Attendance and Chronic Absenteeism

Attendance of any school-age student of compulsory age, who resides in KLSD or is placed by a parent/guardian in another public school district, a charter school, or is placed by a district administrator or the KLSD CSE in an educational programs outside the district (such as, another school district, BOCES, approved private in-State or out-of-State school, and State supported school) will be reported in SIRS.

Attendance will be reported by any reporting entity that is required to report attendance.

Resident students of compulsory age who were not in attendance (including in a charter school, nonpublic school, or approved home schooling program) in the current school year will be reported until they exceed compulsory school age, they no longer reside in KLSD, or KLSD has documentation that the student has entered another educational program leading to a high school diploma.

Students who drop out while still of compulsory school age will be kept on the school attendance register until they exceed compulsory school age or move out of the district.

KLSD recognizes the tremendous importance of regular and consistent student attendance and engagement. Since most students will have access to their classes both virtually and in person, there are just a few valid reasons for students to be absent from their classes during the school year. These reasons are specified in our Comprehensive Student Attendance Policy  found online in our School District Policies.

KLSD further recognizes the importance of building positive school relationships with all students. All our staff, including our teachers, administrators, social workers, psychologists, school counselors and support staff, are committed to building these relationships in order to encourage all students to see their schools in a positive light and as places to which they look forward to arriving each day.

When students are absent, whether for short or long term, we will make every effort to connect with students and their families to understand the reason for the absence and to encourage a return to school as quickly as possible. We will use all communication means at our disposal – from phone calls, to texts, to emails, to letters, to home visits – in order to make those connections and return our students to school.

In light of the pandemic, we are that much more sensitive to the importance of re-engaging all students in their schools. At the start of the coming school year, additional time will be devoted to nurturing and maintaining the social emotional well-being of all our students. For more information on this, please see the section in the our KLSD Reopens 2020 plan on Social Emotional Well-Being.