MCHS Attendance Office

CLICK ON THE BUTTONS BELOW TO VERIFY YOUR STUDENT'S FULL-DAY or PARTIAL-DAY ABSENCE

MCHS Attendance Office Hours: (Monday - Friday) 7:30 am - 3:00 pm

CLOSED to students during class time

Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, the MCHS Attendance Office will be keeping all digital attendance records. Please communicate with us via our online verification form found on our school website to clear any full-day or partial-day absences within 3 days of the absence.

Regular Attendance Is Essential For Learning

Consistent attendance and in-class participation directly impact student success. Studies have shown that students who attend school regularly and on time achieve at higher levels than students who do not have regular attendance. Additionally, students who regularly attend school feel connected with their peers, teachers, and the school community, which benefits their overall social-emotional well-being. Mira Costa is committed to cultivating exemplary attendance habits by implementing District and State policies. To view an infographic about the school’s attendance protocols, please refer to this resource: Attendance Matters

School Communication

Parents/guardians receive daily automated phone calls reviewing their student’s attendance for the day.
Parents/guardians also receive attendance notifications through Aeries.
Parents may access their student's attendance history on a daily basis via Aeries.
ALL absences (excused or unexcused) are monitored. Parents/guardians are sent attendance monitoring letters throughout the school year regarding excused and unexcused absences.
Students are assigned consequences for only unverified absences and tardies throughout the school year. Students and parents are emailed this information on a weekly basis.
Students who are chronically absent (10% or more of the school year) must attend school attendance review team (SART) meetings, district attendance review team (DART) meetings, or Student Attendance Review Board (SARB) hearings.

Absence Policy

A student is marked ABSENT when they are more than 30 minutes tardy or are not present during a scheduled class period. Students are expected to be in class daily and on time. If a student is absent for any reason, parents have 3 days to verify the absence through the online verification system. All unverified absences will be considered truant after 3 school days. If an absence is verified by the parent but the reason for the absence is not categorized as excused per state policy, the absence will be considered verified unexcused.

Truancy

A student is TRUANT when they are absent from class without school and parent/guardian knowledge or permission, or when they leave class or school campus without permission before the class or school day is officially over. All unverified absences will be considered truant after 3 school days.

REPORTING AND VERIFYING ABSENCES

How to Verify a Full-Day Absence:

Parents/Legal Guardians/Students are encouraged to check “Aeries” on a regular basis for attendance. Absences will only be eligible for clearance using the online verification form. Parents/Legal Guardians should NOT call in or email an absence as absences will NOT be cleared by phone or by email.

Absences must be verified by a student’s parent/legal guardian within 3 days by using the Online Full-Day Absence Verification Form on the school website. Otherwise, the full-day absence will be marked as “TRUANT.”

Students who miss school due to a doctor/dental/medical appointment must attach a photo or scan of the official doctor/dental/medical note to the online verification submission.
When a student has been absent for 5 consecutive school days or longer (due to illness, injury, surgery, etc), a doctor’s note is required, and must state the date that the student is able to return to school.

Failure to Notify the Attendance Office within 3 Days of an Absence:

The absence will be marked “TRUANT.”
The Parent/Guardian must contact the MCHS Vice Principal overseeing attendance ([email protected]) and attendance clerk ([email protected]) to receive permission for the attendance office to accept the late verification.
If approved by the Vice Principal, the attendance clerk will code the absence appropriately.

How to Verify a Partial-Day or Period Absence:

Partial day absences can only be cleared when there is an online parent/guardian verification AND if the student properly signed in or out of the attendance office using their student ID. Without completing BOTH of these requirements, the absence will remain a truancy.

Late Check-in: arriving to school later than your first scheduled class

Step #1: The parent/guardian must submit the Partial Day Absence Verification Form online
Step #2: The student must check-in at the attendance office using their Student ID Card and scan in. Then, the student may receive a tardy slip to go to class.

Even if a student arrives during a passing period, break, office hours, or lunch, the student is still required to check-in to ensure that their absences to their earlier classes they missed can be cleared.
If the parent/guardian’s online verification is not submitted online at the time of check-in, the parent can still submit the note within one day and the partial day absence will be coded correctly.
If the parent/guardian’s online verification is not submitted within one day OR if the student does not sign in at the attendance office, the partial day absence will become a truancy.

Early Check-out: leaving school earlier than the end of your last scheduled class (Obtaining an Off-ground Pass)

Step #1 - The parent/guardian must submit the Partial Day Absence Verification Form online
Step #2 - The student must check out at the attendance office using their Student ID Card to obtain an off-grounds pass. This can be done before school, during break, office hours, or lunch. The off-grounds pass can be shown to the security personnel when the student leaves early.

