Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutBUL 4926.5 Enrollment Attendance and Withdrawal Policies and Procedures.pdfLOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICY BULLETIN BUL-4926.4 Division of School Operations Page 1 of 13 August 12, 2024 TITLE: ROUTING All Employees All Locations NUMBER: ISSUER: DATE: Enrollment, Attendance, and Withdrawal Policies and Procedures BUL-4926.4 Andrés E. Chait Chief of School Operations Division of School Operations Joel E. Cisneros Executive Director Student Mental Health and Wellness Programs August 12, 2024 POLICY: MAJOR CHANGES: Enrollment, Attendance, and Withdrawal Policies and Procedures Elementary and Secondary Reason Code ’s parent/guardian participate in safety planning as it relates to the death of the student’s ’s LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICY BULLETIN BUL-4926.4 Division of School Operations Page 2 of 13 August 12, 2024 d. Religious instruction - attend minimum school day no more than 4 days per school month. e. Newly added elementary reason code, Main Office (MO). 4. Newly added section 10.2 Attendance Recognition Criteria Policy 5. Newly added section 10.5.5 Average Daily Attendance (ADA) Apportion Absences and section 10.5.6 Non-Average Daily Attendance (ADA) Apportion Absences. 6. Newly added sections to 12.2 Withdrawal Supporting Documents. a. Records Request b. California Private School Affidavit c. Not Attending, No Show, Not Enrolled Letter d. Obituary or Death Notice 7. Newly added guidance in section 12.7.1 Enrolled Student, Not Attending 8. Newly added section 15.1.1 History of Excessive Absences. GUIDELINES: Per Education Code § 48200 each person between the ages of 6 and 18 years, not exempted, is subject to compulsory full-time education and each parent/guardian, or other person having control or charge of the student shall send the student to the public full-time day school or continuation school or classes for his/her residence area for the full time designated as the length of the school day. Every school should implement programs and practices that demonstrate a strong commitment to improve student attendance, decrease student dropouts, and thereby increase student achievement and graduation rates. Every school within the LAUSD must implement programs and practices consistent with the following guidelines: I. ATTENDANCE ACCOUNTING OVERVIEW a. Principals must make a concerted effort to ensure data accuracy by establishing ongoing procedures to review and validate student and staff data throughout the year. The Elevate Data Quality (https://datatool.lausd.net) sends email notifications two times per week to designated school staff, beginning the second week of school in the Fall. II. SCHOOL ENROLLMENT PROCESS a. The principal is responsible for the immediate enrollment of all students under their supervision. Schools should make every effort to ensure that all non-enrolled students residing within the school’s attendance boundaries are enrolled immediately, without delay, regardless of the time of year. School offices shall not limit enrollment services to certain hours or days of the week and must enroll students during all regular school hours and shall not maintain waiting lists for enrollment. To determine the school of residence, visit LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICY BULLETIN BUL-4926.4 Division of School Operations Page 3 of 13 August 12, 2024 https://rsi.lausd.net/ResidentSchoolIdentifier/. b. The online LAUSD Student Pre-Enrollment Portal supports the submission of enrollment information for new LAUSD students enrolling in grades TK-12. Designated school staff should regularly check emails processed through Parent Portal and can access the uploaded documents by student ID, student name, status, and file type. After reviewing documents, schools should update the status of the document and save and/or file it as appropriate, per policy. c. To facilitate the enrollment process, school personnel shall provide affidavits for any missing but required documents. Forms for new LAUSD students, defined as a student who has not attended any LAUSD school within the current academic school year, should be provided with the New LAUSD Student Enrollment Forms. The pre- enrollment application portal for new students entering TK-12 grade can also be accessed at enroll.lausd.net. d. Students matriculating and/or transferring within LAUSD shall provide updates through the required Annually Disseminated Forms. e. LAUSD, in accordance with E.C. Section 49408, requires the parent/guardian to provide current