TITLE: NUMBER: ISSUER: Attendance Accounting and Reporting for Continuation High Schools REF-2515.0 DATE: May 15, 2006 Terri Minami, Director ROUTING Local District Superintendents Continuation High School Principals and Office Managers Central Office Administrators and Staff PURPOSE: MAJOR CHANGES: The purpose of this Reference Guide is to provide Continuation High Schools with instructions pertaining to the attendance accounting and reporting of students in continuation high schools. Procedures specific to students enrolled in Independent Study and Work Experience programs are also included. This reference guide replaces REF-1966.0, Attendance Accounting and Reporting for Special Day Program in Continuation Schools. INSTRUCTIONS: I. Introduction By District policy, continuation high schools must offer 250 minutes of instruction each day to continuation high school students. For apportionment purposes, a day of attendance in continuation high schools is 180 minutes. CCR, Title 5, Section 406 specifies that attendance shall be reported in clock hours. II. Attendance Accounting Guidelines A. The following guidelines apply to all continuation high school students except those enrolled in Independent Study and Work Experience programs. 1. In-seat attendance at a continuation education setting is recorded using positive hourly attendance accounting. Attendance is recorded for each scheduled class period, and students earn actual scheduled minutes only. 2. If a student attends any fraction of the scheduled class period, the student receives attendance for the full class period. 3. If a student is absent, the absence must be recorded as either excused, unexcused or suspension (see BUL-1292, Attachment M). 4. A student does not generate or earn attendance credit while on off-campus suspension. REF-2515.0 Page 1 of 6 May 15, 2006
5. A student cannot be credited with more than 15 hours of apportionment attendance per school week, proportionately reduced for those school weeks having non-instructional days (e.g., holidays, days school is not in session, or suspension days). The 15 hours maximum apportionment is reduced by 3 hours for each non-instructional day during the week. For example: During the Thanksgiving week, there are 3 instructional days and 2 holidays. A student who attends 3 full days would have earned 12.50 hours but can only be credited with 9 hours of apportionment for the week. 6. Surplus/ beyond hours (attendance hours earned per week that exceed the maximum apportionable hours) may be used for backfill. (In the example in #5, 12.50 earned hours less 9 maximum apportionable hours = 3.50 surplus hours.) 7. Backfilling is the process of using surplus hours where less than 15 hours were earned in a previous week to increase the hours for that student up to a maximum of 15 hours. The following rules apply: a. Backfilling is applicable to a prior week in the current school year and last enrollment period. b. Surplus hours may not be backfilled to suspension days and days not enrolled. c. Surplus hours may not be banked; they may not be used to credit a future absence. d. Monthly attendance reports must clearly link the prior short week to the surplus week. e. Backfilling does not apply to students in the Independent Study and Work Experience programs. B. Independent Study 1. Full-time Independent Study students may account for no more than 10% of the school s current enrollment. A pupil who is pregnant or is a parent who is the primary caregiver for one or more of his or her children shall not be counted within the 10% cap. 2. The Master Agreement must be signed and in effect before a student may earn attendance credit. 3. Independent Study attendance must be maintained in a separate roster. 4. Students, unless suspended, are not marked absent while participating in the Independent Study program. Attendance credit is based on the teacher s assessment of the time value of the student s completed work assignment, not actual presence. 5. Work is assigned and credit is given in hourly increments. REF-2515.0 Page 2 of 6 May 15, 2006
6. Attendance credit is recorded only on scheduled instructional days. 7. A student cannot be credited with more than 15 hours of apportionment attendance per school week, proportionately reduced for those school weeks having non-instructional days (e.g., holidays, days school is not in session, or suspension days). The 15 hours maximum apportionment is reduced by 3 hours for each non-instructional day during the week. For example: During the Thanksgiving week, there are 3 instructional days and 2 holidays. Therefore, the maximum apportionment attendance that a student can be credited is 9 hours. 8. Attendance credit is given only for work assignments submitted on time, according to the Master Agreement. Students may receive academic credit for late work assignments, but not attendance credit. 9. Work submitted after the due date, as well as extra work completed, may not be credited against an earlier or future assignment period. 10. Backfilling is not allowed. 11. For the Independent Study program requirements and implementation guidelines, refer to bulletin M-128. C. Continuation High School Combined with Work Experience 1. A student cannot be credited with more than 15 hours of apportionment attendance per school week, proportionately reduced for those school weeks having non-instructional days (e.g., holidays, days school is not in session, or suspension days). The 15 hours maximum apportionment is reduced by 3 hours for each non-instructional day during the week For example: During the Thanksgiving week, there are 3 instructional days and 2 holidays. Therefore, the maximum apportionment attendance that a student can be credited is 9 hours. 