Without a parent/guardian’s online verification of the partial day absence for a student to leave school early, the parent/guardian must sign the student out by going to the attendance office in person to obtain an off-grounds pass for their student.
If a student leaves campus without receiving an off-grounds pass and/or there is no parent/guardian online verification submitted, then the partial day absence will become a truancy.
Students who need to leave school early for a doctor’s appointment must attach a photo or scan of the official doctor/dental/medical note to the online verification submission. Otherwise, the absence will become a truancy (no note) or a verified unexcused absence (parent note but no doctor’s note)

Common Aeries Attendance Codes

The attendance office posts student attendance according to the State of California Ed Code. If you verify the full-day absence on the online verification form and see a “U” posted, the absence is considered “cleared and verified” - but- DOES NOT meet the Education Code.

E = Verified Excused absence, reason aligns with Educational Code
U = Verified Unexcused absence, reason DOES NOT meet Educational Code
Z = Truant, missing from class period, or unverified by school staff or parent (within 3 days)
T = Tardy to class, less than 30 minutes late
X = Verified Excused tardy
I = Verified Excused absences due to illness (for “illness” related absences of 5 consecutive days or longer, a doctor’s note will be requested to continue coding additional days as “I”)
D = Doctor’s appointment (for period absences only)
V = School business, a school staff has verified student’s attendance
F = Field Trip
A = Absence, still needs to be verified by parent/guardian within 3 days

What is considered a valid, legal absence?

Absences are EXCUSED for the following reasons, when verified: (Education Code 48205)

A student’s illness (not parent’s or another family member)
Quarantine under the direction of a county, city health officer or district nurse.
Medical, dental, physical therapy, optometric, mental health or chiropractic appointments.
Attending the funeral of an immediate family member: one (1) day in California; three (3) days out of California. Immediate family member means student’s mother/father, brother/sister, child, grandmother/grandfather, or spouse, spouse’s mother/father, spouse’s child, spouse’s brother/sister, or any relative living in the immediate household of the student (Education Code 48205).
Court appearance when the student has a subpoena with his/her name on it.
Jury duty in the manner provided by law.
Religious holiday/retreat/ceremony (max of four (4) hours per semester) with prior written request from parent and approval from school.
Verified absence due to illness or quarantine is allowed. Verification may be by one of the following: school/public health nurse, attendance supervisor, physician, teacher, or any other qualified employee of the school district. (Education Code 46011, CCR Title 5, Sec. 421)
To attend his/her naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizens
Attendance at an employment conference.
Attendance at an educational conference offered by a nonprofit organization on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization.
Service as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Elections Code 12302 (Education Code 48205)
To spend time with his/her immediate family member who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined in Education Code 49701, and has been called to duty for deployment to a combat zone or a combat support position or is on leave from or has immediately returned from such deployment (Education Code 48205)
To attend his/her naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen. (Education Code 48205)
Participation in religious exercises or to receive moral and religious instruction in accordance with district policy: (Education Code 46014)
The student shall be excused for this purpose on no more than four days per school month.

Absences which do not fall into one of the above categories must receive prior approval from the school principal or designee at least one week in advance to be considered an excused absence. Parents may submit requests for approval through email or written note to the principal or designee.

Field Trips

School-sponsored field trips, athletic events, or other school business absences can only be verified by a school official. Parents are unable to clear these absences, but students should follow up with the appropriate school staff member if they find out their absence has not been cleared after 3 school days.

Resolving an Error

If students are marked absent or tardy in error, they should obtain an Absence Clearance Form from the Attendance Office to have their presence verified by the teacher for whose class they were recorded absent or tardy.

College Visits

Juniors and Seniors must receive prior approval from the principal or vice principal of attendance for all college visits at least one week in advance. Documentation will be required for approval.

Extended Absences (Short-term Independent Study)

Students and parents should speak with the Attendance Office concerning absences that are less than 15 cumulative days per school year. With prior approval from the vice principal over attendance, these absences may qualify for a Short-Term Independent Study Contract which may be obtained by emailing the VP over attendance, the attendance clerk, and the Short-term IS teacher. For absences that extend longer than 15 days, parents are advised to seek guidance from the school counselor and the grade level vice principal. Medical documentation may be required for extended absences due to illness.

If a Student is Ill at School

Students should not text or call parents asking them to contact the school. Students should speak to their teacher about getting a pass to go to the Health Office. The school Nurse will call the parent/legal guardian and issue the Off-Grounds Pass. The District mandates that for the health and safety of everyone on campus, the student needs to leave from the health office.

