Attendance, Leaver, and Underreported Procedure Manual

 

This manual clarifies the attendance, leaver, and underreported procedures for the schools in the Arp Independent School District. 

 

Section 1: How and When Attendance is submitted.

 

All teachers will submit their attendance using the district provided attendance software (Grade Speed).  The elementary campus will submit their homeroom attendance at 9:00 am. Each teacher will utilize their electronic attendance software to send their homeroom attendance to the elementary attendance clerk.

 

At 9:15 am elementary teachers will be locked out of the attendance program by the campus attendance clerk.

 

All teachers in the Arp High School and Junior High School will submit their attendance each period at 15 minutes after the start time of the class period.  The attendance will be submitted utilizing the district provided attendance software (Grade Speed) and be electronically submitted to the campus attendance clerk.

 

At 20 minutes after the class period begins the teachers will be locked out of the attendance program by the campus attendance clerk.

 

Section 2: How Attendance is Entered into RSCCC

 

The campus attendance clerk will monitor the attendance period by period for each teacher.  The attendance clerk is responsible for making any changes to the attendance record as needed after submission by the teacher (i.e. students returning to school with doctor’s notes or from school nurse, etc.). 

 

At the end of each day an attendance summary sheet will be printed from Grade Speed and exported into RSCCC the following day.  The summary sheet from Grade Speed and the summary sheet from RSCCC will be filed in a notebook located in the attendance clerk’s office.  Only the attendance clerk will have the permission to change the attendance record and will maintain proper documentation in order to make that change.

 

Section 3:  Compulsory Attendance: TEC § 25.085

(a) A child who is required to attend school under this section shall attend school each school day for the entire period the program of instruction is provided.

 

Section 4:  Excused Absences: TEC § 25.087

 

(a)  A person required to attend school, including a person required to attend school under Section 25.085 (e), may be excused for temporary absences resulting from any cause acceptable to the teacher, principal, or superintendent of the school in which the person is enrolled.  (b) A school district shall excuse a student from attending school for: (1) the following purposes, including travel for those purposes:  (A)  observing religious holy days; or (B) attending a required court appearance; or (2) a temporary absence resulting from health care professionals if that student commences classes or returns to school on the same day of the appointment.  (c)  A school district may excuse a student in grades 6 through 12 for the purpose of sounding “Taps” at a military honors funeral held in this state for a deceased veteran.

 

Excused Absences:  Medical, Holy days, Court, Death in Family, Extracurricular Activity.

 

Section 5:  Minimum Attendance for Class Credit: TEC § 25.092

 

(a)  Except as provided by this section, a student may not be given credit for a class unless the student is in attendance for at least 90 percent of the days the class is offered.

 

 

Section 6:  Responsibility for Coding Special Programs

 

The campus counselor will be responsible for coding the special programs (such as Career & Technology, Special Education, Pregnancy Related Services, GT, Economically Disadvantaged, At-Risk. ESL, Title I, etc.)  A document will be forwarded to the data entry personnel on each campus with a counselor’s signature one week prior to snap shot date of each school year.  The data entry will be done by each PEIMS clerk on each campus snap shot date of each school year.  Documentation with signatures will be maintained in the PEIMS clerk’s campus office in a secured and locked location.

 

Section 7:  Documentation of Changes in Special Programs

 

The campus counselor will submit any changes for Special Programs through a written notification to the campus PEIMS clerk.  All documentation will be dated and signed by the counselor and filed in the Special Programs Notebook in a secured and locked location by the PEIMS clerk.

 

The data entry of all changes will be made by the campus PEIMS clerk within 5 working days of receipt of the document (in RSCCC this is known as a status change).

 

Section 8:  Student Membership Reconciliation

 

At the end of the first six week and at the end of the forth six weeks, a district developed form will be given to each teacher.  The teacher will enter the number of each students enrolled in the official attendance period (2nd), sign it, and sub it to the attendance clerk that day.  The attendance clerk will verify the accuracy of each form, document any changes that need to be made, sign it and forward it to the principal for a signature.  Once this document has been signed by the three campus representatives, the PEIMS coordinator will sign the document.  This document will be filed by the campus attendance clerk.  The PEIMS coordinator will also file a copy of this document for district records.

 

Section 9: Maintaining Attendance Accounting Records/Backup Systems

The district will maintain redundancy & fault tolerance on all servers for PEIMS data and attendance.  An “A”, “B”, and “C” schedule of Daily backups will be maintained for both the RSCCC database and the Attendance database (Grade Speed).  The PEIMS Coordinator will be responsible for the A, B, and C backup of the RSCCC database using Ivault, and two Terra Stations one located at UT Health Center and one at Arp High School. The network administrator will maintain an A, B, C, backup scheme for the Attendance database (Grade Speed) and store the electronic tapes in a fireproof vault.

The district maintains this schedule to assist the district in recovering from the following:

  • Accidental Acts such as errors, omissions, modifications, destruction, disclosure, and negligence.
  • Intentional Acts such as theft, fraud, embezzlement/defalcation, extortion, misuse/misappropriation, forgery, destruction, disclosure, physical sabotage (arson, bomb), logical sabotage (viruses which impact programs or data), wire tapping, war, and civil disturbance/riot.
  • Natural Catastrophes such as fire, water damage, explosion and tornados.
  • Interruption of Utilities affecting water, electricity, natural gas, and communications.

