, guardian, legal custodian, or other caretaker, then the reports shall be made immediately to the local child protection unit of the Department of Social Services. (Refer to page 20 for the form.) If the abuse is believed to be someone other than a “caretaker,” then the report shall be made immediately to the appropriate law enforcement agency.