Attendance Guidelines

(E.C. section 46014) It is important that students attend school every day it is in session.  See your school’s parent handbook for more information.

Absence for Religious Purposes

(E.C. section 46014) With your written permission, your child may be excused to attend religious exercises or to receive moral and religious instruction away from school.  However, your child will be required to complete a certain number of minutes for that day.  Such absences are limited to four days per month.

Excused Absences

(E.C. section 48205) Subject to any applicable limitation, condition, or other requirement specified in law, a student’s absence shall be excused for any of the following reason:

  1. Personal illness
  2. Quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer
  3. Medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic appointment
  4. Attendance at funeral services for a member of the student’s immediate family. Such absence shall be limited to one day of the service is conducted in California or three days if the service is conducted out of state.
  5. Jury duty in the manner provided by law
  6. Illness of medical appointment of child to whom the student is the custodial parent
  7. Upon advance written request by the parent/guardian and the approval of principal or designee, justifiable personal reasons including, but not limited to:
    1. Appearance in court
    2. Attendance at a funeral service
    3. Observance of a religious holiday or ceremony
    4. Attendance at religious retreats for no more than four hours per semester
    5. Attendance at an employment conference
    6. Attendance at an educational conference on the legislative and judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization
  8. Service as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Election Code 12302
  9. To spend time with an immediate family member who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined in Ed. Code 49701, and is being deployed or is on leave from  a returned deployment.
  10. Attendance at a naturalization ceremony to become a US citizen
  11. Participation in religious exercises or to receive moral and religious instruction at the student’s place of worship or other suitable place away from school
  12. Work in the entertainment or allied industry
  13. Participation with nonprofit performing art organization in a performance for a public school audience
  14. Other reasons authorized at the discretion of the principal or designee based on the student’s specific circumstances
  15. For the purpose of the absences described above, immediate family means the student’s parent/guardian, brother, sister, grandparent, or any other relative living in the student’s household

Method of Verification

(Administrative Regulation 5113)

Student absences to care for a child for whom the student is the custodial parent shall not require a physician’s note.

For other absences the student shall, upon returning to school following the absence, present a satisfactory explanation verifying the reason for the absence.  Absences shall be verified by the student’s parent/guardian, other person having charge or control of the student, or the student if age 18 or older.

Verification of an excusable absence must be received within 3 days upon the student’s return to school.  If the verification is not received within three days, the absence will be recorded as an unexcused absence.

Intra district Attendance Option

(E.C. section 35160.5)

By law, the District must have a policy for residents of the District to attend schools within the District other than the one assigned by the District, unless the District only has one school or schools that do not serve any of the same grade levels.

Under the District’s policy, the District will determine the number of available spaces at each of its schools for students wishing to transfer to another school.  Students who currently reside in the attendance area of a school cannot be displaced by students wishing to transfer from within the District, but outside the school’s attendance area.  Further, the District retains the authority to maintain appropriate racial and ethnic balances among its respective schools and may therefore deny a transfer request if necessary to maintain these balances.  The selection process to determine which, if any, students will be allowed to transfer is random and unbiased.  A student’s academic or athletic performance cannot be a basis to accept or deny a transfer request.  The District is not required to provide transportation assistance to a student who transfers to another school in the District under these provisions.

Inter district Attendance Option

(E.C. sections 46600-46603, 48204(b), 48204(d), and 48300-48361)

Pioneer Union Elementary School District’s Inter District Policy is available at the District Office – 1888 N. Mustang Dr., Hanford, CA 93230

Attendance Where Parent is Employed (E.C. section 48204(b))

Your child may have the option of attending school in the district where you or your spouse is employed.  If interested, call the District Office at 585-2400 x4104 for information.

Attendance Where Caregiver Resides (E.C. section 48204(d))

If your child lives in the home of a care giving adult, as defined by law, your child may attend school in the district in which that residence is located.  Execution of an affidavit under penalty of perjury pursuant to the Family Code by the care giving adult is required to determine that your child lives in the caregiver’s home.

Individualized Instruction (Temporary Disabilities)

(E.C. sections 48206.3 and 48980(b))

If your child has a temporary disability that makes attendance in the regular day classes or alternative education program in which the pupil in enrolled impossible or inadvisable shall receive either individual instruction at home provided by the school district in which the pupil is deemed to reside, or individual instruction in a hospital or other residential health facility, excluding state hospitals, provided by the school district in which the hospital or other residential health facility is located.

Minimum Days or Pupil Free Staff Development Days

(E.C. section 48980(c))

Please refer to PUESD School Calendar attached.

No Grade Reduction or Loss of Academic Credit

(E.C. section 48205)

Your child shall not have his/her grade reduced or lose academic credit for any excused absence(s) if missed assignments and tests can be reasonably provided and are satisfactorily completed in a reasonable time.

Students in Hospitals Outside of School District

(E.C. sections 48206.3, 48207, and 48208)

If, due to a temporary disability, your child is in a hospital or other residential health facility which is located outside your school district, he/she may be eligible to attend the school district in which the hospital is located.  If this situation should arise, you should notify both the district where you reside and the district where the hospital is located so that individualized instruction, if possible, can be provided.