emergency information on an official Student Emergency Information Form at the school site for the protection of each student’s health and welfare, and to facilitate immediate communication with the parent/guardian. f. New students to LAUSD will not be admitted or enrolled unless a current, complete immunization record provided by a health care provider, or the health department is presented at the time of enrollment. Students in special populations may be granted Conditional Admission and enrolled if missing doses of required vaccines are not yet due. g. LAUSD non-matriculating students who are transferring between LAUSD schools should be auto withdrawn in MiSiS by the enrolling school. Students who are new to LAUSD shall be enrolled as new enrollees in MiSiS. h. The enrollment date (E-Date) of a student is the first day of in- seat attendance. California regulations require school districts to certify attendance procedures with the State. School staff shall document students who enroll in school and shall follow the School Enrollment Code guidelines when recording enrollment data. III. ENROLLMENT FOR STUDENTS IN SPECIAL POPULATIONS a. A student with special circumstances (e.g., a student experiencing homelessness, students in foster care, youth involved in the juvenile justice system, students from military families, recently immigrated LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICY BULLETIN BUL-4926.4 Division of School Operations Page 4 of 13 August 12, 2024 youth, unaccompanied homeless youth, students with IEPs) shall be enrolled immediately, without delay, regardless of the availability of school records, immunization records, proof of residence, school uniforms, and existence of fines from a previous school or any other documentation (E.C. §§ 48432.5, 48853, 48853.5). For more information, refer to BUL-6718, Educational Rights and Guidelines for Youth in Foster Care, Experiencing Homelessness and/or Involved in the Juvenile Justice System. b. Schools shall allow identified students in special populations to remain in their school of origin (regardless of the school or district attendance boundaries) to promote school stability, in accordance with the law. Parents, legal guardians, Educational Rights Holder (ERH), and/or the unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness are the ultimate decision maker regarding whether a student remains or re-enrolls at their school of origin. School of origin rights apply to all schools including preschools, magnet programs, options programs, and charter schools. IV. SPECIAL CONSIDERATION DURING ENROLLMENT a. Students that are 18 years of age or older should not be denied enrollment in a school program solely based on age. b. Students who are pregnant or parenting are not exempt from the Compulsory Education Law (E.C. § 48200). Students who are pregnant or parenting have the right to remain in their regular or current school program, enroll, as well as to return to, any school/program for which they would otherwise qualify at any stage of the pregnancy and regardless of proximity to their due date. c. Emancipated minors are not exempt from the Compulsory Education Law and must attend school. Emancipated minors can self-enroll. If enrolling in another educational program, emancipated minors may initiate their own request to withdraw. d. Students may remain in a comprehensive high school until requirements are met or through the age of 21, as long as satisfactory progress is maintained (Refer to the Master Plan for English Learners). V. LAUSD PLACEMENT ENROLLMENT a. There are certain circumstances that allow enrollment of a student outside of their resident school boundaries, such as Opportunity Transfer (O.T.), Expulsion and Admission, and District Placement. LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICY BULLETIN BUL-4926.4 Division of School Operations Page 5 of 13 August 12, 2024 VI. ENROLLMENT CHOICES PROGRAMS a. LAUSD provides families the opportunity to apply for several programs, including Open Enrollment, Magnet Programs, Permits with Transportation Programs, Schools for Advanced Studies, Affiliated Charter Schools, Zones of Choice, and Independent Studies. VII. ENROLLMENT PERMITS a. Intra-District permit applications are requests to allow students that reside within the boundaries of one school within the LAUSD to attend another school within the LAUSD, as school capacity permits. Initial permit applications require the approval of the two LAUSD schools involved. Refer to BUL-5347.2, Intra-District Permits (school to school) and Student Transfers