Skip to main content
Exeter Unified
Main Menu Toggle
District » (S.A.R.B.) Legal Disclaimers

(S.A.R.B.) Legal Disclaimers

Information That Pertains to UNEXCUSED Absences


Did you know?

  • Poor attendance is directly related to low academic achievement, low graduation rate, higher rate of placement in the legal system, mental health issues, and unemployment.
  • Missing only 2 days per month is 20 days per year. This means that a TK-8th grade student will miss over a year of school before high school.
  • Missing only 4 days per month is 40 days per year. This means a student will miss over 3 years of education by graduation.

Attendance Law

California law (Education Code 48260) classifies a student as “a truant” when the student has missed school on three occasions involving any combination of the following:

  • Being absent from school without a valid excuse for a full day
  • Being more than 30 minutes late to school
  • Being absent from school without a valid excuse for more than 30 minutes.

Legal Consequences

We are required to notify you of the following information related to your student’s unexcused absences, as stated in Education Code 48260.5. This law reads as follows:


Upon a pupil’s initial classification as a truant, the school district shall notify the pupil’s parent or guardian through email (Parent Square) or the USPS:


  1. That the pupil is a truant.
  2. That the parent or guardian is obligated to compel the attendance of the pupil at school.
  3. That parents or guardians who fail to meet this obligation may be guilty of an infraction subject to prosecution pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 48290) of Chapter 2 of Part 27.
  4. The alternative educational programs are available in the district.
  5. That the parent or guardian has the right to meet with appropriate school personnel to discuss solutions to the pupil’s truancy.
  6. That the pupil may be subject to prosecution under Section 48264.
  7. That the pupil may be subject to suspension, restriction, or delay of the pupil’s driving privilege pursuant to Section 13202.7 of the Vehicle Code.
  8. That it is recommended the parent or guardian accompany the pupil to school and attend classes with the pupil for one day.

Information That Pertains to EXCUSED Absences


State law also focuses on excessive absences from school.

  • Education Code 60901(c)(1) instructs schools to consider a student as a “chronic absentee” whenever he/she has missed more that 10 percent of the school year, for any reason, from the date the student enrolled to the present.
  • Our board policy states that “If a student shows a pattern of chronic absenteeism due to illness, district staff may require physician verification of any further student absences.”
  • After 6 absences due to illness, a chronic illness form will be required.
  • After 6 absences due to illness, all future absences require a doctor’s note or they will be unexcused.