Report an Absence

Please use these links to report and absence.

Absence Form / Formulario de Ausencia

1. What do I have to do if my child is going to be absent from school?

    • Report an absence on our website
    • Give us a call
    • Send a note with your child upon return to school
    • Email the attendance office zuleyma.garciahigare@wccusd.net 

You must leave your child’s name, the reason for the absence, the date of the absence and your name to verify that it was a parent/guardian that is verifying the absence. 

2. What does it mean to“verify”my child’s absence?
When a student is absent, parents are required to call/email/send a note to the attendance office in order to validate the reason for the child’s
absence. We call this process: Absence Verification.


3. What happens after I have called in my child’s absence?
The attendance clerk will then proceed to mark your child’s attendance record with an “Excused” or “Unexcused” absence, according to Ed.
Code and District policies.


4. What happens if I forget to call my child’s absence on the day of his/her absence?
You may call to verify your child’s absence up to 5 days after your child has been absent. Absences that are not verified within time allowed will be considered unexcused absences. After our attendance month, the accounting cycle closes. Unexcused absences due to no-verification cannot be overwritten or changed


5. What is considered an Excused Absence?
By law [EC § 48205], excused absences are: illness (fever 100° or more, your child must be fever free for twenty-four hours before returning to
school], persistent runny nose with yellow-green mucus discharge, rashes [unless there is a note from your physician stating that your child is not
contagious], vomiting [If your child is sent home vomiting he/she needs to be vomit free for twenty four hours before returning to school], diarrhea [If your child is sent home from school with diarrhea he/she needs to be diarrhea free for twenty four hours before returning to school], medical/dental appointments (doctor’s note required for verification), death in the family, specific religious reasons, required appearance in court, and exclusion from school for contagious disease.


6. How many excused absences can my child have in one school year?
While we know students do become ill and are unable to attend school, the average number of days missed due to illness is 3 (three) per school year.


7. What if my child’s absences do not fall under any of the Excused Absences categories?
State law [EC § 48260-48273] is very specific about these types of absences. A student who is absent from school without a valid excuse will be
marked “unexcused” for the day. These types of absences are also called “Truancies”

8. I thought “truancy” indicated that a child skipped/ditched school.
Why would my child be considered “Truant” if I have called to verify the absence?
In accordance with Education Code of the State of California [EC § 48260-48273], any pupil who is absent from school for 3 days or more without a valid excuse, or tardy in excess of 30 minutes or more (Tardies are only excused with a parent note for illness, doctor/dental note for appointments),is “truant”. E.g., student cuts 1st period on 3 separate days or student cuts one period for 2 days and is absent for one full day.


9. What about coming in late (tardy) or leaving early for an appointment?
According to State Law [EC § 48260-48273] a student that is absent from school in excess of 30 minutes during a school day is also considered “truant.”Compulsory Education Law therefore, requires a student to attend a full day every day!


10. What is the process for a child with more than 3 unexcused absences/Tardies?
You will receive a letter from the school upon the 3rd (third) and the consequently upon the sixth absence/truancy. On the second letter (6th
absence/truancy) you will be asked to attend a SART meeting. You may also be required to attend an informational meeting with the Principal. Additional unexcused absences will result in a referral to the School Attendance Review Board And possible referral to the District Attorney for prosecution.

11. What can I do if my child needs to be out of school for a length of time?
If your child must go out of town for five or more days, you may request that your child is signed up for an Independent Study Agreement. Please
note that teachers need at least one week’s notice in order to prepare materials without interrupting their instructional time.

12. Why is attendance such a big issue?
Regular attendance- especially at Korematsu is vital to a student’s success in school. The student, who is frequently absent, misses social interaction and direct instruction from his/her teachers even though written work can be made up. Any day or hour absent is a missed learning opportunity. 

13. What about homework? If my child is absent, can I request homework to be sent home?
Students are given the opportunity to make up school work missed due to illness or a valid excused absence upon their return. As a general policy, a student is allowed 1(one) day to complete make-up work for each day of excused absence from school. 

To clear your student’s attendance, please email zuleyma.garciahigare@wccusd.net