in Elementary and Secondary. b. Incoming Inter-District permits are granted for students who reside outside of LAUSD boundaries. The Inter-District permit application must be completed online at http://studentpermits.lausd.net/. Refer to BUL-5341.3, Inter- District Permits (District to District) and Student Transfers in Elementary and Secondary School. c. Outgoing Inter-District permits may be granted for students who reside within LAUSD boundaries. The Inter-District permit must be completed online at http://studentpermits.lausd.net/. Refer to BUL- 5341.3, Inter-District Permits (District to District) and Student Transfers in Elementary and Secondary School. d. The Foreign Student Admissions Office (FSAO) is responsible for the processing and placement of international students in identified LAUSD High Schools. For more information, refer to BUL- 5417.2, Foreign Students Admissions or visit https://www.lausd.org/Page/12902#spn-content. VIII. UNIVERSAL TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN (UTK) AND KINDERGARTEN (K) PROGRAMS a. Universal Transitional Kindergarten (UTK) provides for a two-year Kindergarten program, where students are placed in grade UTK the first year and Kindergarten in the second year. It is a general education placement for age-eligible students. Students in the UTK program are placed in either grade level TK or TE in MiSiS according to their age/birthdate. For more information refer to REF 123501.3 Universal Transitional Kindergarten Implementation. LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICY BULLETIN BUL-4926.4 Division of School Operations Page 6 of 13 August 12, 2024 IX. RESIDENT CHANGES AND INACCURATE/SUSPICIOUS/FALSE ADDRESS a. Schools are responsible for the proper enrollment of all students, including verifying residence information and ensuring permit policies are followed. b. If a school error is not discovered within the first three weeks of the school year, the school shall give the parent/guardian the option to transfer the student to the school of residence or issue an Intra- District Continuing Enrollment Permit. c. If a change of address is not reported by the parent, in writing, within 30 days of such a change, this shall be a cause for forfeiture of the right to a Continuing Enrollment Permit, provided that the school meets its responsibility regarding residence verification. d. When school officials have reason to believe that the address provided by the parent/guardian is incorrect, or was falsely reported, due diligence efforts to obtain the correct information must be made and documented. Students shall remain enrolled during the investigation process. e. When a new address is obtained and it corresponds to another school, the administrator shall ensure the educational continuity for each student and determine if students will remain in the school of attendance, pursue the continuing enrollment permit, transfer to the school of residence, or request an Inter-District permit. f. If it is determined after due diligence that the parent/guardian provided inaccurate information regarding their place of residence from the initial time of enrollment, the administrator must request a meeting with the parent/guardian to notify them that the student shall be immediately transferred to the school of residence. g. If the residence information is false and the student is no longer in attendance, the school administrator must use due diligence efforts to exhaust all investigative procedures to determine the student’s actual address before a determination to withdraw the student can be made. h. After all due diligence efforts are made and documented in MiSiS, the school administrator may consult with the Region Pupil Services and Attendance Coordinator or other appropriate District official, to determine if withdrawal of the student is appropriate. X. ATTENDANCE MONITORING & ACCOUNTING PROCEDURES FOR COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOLS a. California public schools are required to comply with E.C. § 32281, which calls for schools to prepare safety plans. The LAUSD LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICY BULLETIN BUL-4926.4 Division of School Operations Page 7 of 13 August 12, 2024 Integrated Safe School Plan online system (https://www.lausd.org/Page/16314) requires the entry of one goal for each of the following components: school wide discipline plan implementation, attendance and dropout prevention, threat/hazard, and emergency function. b. School administrators are responsible for ensuring that student attendance is recorded