State’s Definition Of An Unexcused Absence Does Not Reflect School Realities

The 14 percent truancy rate at Speedway Public Schools that was reported in The Indianapolis Star’s Editorial Board Report series on April 22 for the school year of 2005-2006 does not paint the true picture of students’ attendance rate. There is a definite dichotomy between the state’s definition of an unexcused absent and the local schools’.
Speedway Assistant Superintendent Ken Hull responded to the April 22 article about truancy rate because it listed Speedway’s rate increasing from one percent rate in 2002-2003 to last year’s jump to 14 percent.

The Indianapolis Star did not contact either Superintendent Andrew Wagner or Hull to explain the rate. Hull wanted the community to be aware that student attendance is good and inaccuracies exist because of the method the Indiana Department of Education uses to record attendance.

By law, only four events can happen for a student not to be considered absent: serving as a page or an honoree of the Indiana General Assembly, service to the precinct polls or a political candidate, witness in a judicial proceeding or duty with the Indiana National Guard.

The state declares any other missed school days as “an unexcused absence.” This even includes a sick child. The student is classified as chronically truant if that student has missed 10 or more days. The law does not account for common sense reasoning of tracking absences of chronically ill children.

Hull said 85 students had ten or more days of absenteeism last year, but for the most part those students were ill. It is in the best interest of the child and the health of other school children for a contagious child to remain at home. Speedway Public School recognizes illness as an excused absensce. The school corporation works diligently with the parent and child so the student is able to do the work and learn the material. The school has a broader policy than the state’s policy. Speedway recongizes death of an immediate family member, medical, dental, court and other required appointments, illness, injury, and a religious holiday as excused absences.

Hull said he does not have a report with an actual number of unexcused absences of what the school defines “as unexcused” because the state does not account for it.

The attendance is closely monitored to watch for students that “cut class.” The school defines truancy when a student leaves the building or misses class without permission from the parent or school.

The school has developed a policy to deal with this type of conduct. The first offense is after school detention. The second offense requires one day of alternative education and parental meeting. The third offense is a oneday suspension from school, parent contact, and the driver’s license invalidated. The fourth offense, under the principal’s consideration, can result in suspension pending expulsion. Grades also come under scrutiny for unexcused absences. Fifty percent is the highest a student can score on missed assignments for unexcused absences.

Tardy behavior will also be disciplined with the harshest penalty being a one-day suspension from school after the 15th tardy.