The State of Ohio recently updated school attendance laws through House Bill 96, making regular and consistent school attendance more important than ever. Although some elements remain unchanged, below is a summary combining already existing information with changes made through House Bill 96.
Attendance is tracked in hours, not days.
Missing 10% or more of the school year for any reason (excused, unexcused, or medical) may result in a student being identified as "chronically absent."
Medical excuses are no longer tracked separately from other days/hours missed when determining chronic absenteeism.
Parents and families can continue to help by making every effort to schedule appointments outside the school day. Notify your child's building office or call the Attendance Hotline when your student will be absent. Following absences, submit documentation to the building office promptly. If you have not already done so, download the PowerSchool app and monitor your student's attendance and academic performance regularly.
Most importantly, reach out to the building principal with circumstances that may require additional support. The primary goal is to partner with parents and families to ensure every student has the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed through consistent attendance.
During the school year, for questions regarding attendance, please use the following contacts.
Middle & High School | Elementary School |
Katie Biser, Administrative Assistant Attendance | Chassiti Copley, Administrative Assistant Attendance |
biserk@muschools.com | copleyc@muschools.com |