The district adopted on 07/13/1978 the Texas State Library and Archives Commission Records Scheduling Requirements of the Local Government Records Act.  This act regulates the district’s document control policies for which the following apply to this manual:

·        Attendance records of all kinds will be held for 5 years.

 

 

SECTION 9: Procedures for LEAVERS AND UNERREPORTED

 

LEAVERS

 

LEAVERS are student who were served in grades 7 through 12 during the prior school year, but have not enrolled in the district during the current school year.  This includes dropouts, graduates, and other school leavers, such as those who moved to another school district, private school, or home school.

 

The procedure for applying a LEAVER code is determined by circumstances under which the student left the school.

 

RESPONSIBILITIES

 

The principal of each campus is charged with the responsibility for verifying and assuring that accurate Leaver data is reported in the PEIMS fall submission.  The principal will ensure that the procedures, outlined in this document, are followed.  In addition to the procedures outlined here, the principal will ensure that all of the Leaver data is processed in accordance with the PEIMS Data Standards.  Code Table C162 provides the applicable codes and a supplemental Appendix to the Data Standards describes the extent of the documentation required.  These documentation standards are to be strictly followed.

 

DESIGNATED STAFF

 

The principal shall at the beginning of each year, designate the staff member who will be responsible for making Leavers and Leaver documentation.  In the event that a staff member is not available an alternate staff member will be designated.  This information will be published to staff and made a part of campus procedures.  The designated staff members will act as the authorized representative of the superintendent for signing withdrawal forms and other Leaver documentation.  The attached form is to be used by all campuses.

 

The PEIMS Clerk, responsible for overseeing the Leaver Process, must thoroughly familiarize themselves with the PEIMS Data Standards as they relate to the Leaver Documentation Process.

 

Principals assigned this responsibility must assure not only their own proficiency in this process, but should also assist, and monitor all involved in the process.

 

WITHDRAWAL PROCEDURES

 

The following procedure will be used, by every campus to record Leavers:

  1. Students who withdraw during the school year:
    1. Completion of an exit review with the student’s parents/guardian, or the adult student conducted by the counselor.  During the interview all pertinent information as it relates to any new educational setting and contact information should be obtained.
    2. Completion of a withdrawal form recording the reason for the student’s leaving and as much future contact information as possible.  The withdrawal form must be sighed by both parent/guardian or adult student and school counselor (or designee) at the time of the withdrawal.  Documentation on the withdrawal form must be complete, signed in ink and dated.  The documentation standards in the PEIMS Data Standards are to be strictly adhered to.  Every campus will use the standard withdrawal form located in the RSCCC software.

                                                              i.      Correct assignment of Leaver Codes is critical.  Any ambiguity in coding questions should be referred to the Principal.

                                                            ii.      If the Principal is unable to resolve the coding issue the question will be referred to the Central Office for resolution.

    1. The attendance clerk should begin written and oral inquiry to confirm a Leaver’s enrollment in another educational setting should acceptable documentation not be received within 10 days following the departure of a student whose stated intent was to enroll in another district.
  1. Students who do not withdraw, but quite attending school:
    1. Withdraw the student in accordance with District Policy [see district withdrawal policy]
    2. Complete a withdrawal form in the same manner as step 1.
    3. Make every effort to determine the whereabouts of the student.  Designated personnel should begin written and oral inquiry to confirm a Leaver’s enrollment in another educational setting.
    4. If the student’s whereabouts cannot be ascertained, this student will be recorded as a dropout.
    5. A list of potential dropouts must be provided to Central Office staff on a 6-weeks basis.
  2. All graduates including those who graduate early during the school year and summer graduates:
    1. These students graduation status must be documented on their AAR record.  This cumulative record must have a graduation seal, the graduation type plan, TAAS results, and sufficient credits.
    2. The counselor must review the additional PEIMS fields for these Leavers (special education indicator, economic disadvantaged, graduation date, and college entry.)
  3. Students who fail to return at the beginning of the next school year:
    1. “No show” students must be deactivated in the student attendance accounting system no later than September 1 of the school year and certified by the principal.  “No shows” are those students who attended all last year but failed to return for the next school year.  Most districts are used to using this terminology.  These will be your “as of status” = 0.  It does NOT help you determine the Leaver Code.  For instance, if a student attended the last day last year, most software systems will “roll” the student to the next school year.  If on the first day the student does not appear, he will be a “no show”.
    2. The Registrar should make every attempt to locate these students and assign an appropriate leaver code.  If the student’s whereabouts cannot be ascertained, this student will be recorded as a dropout (Leaver Code 99 – unknown).
    3. A Leaver Tracking Form will be used to document the location of the student. (See example form.)
    4. Refer to the PEIMS Data Standards regarding record types, status codes and leaver code application.
  4. Students who returned at the beginning of the next school year, but are NOT enrolled on the snapshot date:
    1. Refer to the PEIMS Data Standards regarding record types, status codes and leaver code application.

