Attendance

• Missing 18 days of school by the end of the year makes a student chronically absent
• Chronic absenteeism happens when students miss two or more days of school per month.
• Studies show that students who miss 18 or more school days have:

                - Lower achievement in math and reading

                - Lower test scores

                - Poor attendance in future grades

Absences and lateness will be recorded on your child’s official records. To view your child’s official records, visit myschools.nyc. You’ll need your child’s student ID/OSIS number. If you notice any attendance discrepancies, please notify the classroom teacher. Changes are made by the pupil accounting secretary in the main office.

Attendance will be taken every day, whether students attend in-person or remotely.

• Schools must take attendance to show whether a student is in school or not; it’s the law.
• Schools can mark an absence as “excused” for religious reasons, illness, or some other reasons, but they are still absences and must be part of the student’s record.
• Teachers can make attendance part of a class grade, but it cannot be the only reason for a failing grade or not being promoted or graduating.
• Schools must tell families when students are absent or late. Does your school have the right information to contact you?

For more information about the DOE Attendance Policy, please visit the Department of Education website by clicking the button below.

Kinvolved App

Our school uses the Kinvovled app to send text messages when students are absent. Please be sure to keep your contact information for Kinvolved up to date. You can reach out to Ms. Menendez (cm4007@tc.columbia.edu) with questions about Kinvovled.

Making Up Assignments

Children who are absent from school are responsible for making up any missed homework. Those who feel well enough at the end of the school day should contact a classmate for the homework assignment. Please do not come to school during the day to get your child’s homework, as teachers are unable to interrupt instruction to accommodate your request.

Things to Consider

Schedule family vacations, trips and other activities when school is not in session. Students who are absent may be able to make up some assignments, but they can never recapture a teacher’s explanations, in-class assignments or special activities. During an extended absence, your child may not be able to make up the work because assignments are not as meaningful if the child has not participated in previous lessons.

Middle schools may use attendance as a determining factor during the application process. Given equal ability and achievement, students who have good attendance and punctuality may have an advantage over those who do not.

State law requires schools to record and track student attendance and document the reason for every student’s absence. When your child returns to school after an absence, you must write a note explaining the reason so we can apply the appropriate code in our records.