2102.1 Any absence, including an absence from any portion of the instructional day, without a valid excuse shall be presumed to be an unexcused absence.

2102.2 An educational institution shall define categories of valid excuses for an absence, which shall include the following categories:

1. (a) Illness or other bona fide medical cause experienced by the student;
2. (b) Exclusion, by direction of the authorities of the District of Columbia, due to quarantine, contagious disease, infection, infestation, or other condition requiring separation from other students for medical or health reasons;
3. (c) Death in the student's family;
4. (d) Necessity for a student to attend a judicial proceeding, administrative proceeding, or court-ordered event or activity during school hours as a party to the action or under subpoena;
5. (e) Observance of a religious holiday;
6. (f) Lawful suspension or exclusion from school by school authorities;
7. (g) Temporary suspension of classes due to severe weather, official activities, holidays, malfunctioning equipment, unsafe or unsanitary conditions, or other condition(s) or emergency requiring a temporary suspension of classes;
8. (h) Failure of the District of Columbia to provide transportation in cases where the District of Columbia has a legal responsibility for the transportation of the student;
9. (i) Medical or dental appointments for the student;
10. (j) Absences to allow students to visit their parent or guardian, who is in the military during, immediately before, or immediately after deployment; and
11. (k) An emergency or other circumstances approved by an educational institution.

2102.3 An educational institution shall publish and make available to students, parents, and guardians the attendance policies and procedures of the educational institution, including a list of valid excused absences.

2102.4 An educational institution shall obtain an explanation from the student's parent or guardian verifying the reason for an absence within no more than five (5) days upon the student's return to school, otherwise the absence shall be deemed unexcused.

2102.5 If a student is receiving home or hospital instruction in accordance with D.C. Official Code § 38-251.01 et seq. and Chapter 25, Subtitle A, of Title 5 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations, the LEA shall maintain the student on the regular attendance roll and count the student as medically excused, except when a student is not available for home or hospital instruction, in which event the student may be counted by the LEA as absent.

SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 24 DCR 1005 (July 29, 1977); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 32 DCR 3668 (June 28, 1985); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 39 DCR 1218 (February 28, 1992); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 56 DCR 8978 (November 20, 2009); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 60 DCR 9725 (June 28, 2013); as amended by the School Attendance Clarification Amendment Act of 2016, effective July 26, 2016 (D.C. Law 21-0140; 63 DCR 8207 (June 10, 2016)); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 70 DCR 001084 (January 27, 2023); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 70 DCR 006850 (May 12, 2023).