2. Apportionment for Work Experience hours may only be recorded and claimed if the student actually attended continuation school for at least four (4) hours during the week. 3. One hour of work experience earns one hour of attendance credit, up to a maximum of ten (10) hours per week. Record this credit separately from the in-seat attendance. 4. Hours claimed for Work Experience must be documented by a signed work record for the week. 5. Students must receive, as a minimum, the equivalent of one (1) instructional period per week of classroom instruction or REF-2515.0 Page 3 of 6 May 15, 2006
counseling by a certificated employee. The sessions may be scheduled intermittently during the semester. 6. Backfilling is not allowed. III. Reports A. Summary attendance reports (Statistical Report) 1. The summary of attendance is reported on a Statistical Report. 2. Report attendance hours for the following program in separate lines of the Statistical Report. a. Continuation High School, including RSP b. SDP students c. Full-time Independent Study students d. Work Experience students 3. Submit statistical reports by the school month due dates. B. Schools have access to various attendance and enrollment reports available through the attendance system (e.g., Hourly Attendance Report). Review these reports regularly to verify accuracy of data reported in the system. IV. Hourly Program for Continuous Enrollment Continuation High Schools (Month A and Month B Sessions) Currently, there are 17 Continuation High Schools with Month A and Month B sessions. For these schools, classes held in months A (July) and B (August) are reported as part of the Hourly Program for Core Academic. A. The instructional days and due dates for school month A (July) and school month B (August) are specified in REF-1818.1. B. Attendance Accounting 1. For All Students, except Independent Study and Work Experience Students: Follow the attendance accounting guidelines listed in section II. A. above, except for backfilling. The 15 hours per week cap on reportable attendance per student does not apply. All actual in-seat attendance for school months A and B are reportable; therefore, backfilling is not applicable. 2. For Independent Study Students: Follow the attendance accounting guidelines listed in section II. B. above. The 15 hours per week cap on reportable attendance per student does not apply. If work is assigned based on 4 hours per day, 5 days a week, and student completes all assigned work, the student may be credited for 20 hours of attendance. The full 20 hours is REF-2515.0 Page 4 of 6 May 15, 2006
reportable. 3. For Work Experience Students: Follow the attendance accounting guidelines listed in section II. C. above. Attendance credit is capped at 15 hours per student per week. C. Attendance Report Report the summary of attendance for school months A and B on the Hourly Program Statistical Report (see Attachment). Additional instructions pertaining to the report are printed on the form. RELATED RESOURCES: ASSISTANCE: BUL-2430.0, Enrollment in Continuation High Schools BUL-1292.0, Attendance Procedures for Elementary and Secondary Schools Bulletin M-128, Guidelines for Independent Study Programs REF-1818.1, Norm Day and Calendars of Classification and Statistical Reports for Options Schools, 2006-07 For assistance or further information, please contact the Attendance and Enrollment Section. Address: Beaudry Building, 26 th Floor, Room 138 Phone Number: (213) 241-2196 Fax Numbers: (213) 241-6830, 241-6831, 241-6833 For other questions, please call the Options Office at (213) 241-4586. REF-2515.0 Page 5 of 6 May 15, 2006
ATTACHMENT HOURLY PROGRAM STATISTICAL REPORT Continuous Enrollment Continuation High Schools (Month A and Month B Sessions) * School: Dates: Loc.: District: Month: A or B (circle one) Program: Core Academic No. of Days Taught: No. of Hours per Day: All Students except SDP Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 Total No. of Students No. of Attendance Hours Special Education Classes (SDP) Number of Students Number of Attendance Hours Instructions: Person to contact regarding report: 1. No. of Students - Enter the number of students enrolled for each grade level. 2. No. of Attendance Hours - Enter the total, actual attendance hours generated by each grade level. Do not include hours absent or not enrolled. Note: a. If a student attends a fraction of a scheduled hour, count the full Phone No.: hour for attendance reporting. b. Backfilling is not allowed nor necessary since all in-seat attendance hours generated daily are to be reported. There is NO "beyond hours". 3. Due Date: Submit report within 1 week of end of school month. 4. Distribution: ORIGINAL to: Attendance & Enrollment Section I certify that the above figures are a true and correct compilation Beaudry Building, 26th Floor, Room 138 of individual student attendance, and that supporting documents FAX: (213) 241-6830 or 241-6831 are available for audit. COPY: School File * As applicable to the school's calendar. Principal or Authorized Designee Date REF-2515.0 Page 6 of 6 May 15, 2006