Our Attendance Policy
Our Attendance Policy
Did you know that LAUSD received $68.06 per child for every day of attendance last year? Those funds go to innumerable resources for students. When LAUSD loses funding, Hancock Park Elementary loses funding that supports students. Hancock Park student absences usually average a total loss of $330,000. Imagine the resources lost! Our goal is for all of our students to come to school everyday and on time. We can meet this goal!
The foundation of student academic success is excellent attendance. Please make every effort to have your child attend school every day. Having good attendance not only helps a student succeed academically but is important for teaching children to Be Responsible. Tardies and absences lead to loss of instructional time as well as revenue for the school and should be avoided whenever possible.
ABSENCES
If your child is unable to attend school for any reason, please call the office and notify the school of the reason for your child’s absence. If you have not already notified the main office, you must send a note of explanation to your child’s teacher on the day your child returns to school. Any student who is absent from school without a valid excuse three full days in one school year is considered truant.
If your child is absent for more than five days due to illness, a doctor’s note is required at the time of your child’s return to school. LAUSD policy requires that all student absences be accounted for.
TARDIES
The instructional day begins at 8:07 a.m.
If your child is late, you and your child will need to enter through the school’s Colgate Gate and obtain a Visitors Pass. Then walk to the office to get a Tardy Slip. Please note that three unexcused tardies over 30 minutes are equivalent to one truancy.
If your child is late due to a medical, dental or court appointment, this will be considered an excused tardy. However, please make every effort to schedule your child’s medical, dental and other appointments outside of regular school hours so that your child will receive maximum instruction time.
EARLY RELEASE
Please make every effort to schedule your child’s medical, dental and other appointments outside of regular school hours. When you must take your child out of school for an appointment or any other reason, enter through the school’s Colgate Gate and obtain a Visitors Pass. Please come to the school office to sign for your child. For the safety of our students, LAUSD policy requires that we ask for identification of the adult picking up a child prior to releasing the child during school hours. If anyone other than the parent is picking up the child, her/his name MUST be on the emergency card with release authorization.
California's Compulsory Education Law states that it is the responsibility of every parent to assure that every child between the ages of 6 - 18 attends school every day and on-time. (Ed. Code 48200)
- Students who are chronically absent in preschool, kindergarten, and first grade are less likely to read at grade level by third grade.
- Students who do not read at grade level by the end of third grade are four times more likely than proficient readers to drop out of high school.
- For every day missed, it takes a child three days or more to make up for lost instructional time.
For more about how you can support excellent school attendance, please click here for the
LAUSD School Attendance Guide For Parents:
DISTRICT NOTIFICATION PHONE CALLS AND EMAILS
LAUSD makes daily, automated telephone calls and emails to the parent or guardian of all children who are tardy or absent. These calls and emails are automatically generated by the District based upon daily attendance records and do not come from our school office. Therefore, please expect to receive a call and/or email even if you have already notified us of the reason for your child’s late arrival or absence.
PARENT/GUARDIAN RESPONSIBILITY
Parents are their child's first teacher. You are a key factor in ensuring your child makes it to school every day, and we know you want your child to be successful. Please see the number of absences in relation to attendance proficiency levels below for the whole school year. It is your responsibility as a parent/guardian to keep track of the number of absences and/or tardies your child has accrued and work toward maintaining good attendance.
Plan family vacation during school breaks so that your child does not miss a day of learning.
Advanced = 0 absences
Proficient = 1-7 absences
Basic (at-risk) = 8-14 absences
Below Basic (at-risk) = 15-23 absences
Far Below Basic (at-risk) = 24 absences or more
Please talk to your child about the expectations for good attendance. Create a backup plan for getting to school. Explain to your child how important it is to come to school every day to learn and let them know how you will help them make it to school every day on time. Talk to your school staff about issues that affect your child's attendance: health or family problems.
Thank you for your support!