Last modified: September 27, 2023

Policy No. 3150 Student Attendance

Download Policy No. 3150 Student Attendance

Under Utah’s compulsory education law, parents/guardians of a student who is at least six (6) years of age and not more than eighteen (18) years of age shall enroll and send their school-age students to school, unless an exception applies as set forth in Provo City School District Board Policy No. 3155, Releasing Minors from School Attendance.

The Provo City School District Board of Education recognizes the importance of regular student attendance as foundational to a successful learning experience. Research supports the fact that attendance is crucial to improving student achievement (Ginsburg, et al, 2014). On-time attendance is a critical starting point for high levels of student achievement. The opportunities lost through student absence and tardiness leave learning gaps that are difficult to fill.

Parent(s)/guardian(s), students, and school personnel should make decisions that lead to excellent classroom attendance:

Students are expected to arrive on time and attend each period for each class in which they are enrolled unless excused as provided in this policy;
Parents/guardians are expected to ensure that their school-age child attends school as required by Utah law, and to notify the school when their student is absent for a valid reason as set forth in the provisions and definitions of this policy;
Teachers shall create a safe and engaging classroom that will encourage students to come to school, and reach out to chronically absent students to find out in a supportive manner why they are missing school and what would help them attend more regularly; and
The school’s administrative staff shall reasonably accommodate parents and document efforts to resolve a student’s truancy and chronic absenteeism problems.

The Board directs the superintendent to develop procedures for managing student attendance and the requirements outlined in the State’s compulsory attendance law to help students receive the benefits of the district’s education program.

Included in the procedures will be:

Definitions – key definitions, expectations and tracking for implementation of the policy;
General Procedures and Requirements – roles of students, parents, and employees;
Tiered Responses to Truancy and Chronic Absenteeism – outline of communication, interventions, and progressive support provided to students and parents;
School Based Attendance Procedures – allowances for site-based attendance guidelines;
Student Membership and Enrollment – guidance in accounting for student attendance and engagement in calculating student membership; and
Appeal Process – due process procedures for appealing district intervention and disciplinary actions.

Legal & Research References & Synopsis

Utah Code 53G-6-201, et seq.

Compulsory Education

Utah Code 53G-6-801, et seq.

Parental Rights

Utah Code 53G-8-211

Responses to school-based behavior

Utah Code 53G-9-202

Notification to the parent of an injured or sick child

Utah Code 53G-9-801, et seq.

Dropout Prevention. Recovery and Remediation Programs

Utah Administrative Rule R277-419

Pupil Accounting

Utah Administrative Rule R277-607

Absenteeism and Truancy Prevention

Ginsburg, Alan, Phyllis Jordan and Hedy Chang, “Absences Add Up: How School Attendance Influences Student Success,” Attendance Works, August 2014.

Approved by the Board of Education

August 13, 2013

Updated: June 13, 2023

Procedures and Forms

3150 P1 Student Attendance