Attendance Policy

Regular attendance is essential for learning and is critical to your child's education. Disruptions to your child's school attendance can have a significant impact on his or her academic performance. Both the California Administration Code and California Education Code state that every pupil must attend school regularly. When a child is excessively absent, a parent-administrator-student conference will be scheduled. Excessive absences may also result in referral to the School Attendance Review Board (SARB). Your child should attend school consistently and should be absent only for illness or emergencies. Please do not schedule extended family vacations during school time.

 

Absences

Regular attendance is essential for learning and is critical to your child's education. Disruptions to your child's school attendance can have a signification impact on their academic performance. Both the California Administration Code and California Education Code require every pupil attend school regularly.

 

Parents/guardians are required to report all student absences through the online reporting tool posted at adamsmiddle.org, a written note submitted to the front office (including the student’s first and last name, reason, and dates of the absence), or by calling the Attendance Office at (310) 798-8636 on the day of the absence. California Education code states that a student may be excused from school for the following reasons only: illness, religion, or court appearance.  Please note that teachers are not required to give make-up work for unexcused absences. An absence notice must be received within 5 days following the date of absence, or the absence will be marked as truant.  Excused absences include:

• Illness
• Bereavement of immediate family-member
• Court appearance (with valid note)
• Observance of religious holiday or ceremony
• Medical appointment (with valid note from medical professional received within 5 days)

 

Students with excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, will receive regular communication via mail regarding absences, meet with a School Attendance Review Team (SART) to discuss how attendance can be improved, and may be referred to the School Attendance Review Board (SARB) if attendance does not improve.

 

It is our goal to earn a 97.5% Average Daily Attendance Rate (ADA) for the 2026-2027 school year.  Please help us meet this year’s goal by sending your child to school daily.  Every day a student is absent the school and district loses approximately $55.00.  Please note that attendance is taken every period.  Therefore, we receive ADA for partial-day attendance. If you have an appointment, please either send your student to school before the appointment OR please drop him or her off after the appointment.  More importantly, partial day attendance allows students to maximize instructional time in their classes.

 

Thank you in advance for your support as we partner with parents and guardians to ensure our students have a successful school year.