 

DATA ENTRY

 

The Counselor is responsible for assuring that PEIMS leaver codes are transmitted to the data entry staff.  This information should be provided in a timely manner so that periodic reports may be generated.

 

Data entry personnel must be trained in entering, changing, and deleting data from the student software.  All entries, changes, and deletions require supporting documentation.  Any changes made to original documentation must be initialed and dated by the person making the change.

 

Coding decisions are NOT made by the data entry personnel.  Coding decisions are made by the counselor or principal.

 

MONITORING LEAVERS

 

Each campus will, on a six weeks basis during the school year, print a withdrawn student’s report and conduct an audit of leaver documentation.  The principal will conduct regular internal audits of the documentation process.  Monitoring a student leaver to the point of acceptable documentation should involve all personnel assigned this responsibility and many involve home visits by personnel responsible for such activities.

 

Each campus will generate a final leaver report that contains all leavers from the current school year.  This will be an alpha report containing the following information:

·        Social security number or Alternate identification number;

·        Student’s full name;

·        Leaver reason;

·        Dropout indicator;

·        Date of graduation; and graduation type (Recommended or DAP);

·        Economic disadvantaged code;

·        Special education indicator;

·        Sex; and

·        Ethnicity.

 

Each campus will generate a final “no show” list no later than September 1 of the current school year containing the same information as shown above.  Each name on this list must have a leaver tracking form on file.

 

If local leaver reason codes are applies, all data will be reviewed to assure that crosswalks to PEIMS leaver codes have been accurately converted.  Each campus must maintain a list of current crosswalks that are in use.

 

REVIEW OF PEIMS EDITS AND QUALITY ASSURANCE REPORTS

 

The PEIMS clerk will review all PEIMS errors concerning the 203 record.  If the errors cannot be corrected, the personnel will annotate the reason.  These remarks will be maintained for audit purposes.

 

Designated personnel will review the list of under and over-reported leavers generated in the PEIMS system.  In each instance where the data cannot be corrected the designated personnel will annotate the reason.  These remarks will be maintained for audit purposes.

 

If the status of a student found in the list of underreported cannot be determined, the student will be assigned a leaver code of “99”.

 

The PEIMS clerk will review and correct all PID errors.  PID errors that require manual intervention by TEA will be forwarded to the Central Office for processing no later than the Education Service Center’s due date.

 

All errors will be corrected lo later than the campus deadline for validating data.

 

TIMELINE

 

Each campus will establish a timeline for processing PEIMS data.  This timeline must meet the due dates established by Central Office.

 

FLOWCHART FROM PROCESSING DATA

 

Each campus will establish a job description for each person responsible for processing PEIMS data that clearly defines campus staff responsibilities.

 

FERPA

 

In accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act 34 CFR 99.35, federal, state, and local educational authorities may access educational records as part of an audit or evaluation of state or federally supported education program or for enforcement of or compliance with the legal requirements of these programs.  Thus, this provision applies to the auditors as authorized representatives of the state and local educational authorities.  Auditors will maintain confidentiality of the records.

 

STORAGE OF RECORDS

 

Records must be stored in a manner that assures they will be readily accessible in order to meet audit requirements.  Campus staff will use the documentation standards as outlined in this handbook and in the PEIMS Data Standards.  PEIMS records must be retained and subsequently destroyed in accordance with State requirements.  PEIMS records must be maintained for a period of at least 5 years.

 

COMPUTER SYSTEM SAFEGUARDS

 

All users connected to the Student Management Software must have unique passwords and separate access to the database and adhere to the Acceptable Use Policies of the district.

 

Nightly backups of the data will be stored in a secure and fireproof location.  End of Year backups as well as programs used to generate the data will also be stored in this location in the event that the reports have to be generated for audit purposes.

 

 

DESIGNATION OF PERSONNEL

 

As Principal of the Arp High School campus, I designate the following individuals as responsible for managing and completing the leaver documentation process.  Inherent in this designation is the right to act for the purpose of signing withdrawal form and other leaver documentation.  Procedures contained within this manualwill be utilized in governing school leaver documentation according to the PEIMS Data Standards.

 

TITLE

NAME

ALTERNATE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I designate __________________________ as the primary point of contact for leaver recording and documentation.  This person will also conduct leave audits on a six weeks basis.

 

Coding issues that cannot be resolved at the campus level will be referred to:

 

__________________________________

 

Principal: _________________________________    Date: _____________________

 

As Principal of the Arp Junior High School campus, I designate the following individuals as responsible for managing and completing the leaver documentation process.  Inherent in this designation is the right to act for the purpose of signing withdrawal form and other leaver documentation.  Procedures contained within this manual will be utilized in governing school leaver documentation according to the PEIMS Data Standards.

 

TITLE

NAME

ALTERNATE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I designate __________________________ as the primary point of contact for leaver recording and documentation.  This person will also conduct leave audits on a six weeks basis.

 

Coding issues that cannot be resolved at the campus level will be referred to:

 

__________________________________

 

Principal: _________________________________    Date: _____________________

                                                                                                                        Revised 2/08

Revised 04/01/07