The Importance of Student Attendance

Policy 9010 - Attendance

Last year, our overall student attendance rate was 93% for the 23-24 school year. It's crucial to recognize that your child's attendance matters greatly. Regular attendance is vital for your child's academic success, social development, and overall well-being. Consistent attendance helps students stay on track academically, participate fully in classroom activities, and build strong relationships with peers and teachers. Let's work together to ensure every student attends school regularly, setting them up for a successful and enriching school year.

Reporting Student Absences
If your student is absent or will be absent, please contact us at the following email address to explain the reason: LoESAbsence@hcpss.org.  In the email, please Include the following information:

• Student First and Last Name

• Grade 

• Reason for absence (e.g., illness, bereavement, observance of a religious holiday, lack of transportation)

Discretionary Days
HCPSS students are granted 3 days a year to use at their discretion for a wide variety of reasons.

• Such absences may not occur during exam or state-mandated testing periods unless authorized by the principal/designee.

• A written request for such absences to be lawful/excused should be submitted at least one week in advance to the principal/designee. Please download the PDF fillable Discretionary Absence Form and email it to LoESAbsence@hcpss.org. The form is also available in Chinese, Korean, and Spanish.

• If you are requesting a day for a religious holiday not identified by the Howard County Public School System school calendar, please download the PDF fillable Religious Obligation Form and email it to LoESAbsence@hcpss.org. 

With the collaborative effort of HCPSS parents, staff, and students, we are confident that all students can have successful attendance. This will improve student success in school and in future life!