Partnering for Success: What’s Changing with School Attendance This Year

As we prepare for the start of the new school year, we want to share an important update regarding changes to state law and Lakota’s updated attendance policy.

Ohio’s recently approved state operating budget (House Bill 96) introduces a new statewide standard for tracking student attendance and addressing chronic absenteeism. The Lakota Board of Education officially approved updates to Policy 5200, Student Attendance, at its July 27 meeting.

What’s Changing Under House Bill 96 (HB96)

The primary goal of Ohio’s updated attendance law is early support and intervention, rather than disciplinary action. Key updates include:

• All Missed Hours Count: Under the new state guidelines, all absences, whether excused, unexcused, religious or medical, are included when calculating chronic absenteeism.
• Earlier Family Outreach: School districts are now required to notify parents and guardians earlier, specifically when a student misses 5% of annual instructional hours (about seven-eight school days).
• Partnering with Families: HB96 emphasizes school-family collaboration. Referral to juvenile court for truancy will be used strictly as a last resort if a student is habitually absent and no progress is made on a collaborative intervention plan.

Lakota Policy 5200 Updates

To comply with state law while supporting our families, Lakota’s updated policy includes the following:

• Medical Absences: Up to five medically excused absences will be accepted without a doctor’s note, as long as the parent or guardian notifies the school to report the absence.
• When Notices are Sent: Parents and guardians will receive an automated notification through ParentSquare if their student reaches 5% their total required instructional hours:
  • Half Day Kindergarten: Notification at 22.75 hours hours missed (5% of 455 hours)
  • Grades K-6: Notification at 45.5 hours (5% of 910 hours)
  • Grades 7-12: Notification at 50.5 hours (5% of 1001 hours)

Why Attendance Matters

Consistent attendance is vital to student achievement. National research indicates that missing just 5-12 days of school during the year can put a student at risk of falling behind in reading and math proficiency.

We Want to Partner with You

Every Lakota school has a dedicated absence intervention team to help families when chronic absenteeism is identified. Our teams will work proactively with families through:

• Direct student and family check-ins to identify underlying challenges.
• Connections to district and community parent-support resources.
• Collaborative truancy prevention and attendance mediation plans.

Our ultimate goal is to ensure every student arrives at school feeling supported, engaged and ready to learn. If you have questions or need assistance regarding your student’s attendance, please contact your school’s main office or guidance department.