IDEA Public Charter School

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1027 45th St. NE, Washington, DC 20019 Phone: (202) 399-4750
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Attendance Policy

If your scholar is going to be late to or absent from school, whether virtually or in person, please call the main office at 202-399-4750  by 9am. Failure to call and notify the school of an expected absence may result in the scholar being marked absent.
 
Excused Absences
Absences will be excused for: 
  • Illness (doctor's note is needed for more than three days of illness)
  • Religious holiday
  • Death in the family (documentation is needed, such as funeral program)
  • Family emergency
  • Out-of-school or in-school suspension
  • Other absences approved in advance by an IDEA administrator upon written request by a parent or guardian

Documenting an Excused Absence
When a scholar returns to school after an absence, s/he should bring a note to the main office. The note should include the date(s) of the absence, the reason for the absence, and any required documentation.
 
An original doctor’s certificate should be provided for medical appointments scheduled during the school day or absences due to illness totaling three or more days.
 
Attendance Failure/Loss of Academic Credit
  • Five absences (excused or unexcused) in any quarter in a particular class will result in an automatic loss of credit for that quarter in that class.
  • A grade of F will be issued to the scholar for any class in which s/he has exceeded the number of allowable absences.
  • Scholars and parents/guardians may appeal a loss of class credit by following the appeals procedure no later than three weeks after the end of the quarter or semester grading period.
  • A total of 10 unexcused absences during any semester in a particular class will result in an automatic loss of credit for the semester.
 
Truancy
  • Truancy is the willful absence from school by a minor (5–18 years of age) with or without parental approval, knowledge, or consent.
  • A truant is a minor (5–18 years of age) who, without a valid reason and with or without parental knowledge or consent, does not attend school and accumulates 25 or more unexcused absences in one school year.
 
Consequences for Absenteeism
  • If a scholar has 20 or more unexcused absences (non-consecutive), s/he will be automatically unenrolled from IDEA.
  • If a scholar is absent for 10 consecutive days, unexcused, s/he will be automatically unenrolled from IDEA.
  • If a scholar has 15 or more unexcused absences (consecutive or non-consecutive), we will make a referral to Child Protective Services or Truancy Court.
  • Scholars who are unenrolled will not be eligible to return to IDEA for the school year in which they were unenrolled. Scholars will have to reapply as a new student for the subsequent school year.
 
Make-Up Work Policy
IDEA scholars who are absent from school are responsible for:
  • Resuming their work the day they return to school.
  • Requesting, collecting, and completing all missed work and assignments from each teacher.
  • Creating and correctly following a make-up work plan with teachers if he/she is absent from school for five or more days. No credit will be given if the plan is not followed correctly by the student.