Chapter E - School Operations 

Part 5.0 Attendance 

Section 5.3 Truancy, Tardies, Saturday Attendance School 

Policy Statement: 

APA provides students who miss academic time at school evidence-based opportunities to remedy lost academic time through Saturday Attendance School and supplemental Academic Work. 

Truancy - Failure to Attend School 

Utah is a compulsory education state. Students are required by law to attend school each day. If a student chronically fails to attend school, defined by American Prep as missing more than five days per school year with no communication from the parent regarding the absence, American Prep may report the student as truant. 

Unexcused Absences 

1.    If a student is not present in a class, teachers will mark the student in the system as an “X”. If the student is identified as absent without parent permission the attendance mark will be adjusted to an “S” (sluff). 

2.    Students who leave campus without permission will automatically be recorded as an “S” in any class period missed and may face disciplinary action. 

3.    An “S” in any class period will generate an automatic NC or No Credit, which results in no credit for the class. The NC will remain until the student makes up the “S” by attending 90 minutes of attendance school. Students may be required to pay a truancy fee (53G-7-501(6)(b)(vi)). 

4.    Once the student has made up the “S” through the fine and attendance school, the class grade will return (as long as they do not have a NC in the same period due to accumulating four or more tardies as outlined in the Tardy Policy). 

5.    NCs received from “S” marks may only be made up during the term they were received. 

6.    If at the conclusion of the term, a student has an NC and a class percentage of below 60%, the student will receive a failing grade and the NC removed from the transcript. 

Students may be required to complete Academic Work to make up for lost academic time. Completion of the packets can assist the student clearing a grade of No Credit (NC).  If at the conclusion of the term, a student has completed Academic Work, the student will receive the greatest academic benefit grade and the NC removed from the transcript. Up to six (6) credit recovery packets will be accepted towards graduation. 

Tardies (Previously E-5.3)

1.    Secondary students are allowed five minutes between class periods. By the second bell students are expected to be: 

1.    seated at their desks, 

2.    with the necessary materials ready (pencil, book, binder), 

3.    in full school uniform (name tag, shirt tucked in, etc.), and 

4.    working on the bell ringer activity. 

1.  Students who are not present and prepared at the beginning of class may be marked tardy for that class. 

2.    Each class is evaluated independently.  

3.    If a student accumulates a total of four or more tardies in any class, the grade for the class will be changed to NC (no credit) and will remain as NC until the student fulfills the requirements to remove the NC. 

4.    The No Credit (NC) will remain as the letter grade for that class unless:  

1.    the student fulfills the requirements of attendance school (see Attendance School policy), or  

2.    completes assigned Academic Work to make up for the lost academic time. 

5.    The school administrator will review each NC by the end of each term and change the NC to a posted grade if the student has fulfilled the requirements of attendance school. 

6.    The school administrator will review each NC remaining at the end of the school year and if make-up Academic Work is completed at some point prior to the commencement of the next academic year, will change the NC to the grade that will provide the greatest academic benefit to the student: 

1.    the earned grade in the course, or  

2.    the Pass grade from the make-up Academic Work.  

Attendance School – Secondary (Previously E-5.3.1)

1.    Attendance school is a service provided to assist students in clearing their attendance record from excessive tardies. When a student is tardy more than four times to a class, their grade is changed to NC (no credit). 

2.    Students may clear their attendance record from the NC by attending Attendance School. 

3.    Attendance school is typically held on Saturday mornings from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. during thesecondhalf of the term. 

4.    Attendance school hours will be posted in the secondary offices and published in the newsletter.  

5.    To make up each tardy, students may be required to pay a tardy fee (53G-7-501(6)(b)(vi)) and attend 30 minutes of Attendance School. 

6.    No students will be admitted late to Attendance School. 

7.    During attendance school, students must wear full uniform and must work quietly or read.  

8.    No electronics are allowed in Attendance School.  

9.    If a student is talking, sleeping, or using their cell phones or other personal electronics during attendance school, they will be excused and their attendance record will not be cleared. The student can attend a future Attendance School to clear their attendance record. 

10. Each half hour of attendance school clears 1 tardy from the student’s record if attendance school is completed during the term in which the NC was assigned.  

11. A full hour of attendance school clears 1 tardy from the student’s record if attendance school is completed outside of the term in which the NC was assigned.  

12. Sluffs (not attending class and absent parental permission) require an hour of Attendance School to remove 1 Sluff. 

13. Upon successful completion of the needed hours of Attendance School during the term in which the NC was assigned, the NC will be removed and the student's earned letter grade will reappear. 

14. Students who fail to complete Attendance School during any quarter of the school year may be assigned Academic Work and upon successful completion the NC may be removed. More information can be found on the Tardy School policy. 

*Students and parents are encouraged to check Skyward regularly to stay up-to-date on their grades, attendance, tardies, NCs, etc.  

Related Policies: G-7.3 Course Grade Forgiveness