There are three types of absences that middle school administrators deal with in determining whether or not students are in violation of the Compulsory Attendance Law (Chapter 16-19-1) of the Rhode Island Education Laws and Rules.  They are:
(1)  Students absent from school with a legitimate illness or reason and having parental permission to be absent.
(2) Students who are absent from school without parental knowledge or permission.
(3) Students who are excessively absent from school with parental permission for questionable or unexcused reasons.

The following procedures represent a student support and cooperative problem-solving approach to the issues of truancy, excessive absence, and excessive tardiness, rather than a discipline-based approach.

~~~Identification and Initial Interventions
In Cranston, middle school students are grouped by academic teams.  There are approximately 100 students per team.  The academic team teachers meet three times per week; the guidance counselor and special education teachers will participate in these meetings regularly.  Issues such as student progress, behavior and absenteeism will be discussed in this forum.
Middle school students are assigned to home rooms/advisories attached to their academic teams.  The home room teacher, as the recorder of a student’s presence or absence at the beginning of each day, is a key staff member in identifying attendance problems. Advisory, which meets several times weekly, has as a primary purpose the personalization of the educational setting for students.  The advisory is an opportunity for each student to form a close relationship with, or at least be known well by, an adult in the school.  The role of the advisor is to support each student in maximizing his or her educational and social development.  Therefore, the advisor will be the initial person to conference with the student and contact the parent/guardian regarding attendance and tardiness concerns.
When a team has a concern regarding a child’s attendance which cannot be resolved by the advisor, another teacher on the team may speak with the student and with the parent/guardian to encourage attendance and to emphasize the relationship between good attendance and academic progress.  If absences continue the guidance counselor may arrange a conference with the student, parent/guardian, and the team.
Additionally, a member of the school secretarial staff makes phone calls to parent/guardian of students on the daily absence report whose parents have not called in their child’s absence on a given day.  The secretary will make the guidance counselor or an administrator aware of questionable absences.

~~~Unexcused Absences, Truancy, “Bunking”
If consultation with a parent reveals that they had no knowledge of their child’s absence(s), in other words the student was absent without permission, the child is considered truant (sometimes referred to as bunking school.) In these cases, the following actions will take place.  This process is consistent with the Disciplinary Policy and Procedure for CPS Secondary Schools.

1. The parent/guardian is notified.
2. The student and parent are required to have a conference with the assistant principal.
3. Detention, before-school detention, in-school suspension or other consequence is assigned at the discretion of the assistant principal.
4. The student’s teachers are notified; if the student receives special education services, the special education department chairperson and case manager are notified.
5. The social worker and guidance counselor are notified and may meet with the student and parent to assist in the determination of why the student was truant.  Their findings are reported to the assistant principal.  Interventions/supports are initiated as appropriate.
6. The school attendance officer (truancy officer) is notified.
7. For chronic cases, the school attendance officer, at the request of the assistant principal, makes a referral to Cranston’s Truancy Court.
8. Until the petition reaches court, the student will receive sanctions assigned by the assistant principal for each subsequent unexcused absence.

~~~Excessive Absences
It is understood that students may be absent from school with their parents’ permission for illnesses, family bereavement, medical and dental appointments, and court appearances.  There may be other excused absences at the discretion of an administrator.  However, there are situations where students are absent so often, even with their parents’ permission, that it affects their academic progress.
Excessive absence is defined as absence greater than 10% of days school is in session.  When absence is excessive, administration may request and require documentation of reason for absence from a medical, dental or mental health professional, or from a court, or documentation of family bereavement.  Notes of explanation for absence from the parent or guardian are not considered adequate for an “excused absence” when the student’s absence is excessive.
Daily student attendance is monitored and addressed as described in the earlier section, “Identification and Initial Interventions.”  In cases of excessive absence, the following actions will take place.  This process is consistent with the Disciplinary Policy and Procedure for CPS Secondary Schools.

Following initial interventions and accommodations as appropriate, if a student continues to have an absentee rate above 10%, the parent/guardian will be sent a letter of concern which notes the number of absences, offers supports, and warns of possible referral to Truancy court.

The assistant principal will require a doctor’s note or other document that may satisfactorily explain the child’s absence.

If the child receives special education services, the special education department chairperson and case manager are notified.

The school attendance officer may be notified and requested to do a home investigation to establish the validity of the parents’ statements.  The assistant principal will be advised of his findings.

If, after the letter of concern and contact with the school staff and/or attendance officer, unexcused absences continue, the school attendance officer, at the request of the assistant principal, makes a referral to Cranston’s Truancy Court.

During the above process, supports and interventions will continue to be applied by support personnel and teachers, directed at changing the pattern of absences and related concerns such as lack of academic progress and poor relationships with peers and the school community.

~~~ Excessive Tardiness
A daily attendance bulletin is distributed to all faculty.
The attendance secretary reviews the daily bulletin for cumulative tardies and to identify any student who is in violation of the district’s tardiness policy.
A letter explaining the district’s tardiness policy is sent to all parents/students once they reach (3) tardies.  The next time a student is tardy an office detention is assigned according to district policy.  Students who are tardy in excess of (3) days will receive office detention.
The school’s guidance staff may be notified and requested to call the child’s home.
If the student received special education services then the special education department chairperson may be notified.
School policy may require a doctor’s note or other document that may legally explain the child’s tardiness.
In some cases of excessive tardiness, the truant officer is notified and requested to do a home investigation.
The truancy office will advise the assistant principal of his findings.
If the tardiness is found to be inconsistent with school policy and/or state law, then the assistant principal will take appropriate measures including referral to Cranston Truancy Court, state agencies, etc.

1.   Students who are truant from school will receive detention equal to the hours missed during the school day or two Friday Detentions for each day a student is truant. The student will also forfeit all grades for the day.
2.   Excessive absences will be referred to the truancy officer for possible action by Truancy Court.

School Policies

Attendance Policy
Book Bag Policy
Cell Phone Policy
Dress Code
General Arrival and Dismissal
Ineligibility Policy
Physical Education Policies
School Bus Conduct
Truancy
Parent Volunteer Policy (.pdf)