Students who are minors will need a parent/guardian to sign them out. The parent can pick up the student by entering the main office. The office staff will let the health office know, and the student will be sent down to be picked up by the parent/guardian.
Students who are minors and drive will need the parent to verify on the phone with the school nurse that they give permission for the student to drive home. The school nurse will issue the off grounds pass to the student to leave campus.
Students who are 18 or older and ill will be given an off grounds pass to leave if they are too ill to be at school, but a courtesy call will be made to the parent/guardian to ensure safety and well-being of the student.

If a student has 7th period Athletics

7th period Athletics is a scheduled class period designated for sports team practice. When students use their excusal sticker on the back of their Student ID Card to leave campus, they are expected to report to their team’s practice during the scheduled time. Since 7th period is considered a class period, regular school attendance expectations still apply.

What are the consequences for parents and students when a student does not attend school?

Parents who fail to send their children to school can be criminally prosecuted under Penal Codes 272 and 270.1 and Education Codes 48291/48293 and 48453/48454. The penalties can range from a fine of $50 to $2,500 plus a penalty assessment and can be sentenced to up to a year in jail. Parents can be ordered by a judge to personally deliver their child to school.
Students who fail to attend school can be criminally prosecuted in Juvenile Court under Education Code section 48265.5. Students can be given a $100 fine, community service up to 40 hours, and can be forced to attend an approved truancy education program. If the student has gone through SARB or truancy mediation, their license can be suspended or revoked pursuant to Vehicle Code section 13202.7.

What are the school-level consequences for students when they do not attend school?

Students are assigned consequences for only unverified absences and tardies throughout the school year. Students and parents are emailed this information on a weekly basis. See discipline matrix linked here.
Students with chronic absenteeism may be excluded from any or all of the following activities which will include, but are not limited to:

On Campus Activities (After Hours)
Athletic Games
ASB Dances (Casino Night, Homecoming, Winter Formal, Prom, etc.)
Recognition Ceremonies
Senior Week Activities
Commencement

Students who have excessive unexcused absences and miss class instruction may fail the class due to the excessive unexcused absences (Education Code 49067)

Make-up Work Policy (MBUSD BP 6154)

Students who are absent from school because of an excused absence shall be given the opportunity to complete all assignments and tests that can be reasonably provided. As determined by the teacher, the assignments and tests shall be equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the assignments and tests missed during the absence.

Students shall receive full credit for work satisfactorily completed within a reasonable period of time. (Education Code 48205)

Students who miss school work because of unexcused absences shall be given the opportunity to make up missed work. Teachers shall assign such makeup work as necessary to ensure academic progress, not as a punitive measure.

Please consult Aeries records and contact the Attendance Office if an absence is not verified after 3 days and is prohibiting a student from receiving credit for an assignment. If a student needs to make up work with a teacher, they may do so during Office Hours.

Effect of Absences on Grades
Teachers who withhold class credit because of excessive unexcused absences shall so inform students and parents/guardians at the beginning of the school year or semester. When a student reaches the number of unexcused absences defined as excessive in Board policy, the student and parent/guardian shall again be notified of the district's policy regarding excessive unexcused absences.

The student and parent/guardian shall have a reasonable opportunity to explain the absence. (Education Code 49067)

If a student receives a failing grade because of excessive unexcused absences, the student's record shall specify that the grade was assigned because of excessive unexcused absences. (Education Code 49067)

Students who are 18

Students who are 18 years of age and older may verify their own absences and must adhere to the late check-in and early check-out protocol through the attendance office. However, students who abuse this policy may lose this privilege, by being required to provide further documentation and may be subject to school-level disciplinary consequences related to excessive truancies. Students who are unable to provide documentation when requested will be considered truant.

Office Hours

Office Hours are considered instructional minutes. Students are expected to check-in for Office Hours (period 8) attendance on Aeries.

What are the best ways for parents to avoid a violation of the compulsory education laws?

When your student is ill, take the student to a health care provider for verification and obtain written documentation of the illness. Keep a copy of the documentation for yourself.
Discuss ongoing medical conditions with school personnel and, if necessary, sign a release of information to the school from the doctor.
Make sure that your student is on time and in school every day.
Schedule medical and dental appointments after school or on school holidays.
Seek assistance from a school counselor if you are having problems getting your student to school. They can direct you to resources that will help you

REGULAR SCHOOL ATTENDANCE TEACHES STUDENTS ABOUT A STRONG COMMITMENT TO ACADEMICS, HEALTHY HABITS, AND ACCOUNTABILITY.

2025-2026 Attendance Policy Infographic