daily, accurately, and in a timely manner for all students in all class periods. Teachers are required to submit and certify attendance in MiSiS every day for each class during the first 15 minutes (E.C. § 44809). Refer to the Elementary and Secondary Reason Codes in REF-5464.11, Initial Notification of Truancy (1st NOT) Central Automation and School Generated (2nd and 3rd NOT) Procedures. c. Schools shall not retroactively input attendance in MiSiS without retaining the corresponding paper attendance records, as this may result in an audit finding and disallowance of the Average Daily Attendance (ADA). All classroom-based students must be physically present in class in order to be marked present. d. The Attendance Not Submitted and Teacher Discrepancy (secondary grade levels only) MiSiS reports shall be generated at least once per day to verify that all attendance has been submitted, is accurate, and followed up on as needed. e. Every principal shall require a satisfactory explanation from the parent/guardian of a student, either in person or by written note, whenever the student is absent for part or all of a school day as per CCR, Title 5, § 306. E.C. § 48205 delineates what types of absences may be excused by a person authorized to excuse absences. All absence verification/notes must be maintained for five years for audit purposes. f. Every effort shall be made by the school staff to notify parents/ guardians of their child’s uncleared absences, and the steps required to clear all absences. XI. RECORD KEEPING DURING SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES a. The school administrator shall retain a master copy of the Five Column Rosters and provide all teachers with a printed copy at the beginning of each semester, updated periodically as needed, and anytime MiSiS is unavailable. b. If a mass absence is due to some event that affects the District as a whole, the District will distribute appropriate guidelines for documentation and response (E.C. § 46390). c. School authorities may excuse any student, grades 7 to 12, from the LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICY BULLETIN BUL-4926.4 Division of School Operations Page 8 of 13 August 12, 2024 school for the purpose of obtaining confidential medical services without consent of the parent/guardian (E.C. § 46010.1) as noted in the District’s Parent Student Handbook. d. A temporarily disabled student may receive individual instruction through Independent Study instead of instruction through Carlson Home and Hospital School. e. When a student is suspended the principal/designee must follow the procedures outlined in BUL-5655.4, Guidelines for Student Suspension. All Students suspension must be documented in MiSiS following the procedures described in BUL-5655.3, Documentation of Student Misconduct as Defined in Education Code in My Integrated Student Information System (MiSiS). f. A school may excuse the absences of a student who holds an entertainment work permit (E.C. § 48225.5). The law limits the number of excused absences for a child holding an entertainment work permit for a maximum of up to five absences per school year. g. Student attendance during a field trip should be recorded in MiSiS. h. If there are multiple attendance code entries on the same day, all occurrences should be documented in MiSiS. XII. WITHDRAWAL PROCEDURES a. School staff shall ensure that valid documentation is provided by the parent/legal guardian/educational rights holder (ERH) or another school to support the withdrawal type prior to withdrawing a student. For the most up to date list of withdrawal codes and reasons (L Codes), refer to Withdrawal Types and Reasons in REF 6906.6, Fall Census for Elementary and Secondary Schools or visit the MiSiS Resources and Job Aids. b. It is the school’s responsibility to enter withdrawal records and document/update the correct withdrawal code in MiSiS. c. Schools shall exercise all due diligence efforts to locate students with excessive absences and/or when whereabouts are unknown prior to withdrawing. Students should not be withdrawn and should continue to appear on MiSiS rosters until all due diligence efforts are exhausted and documented in MiSiS. d. If an enrolled student is located but not attending, the student should not be withdrawn. Designated school staff should implement due diligent efforts to re-engage the student and family with the goal of returning the student to regular attendance or referring to an alternative educational program, if appropriate. For further guidance, refer to the School Attendance Review Board