Tier 1

Students and parents will be provided education and support to ensure that all students develop regular attendance habits. This will be accomplished through:

School-wide prevention-oriented supports
School promotion of the benefits of regular attendance
Guidance lessons that promote the benefits of regular school attendance
Periodic mailings, dial-outs, and social media posts promoting school attendance

Tier 2

Students accumulating 5 unexcused absences and their parent/guardian will be required to attend a meeting with district staff to enter into a Tier 2 contract. The following will be discussed during the meeting:

Individualized assessment of the reason for the unexcused absences will be conducted
Progressive truancy plan explained to student and parents/guardians
Specific description of the school's attendance expectations for the student
Effective dates of Tier 2 contract *penalties for continued unexcused absences
Regularly scheduled follow-up meetings with student and parent/guardian

Tier3

Students accumulating 8 unexcused absences and their parents/guardians will be required to attend a meeting with district staff to discuss the implementation of Tier 3. The student and their parents/guardians will be provided the opportunity to explain the additional unexcused absences. Tier 3 will consist of one or more of the following interventions:

Mandatory Saturday School
School-based community services
Department of Children's Services referral

Referral to Department of Children's Services & Petition to Henry County Juvenile Court System

If the progressive truancy intervention plan is unsuccessful, and the student has accumulated 11 or more unexcused absences, a referral to the Department of Children's Services (DCS) will be made by the district staff. If DCS opens a case on the student, the district staff will follow the advice of the DCS case manager in charge of the case. If DCS denies opening a case, the student will be issued a petition to appear in juvenile court.

*Students with excessive (more than 5) unexcused absences will have the opportunity to appeal to an attendance committee.

Parents unwilling to cooperate or failing to respond

Note: If a parent or guardian is unwilling to cooperate in the progressive truancy plan or fails to respond to the district's requests to implement the Tiered services, the following steps will be taken:

District staff will document all attempts to contact (calls, texts, letters, certified letters, home visits, etc.)
District staff will make a referral to the Department of Children's Services (DCS)
If DCS opens a case, district staff will follow the guidance provided by the DCS case manager in charge of the case.
If DCS denies opening a case, district staff will file a petition with the Henry County Juvenile Court system.

Henry County Schools

Attendance / Truancy

Attendance Policy

Chronic Absenteeism

Handouts for Parents

Progressive Truancy Plan

Truancy Flowchart