Attendance
Oklahoma school law provides that it is unlawful for a parent or guardian to not compel a child to attend school. (Oklahoma Compulsory Education Law, State Statute Title 70, §10-106)
Regular student attendance is essential for learning. The TPS educational program requires regular, on-time attendance to be effective. Oklahoma law places the responsibility for school attendance on the parent/guardian, as well as the student. It is the responsibility of each student and his/her parent/guardian to keep track of absences. School-related absences for field trips, athletic and/or academic events, games, meets, competitions, etc. are limited to (10) per year.
A student with more than nine (9) absences (all absences count) in any semester for a particular course is subject to loss of credit for said course. An absence for a class period occurs when a student misses more than 15 minutes of a class. The 15 minutes may occur at the beginning, middle, or end of the class hour. Three (3) tardies count as (1) Unexcused absence, INCLUDING first hour tardies. UNEXCUSED ABSENCES and TRUANCY ARE NON-APPEALABLE, both for course credit and for revocation of transfer purposes. ALL ABSENCES (excused, unexcused, with explanation) shall be included in the calculation of the nine (9) day total. Absences may be excused for:
- Personal illness
- Parental illness
- Attendance at a funeral
- Activities pre-approved (Pre-Arranged Absence Form must be submitted)
- Doctor appointment
- Nurse office visit
- Court appointments
All other absences are unexcused. Absences coded as “Truant (B)” are non-appealable.
Under Oklahoma’s Compulsory Education Law, it is the duty of the parent or guardian to notify the school regarding the reason for the absence of a school-age child. The law also states that it is the duty of the school to notify the parent or guardian if a child is absent. NHHS utilizes an automated phone system to notify parents of student absences. Parents or guardians must provide the school with an accurate telephone number to receive notification of student absences. After 48 hours, all ‘Absences’ that are undocumented or without parental explanation will be considered ‘Unexcused’.
DOCUMENTATION MUST BE PROVIDED FOR EACH RECORDED ABSENCE WITHIN (48) HOURS
Revocation of Transfer Due to Non-Attendance
TULSA PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICY 2606 AND POLICY 2207
Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education Policy 2206, Admission of District Transfer Students, states that students must follow approved board policy for attendance. Tulsa Public Schools Board of Education Policy 2204 states that students attending elementary or secondary schools shall be in attendance a minimum of ninety percent (90%) of the instructional time. All excused and unexcused absences and tardies should be considered in calculating a student’s attendance.
Notification of Loss of Credit – Secondary Students
Prior to the end of each semester, the Administration shall review absentee records and determine eligibility for credit in courses in which a student has absences in excess of nine (9) days. When a determination has been made that excessive absenteeism (10 or more days) merits a loss of credit, the Administration will send a “loss of credit” letter to the parents or guardians advising them that no credit will be given for the classes. Parents/guardians may appeal the loss of credit, in writing, to the Dean of Attendance within the deadlines AND format set each semester by the Dean of Attendance. If a student has excessive absences in a specific course, the student may receive credit in that course only if, in the judgment of the Administration, the student has mastered the coursework.
Incomplete, illegible, and late Attendance Appeal Forms will not be considered. Students must obtain the signatures of the teacher of each course being appealed for credit. Students losing course credit due to excessive absences may be required to enroll for credit recovery, at their own expense, at the Tulsa Tech Success Center. Students losing credit due to excessive absences will have the pound sign“#” (no credit) recorded on their transcript if they are passing the course at the end of the semester. Students failing the course at the end of the semester will have an “F” recorded on their transcript.
Early Dismissal/Pick-Up
TULSA PUBLIC SCHOOLS BOARD OF EDUCATION POLICY 2117: To ensure students always leave school in the custody of a safe adult who is authorized in writing to do so by a parent or legal guardian.
A PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN MAY DESIGNATE ANOTHER ADULT (OVER THE AGE OF 18) TO PICK UP A STUDENT EARLY FROM SCHOOL. Such authorization must be presented in writing and entered into the District’s emergency contact database (PowerSchool). Persons authorized by the parent or legal guardian for early pickup must be able to produce valid, unexpired, photo identification.
A legal guardian is automatically authorized to check his/her child out of school unless official court documents are submitted to the school’s main office with instructions that restrict the parent/guardian’s access to the child. Such instructions will be entered into the District’s student information management system.
Adults who arrive at a school to check out a student must check in with the attendance office, sign an early release document, and provide valid photo identification. The school office staff will check the signature and photo identification against the District’s student information management system to ensure the adult is authorized by the parents to have physical custody of the child. Leaving school without Administrative permission is classified as Truancy. Early pickup ends at 3:15 pm. After 3:15 pm, students are expected to remain in class for the remainder of the school day.
Late Arrival
All outside entrances are locked at 8:40 a.m. Students, parents, and visitors should enter the building at the Main Entrance on the North side of the campus.
STUDENTS ARRIVING AT SCHOOL AFTER 8:45 A.M. MUST SIGN IN AT THE ATTENDANCE OFFICE FOR A TARDY SLIP
TARDIES
Tardiness to class is a disruption of the normal operation of school and will be taken seriously. A student is tardy to class if he/she is not in the assigned classroom when class time begins.
Excused: Excused tardies will be issued on rare occasions when, in the judgment of the appropriate staff member (the attendance clerk, dean, counselor, or an administrator), the reasons given indicate an extreme and very unusual circumstance. Such reasons as overslept, did not feel well, had to run an errand, did not have a ride, car trouble, missed bus, etc., will not be considered an excused tardy.
Unexcused: All tardies not excused by the attendance clerk, dean, counselor, or an administrator.
Students reporting to school after 8:45 a.m. must check-in with the Attendance Office prior to proceeding to class. Students frequently tardy to school and/or class will be subject to disciplinary intervention. Students arriving to class within the first (15) minutes will be marked ‘Tardy.’ Students arriving after the first (15) minutes will be marked ‘Absent.’
Missed Bus/No-Show Bus
Bus services provided for Nathan Hale High School students is a courtesy of the transfer program. As such, bus transportation is a privilege, not a right or entitlement. Alternate transportation arrangements should be made in the event of a no-show bus.
