Attendance Policy

Compulsory attendance is the law in California from age 6 until 18 (Education Code Section 482600).

• A student who has three unexcused absences or three tardies or absences of more than 30 minutes, or any combination thereof, without valid excuse is considered legally truant.
• A student that has six unexcused absences or six tardies or absences of more than 30 minutes, or any combination thereof is considered habitually truant and may be referred to the district attorney’s office for legal action. (Education Code Section 48260.5).

All absences must be cleared within five (5) school days through the attendance office, as follows:

• A written note from the parent/guardian or parent representative.
• A conversation with school office staff and the parent/ guardian or parent representative.
• A physician’s verification.

Failure to notify the school office staff of an absence within 5 school days will result in the absence being recorded as unexcused and will apply towards truancy.

NON-EXCUSABLE ABSENCES
*Family trips for pleasure or recreational reasons.
An absence without an excusable reason, even if initiated by a parent/ guardian or parent representative
An absence, which has not been verified (cleared) within five school days
An absence for which advanced approval was required
A non-excused tardy of more than 30 minutes to a classroom
An absence requiring verification from a physician, school nurse or other qualified school personnel, which was not verified as required

The 10% rule: when a student has accrued absences due to illness equal to ten (10%) percent of the school days, from the day of enrolment to the current day, subsequent absences must be verified by a physician, school nurse or school personnel.  Absences must be cleared daily, unless other arrangements are made with the school principal or designee.

EXCUSABLE ABSENCES
Personal illness
Quarantine by County or City Health Officer
Medical appointments
Technology issues during distance learning
Funeral services for member of immediate family (one day in state, three days out of state)
Jury duty for students
Participation in a school activity in which the student represents the school or the Gilroy Unified School District
Appearance in court either as a defendant or subpoenaed witness
Observation of a holiday or ceremony of the student's religion
Attendance at a funeral service
Attendance at a religious retreat (four hours per semester maximum)
Appointments with attorneys, law enforcement officers and probation officers
Personal or family emergency when approved in advance by the principal
Absence to care for one's ill child when the student is the custodial parent
Attendance at a governmental or judicial function or an organized visitation to a graduate institution relevant to the student's current course of study, with the principal's advanced approval.

TARDY POLICY

Students will receive an unexcused tardy for being late to class without an excusable reason. Continued tardiness will result in disciplinary action from the office or a referral to Tribunal. Please refer to the Parent-Student Handbook Planner for the detailed disciplinary steps for tardiness.

GAVILAN COLLEGE ATTENDANCE

Students at Gavilan College are expected to attend all classes for which they are enrolled. Students missing one more class hour than the unit value for a particular course without making prior arrangements may, at the instructor’s option, be dropped without possibility of credit.