Guide for Schools or consult with the PSA Region Administrator for further guidance. LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICY BULLETIN BUL-4926.4 Division of School Operations Page 9 of 13 August 12, 2024 XIII. NO SHOW STUDENT PROCEDURES a. Schools are responsible for identifying, flagging, processing, and documenting all due diligence efforts in MiSiS for no show students. Schools should process no show students at the end of the student’s first expected instructional day. b. Schools shall exercise all due diligence efforts to locate no show students. Entries for locating a No Show student should be documented in the MiSiS Student Contact Log. XIV. DOCUMENTATION OF SERIVCES, CONTACT AND/OR INTERVENTIONS a. State and federal laws strictly regulate the rights and obligations regarding access to and disclosure of student record information and an individual’s health information [Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, (FERPA), 20 U.S.C. Section 1232g; California Education Code Sections 49060 et seq., 49073 et seq. and The Federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)]. b. It is the policy of LAUSD to protect sensitive student information. All District employees shall uphold both FERPA and HIPAA when documenting student information and accessing and/or sharing student records. XV. SCHOOL ABSENTEEISM a. State law E.C. § 60901(c)(1) defines chronic absentee as “a student who is absent on 10% or more of the school days in the school year when the total number of days a student is absent is divided by the total number of days the student is enrolled and school was actually taught in the regular day schools of the District, exclusive of Saturdays and Sundays”. b. LAUSD defines chronic absenteeism as an attendance rate of 91% or below. c. For any student with a history of excessive parent excused absences, schools may limit the number of parent excused absences. For more information refer to the School Attendance Review Board Guide for Schools, REF-5464.11 Initial Notification of Truancy (1st NOT) Central Automation and School Generated (2nd and 3rd NOT) Procedures, or consult with the PSA Region Administrator for further guidance. d. Upon a student’s initial classification as a truant, the school district is required to notify the student’s parent/guardian (E.C. Section 48260.5). To comply with this mandate, LAUSD has automated the Initial Notification of Truancy (1st NOT) Letter. Schools are required LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICY BULLETIN BUL-4926.4 Division of School Operations Page 10 of 13 August 12, 2024 to generate and mail the 2nd and 3rd Notification of Truancy (NOT) letters in the event of additional truancies using the MiSiS system. For more information refer to REF-5464.11 Initial Notification of Truancy (1st NOT) Central Automation and School Generated (2nd and 3rd NOT) Procedures. e. The purpose of the School Attendance Review Team (SART) intervention is to formally address and find viable solutions to the barriers preventing regular school attendance. f. The purpose of the Resource Panel is to assist LAUSD school staff to further support interventions related to a student’s attendance and/or behavior. g. The purpose of the School Attendance Review Board (SARB) is to divert students with school attendance and/or school behavior barriers from the juvenile justice system. Coordinated school and community services are provided through SARB meetings throughout the District. h. For more information regarding SART, Resource Panel and SARB refer to School Attendance Review Board (SARB) Intervention Guide for Schools on the Pupil Services website https://www.lausd.org/pupilservices. XVI. AUDITS a. In accordance with District policy, principals are responsible for maintaining student enrollment, attendance, and withdrawal accounting records to ensure their availability for audits. For additional information refer to the MyPLN online class (Pupil Services and Attendance Essential Tips to Support Policy and Meet Compliance, Best Practices to Eliminate Audit Findings) and visit https://www.lausd.org/misisjobaids. AUTHORITY: This is a policy of the California State Superintendent of Schools. The following California Education Codes (E.C.) and California Code of Regulations (CCR) applied to this policy: • E.C. § 234.7 - Guidelines for Requesting Documents • E.C. § 44809 - Teacher Attendance Taking Responsibility • E.C. § 46012 - Student Absence Verification • E.C. § 46390 - School Emergency Absence Procedures • E.C. § 48000 - Kindergarten Enrollment • E.C. § 48200 - Compulsory Education Law • E.C. § 48204 - Caregiver’s Authorization Affidavit • E.C. § 48204.2 - Investigating False Addresses • E.C. § 48205 - Authorized Excused Absences LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICY BULLETIN BUL-4926.4 Division of School Operations Page 11 of 13 August 12, 2024 • E.C. § 48225.5 - Entertainment Permit Student Absences • E.C. §§ 48260, 48260.5, 48261, 48262, 48263, 48291 - Truancy • E.C. §§ 48432.5, 48853, 48853.5 - Enrollment for Students with Special Circumstances • E.C. § 49408 - Student Emergency Information • E.C. § 60901(c)(1) - State Law Chronic Absentee Definition • CCR, Title 5, § 306 • CCR, Title 5, § 421 RELATED RESOURCES: To access related resources, refer to LAUSD eLibrary BUL-079501.2, Graduation Requirements for the Classes of 2020 2025, August 2023 BUL-086303.0, K-12 Open Enrollment Transfer for Elementary and Secondary Students, March 2020 BUL-999.15, Responsible Use Policy (RUP) for District Computer and Network Systems, October 2023 BUL-1077.2, Information Protection Policy, July 2017 BUL-1229.3, Carlson Home, Hospital & Home Online Academy Instructional Services, July 2018 BUL-1645.2, Infection Control Guidelines for Preventing the Spread of Communicable Diseases, July 2015 BUL-1660.9, Immunization Guidelines for School Admission, August 2020 BUL-2060.2, Pregnant and Parenting Students Educational Rights, March 2019 BUL-2521.4, Title IX policy/Nondiscrimination Complaint Procedures, September 2023 BUL- 2637.5 Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention (Students), July 2023 BUL-3585.6, Oral Health Assessment for Kindergarten to First Grade, August 2016 LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICY BULLETIN BUL-4926.4 Division of School Operations Page 12 of 13 August 12, 2024 BUL-5269.3, Incident System Tracking Accountability Report, June 2022 BUL-5341.3, Inter-District Permits (District to District) and Student Transfers in Elementary and Secondary School, February 2021 BUL-5347.2, Intra-District (School to School) Permits and Student Transfers in Elementary and Secondary Schools, December 2023 BUL-5417.2, Foreign Students Admissions, May 2016 BUL-5655.3,Guidelines for Student Suspension, October 10, 2016 BUL-5703.4, Name and/or Gender of Pupils for Purposes of School Records, August 31, 2021 BUL-5708.2, Transitional Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and First Grade Entrance Age Requirements, Verification of Birth Date, and Placement Forms, August 2018 BUL-5799.2, Threat Assessment and Management (Student-to- Student, Student-to-Adult), July 2023 BUL-5808.5, Documentation of Student Misconduct as Defined in Education Code in My Integrated Student Information System (MiSiS), August 2022 BUL-6050.2, Expulsion of Students - Policy and Procedures, October 2016 BUL-6303.1, Student Emergency Informational Form, June 2022 BUL- 6362.0, Opportunity Transfer (O.T.) Policy and Procedures, August 2014 BUL-6591.0, California Confidential Address Program Implementation, October 2015 BUL-6718.0, Educational Rights and Guidelines for Youth in Foster Care, Experiencing Homelessness and/or Involved in the Juvenile Justice System, August 8, 2016 BUL-6779.5, Guidelines for Independent Study Programs, August 2022 LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICY BULLETIN BUL-4926.4 Division of School Operations Page 13 of 13 August 12, 2024 BUL-6837.1, Pupils in the Entertainment and Allied Industries, November 2017 BUL-6887.1, Pupil Records: Access, Confidentiality, and Notice of Educational Rights, March 2019 BUL-139111.0, Title VI American Indian Education Program: Student Identification and the American Indian Parent Committee (AIPC), April 2023 BUL-152513, Process for Requesting Excuse from School for Religious and Moral Instruction, July 2024 ATTACHMENTS: None ASSISTANCE: For assistance or further information, please contact or visit: • Student Health and Human Services at (213) 241-3840 • Pupil Services and Attendance, School Attendance and Enrollment Schoology Group (Access Code D4GT-DTTH-59Z3V) • Region Pupil Services and Attendance Coordinators • For pupil records or legal questions, Office of General Counsel (213) 241-6601 • Office of Data and Accountability at (213) 241-2460 • Contact the IT HelpDesk for assistance with technical issues (e.g., problems logging in or accessing the District's network) or to report a technical problem with MiSiS. Technical support can be accessed by: ▪ Submit a Support Request Online ▪ Chat Live with an Agent ▪ Call (213) 241-5200 and select Option 5, sub option 2 for MiSiS help or questions