Attendance
Compulsory School Attendance/Compulsory Ages/Duty of Parent-Legal Guardian/Consent to Withdraw
In compliance with the Louisiana Revised Statute 17:221, the policy of Jefferson Parish Schools requires that every parent/legal guardian residing within Jefferson Parish, having control or charge of any child from that child’s fifth (5th) birthday until his eighteenth (18th) birthday, unless the child’s parent or legal guardian opts to defer enrollment of his child in kindergarten pursuant to statute, or the child graduates from high school prior to his eighteenth birthday. Any child below the age of five (5) who legally enrolls in school shall also be subject to compulsory attendance provisions. Every parent/legal guardian responsible for sending a child to a public or private day school under provisions of this section shall also assure the attendance of such child in regularly assigned classes during regular school hours established by the School Board.
Marriage of minors under the age of eighteen (18) years results in their emancipation; hence there is no person in charge or control of them and no method or procedure by which their attendance in school can be compelled.
Types of Absences
Absence Procedures
- Excuses for all absences must be presented in writing to the school principal or designee within five (5) days of the absence.
- For any extenuating circumstances, the student’s parent or legal guardian must make a formal appeal to the Compliance Office requesting exception to the attendance regulation. Students who are verified as meeting extenuating circumstances, and therefore eligible to receive grades, shall not receive grades if they are unable to complete make-up work or pass the course.
- In accordance with the Grade Appeal policy, all grade appeals for extenuating circumstances must be done within 15 school days of the issuance of the final grade. Schools are to provide students and parents with attendance letters by the 3rd, 5th, and 8th day absent. Parents must contact the school principal or school counselor to discuss attendance matters upon receipt of attendance letters.
ATTENDANCE SUCCESS PLAN:
- Creating Student Attendance Success Plan
- Upper Grades Attendance Success Plan
- Lower Grades Attendance Success Plan
- Early Childhood Attendance Success Plan
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR PROMOTION
Elementary/Middle Schools:
According to the policy of the state of Louisiana, students must attend elementary or middle school for a total of 60,120 minutes to be eligible for promotion. Based on the school calendar and a standard 375 minute instructional day, a student can miss no more than 15 days of school to be eligible for promotion.
High School Students:
In order to receive grades for a semester/year, high school students must be in attendance for a minimum of 30,060 minutes in a semester or 60,120 minutes in a year for schools not operating on a semester system.
Based on a standard 375 minute instructional day, this means that students in a high school can miss no more than 8 days each semester. Students in schools not on a semester system can miss no more than 15 days to be eligible for promotion Carnegie units based on minutes.
Attendance Requirements - Carnegie Credit
In addition to meeting overall attendance requirements, middle and high school students must also meet certain attendance requirements to receive Carnegie Credit for individual classes.
When awarding credit based on instructional time, students shall be in attendance for a minimum of 7,515 minutes. In order to grant one-half Carnegie credit, students shall be in attendance for a minimum of 3,758 minutes. Please refer to the JP Schools Make Up Seat Time (MUST) policy for additional information regarding attendance recovery. Please contact the school principal or counselor for additional information regarding attendance recovery.
MAKE-UP SEAT TIME - MUST
MUST Attendance Requirements rev. October 2025
JEFFERSON PARISH TRUANCY ASSESSMENT & SERVICE CENTER (TASC) Elementary Schools (PK-5)
Referral Criteria
- Student has a past history of truancy according to records on file.
- Absences are negatively affecting academics and/or child has failed the previous year.
- Absences are due to possible parental neglect and/or returning child promptly to school after suspension.
- Homeless: Refer to EIS/SSW to complete McKinney Vento packet.
Do not refer students sent home due to Covid-19 or lice.
Referral Process
- A TASC Referral form (All referrals should be dated the day it is emailed/faxed.)
- Primary Grounds is always “Child is Truant”
- Secondary Grounds; use the number of each that applies:
- Child is Ungovernable
- Willful and Repeated Violation of School Rules
- Caretaker Failed to Provide for Child
- Risk Indicator Survey I (Jefferson Virtual students are not included) are to be completed by the teacher &/or social worker.
- Suspension reports are required to better assess behavior for interventions.
Completed packets are faxed to the TASC Office (504.826.9138) or emailed to the TASC Hearing Officer
- Thomas Hebert, Executive Director
- Tiffany Nelson, Hearing Officer
- Arlene Reynolds, Hearing Officer
- Dalton Simmons, Hearing Officer
- Clothilde Cobert, Hearing Officer
- Ron Simmons, Hearing Officer
FINS FORMS