Attendance Policy
Attendance is critical to the academic success of students. By attending school and class every day, students are more likely to keep up with the daily lessons and assignments and achieve academic success starting in kindergarten and continuing through high school. The Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) District has a vision whereby each student engages in a rigorous course of study in preparation for a myriad of successful post-secondary options.
Florida Law (Section 1003.21, Florida Statutes) states that children of compulsory school age must attend school regularly during the entire school term. As such, M-DCPS maintains an affirmative obligation to inform parents of student absences, and to ensure that the compulsory attendance laws are enforced. Raising standards and promoting a high level of student achievement are paramount in all District initiatives. Ensuring good student attendance is a means of improving student performance and is critical in raising student standards.
School Attendance
Students are to be counted in attendance only if they are physically present or engaged in a school-approved educational activity which constitutes a part of the instructional program for the student. (Board Policy 5200 – Attendance)
Tardy
A student is considered tardy to school if the student is not physically present when the attendance is taken for the first class assigned. NOTE: If a student is not present when school attendance is taken but is present later in the school day for another assigned class, that student must be considered in attendance, but tardy to school, and the absence should be changed. A student who is tardy should never remain on record as being absent to school.
Section 1003.02(1)(b), F. S. states, “District school boards are authorized to establish policies that allow accumulated unexcused tardies, regardless of when they occur during the school day, and early departures from school to be recorded as unexcused absences.”
A student who has 20 or more cumulative tardies will not be allowed to participate in interscholastic competitions or performances for the remainder of the school year.
Late Arrival
Students who are tardy to school must report to the Main Office to secure an admit. Excessive tardiness may result in loss of privileges, detention, and/or parent conference.
(School Board Policy 5230 – Late Arrival and Early Dismissal and 5845 – Student Activities)
Early Sign Out
No student shall be released within the final thirty (30) minutes of the school day unless authorized by the principal or principal’s designee (i.e., emergency, sickness). (School Board Policy 5230 – Late Arrival and Early Dismissal and 5845 – Student Activities)
No student shall be permitted to leave school prior to dismissal at the request of, or in the company of anyone other than a school employee, a police officer with judicial authority, a court official, or the parents of the student unless the permission of the parent is provided. No parent may have access to the student or may grant permission to allow the student to leave school prior to dismissal if there is a legally binding instrument or court order governing such matters as divorce, separation, or custody which provides to the contrary. The Emergency Student Data Form (FM-2733) governs early release/withdraw of the students. The person who signs/verifies the form is responsible for providing information that is consistent with the most recent court order governing such matters as divorce, separation, or custody.
No student shall be sent from school grounds to perform an errand or act as a messenger except with the approval of the principal and only for urgent and necessary school business and with the consent of the student’s parent.
No student who has a medical disability which may be incapacitating may be release without a person to accompany them.
No student shall be released to anyone not authorized by the parent.
Procedures for Parents to submit an Excuse Admit / Note to School
Absences shall be reported to the student’s enrolled school by the parent/legal guardian no later than five (5) days from the date of the absence. Parents will have three ways to submit an admit:
- VIA EMAIL: The district has developed an email resource mailbox address specific to each school’s attendance office. Our school’s attendance email address is 5931attendance@dadeschools.net. Parents can send an email directly to the school’s attendance resource mailbox stating the cause for the absence and attach documents. The email must include the student’s full name, MDCPS student seven digit identification number, date of absence, and the reason for the absence. The email subject line should read “Excused Admit”.
- VIA THE PARENT PORTAL OR MOBILE APP: A link will be available via the Parent Portal and MDCPS Mobile App for parents to submit admits directly to the school. Through the app, parents will be able to submit attachments and documents.
- IN-PERSON: Parents who wish to submit documentation in person, may do so at the school’s attendance office.
Failure to report and explain the absence(s) shall result in unexcused absence(s). The principal of the student’s school shall have the final authority for determining acceptability.