The Minneapolis school board's attendance policy - approved in July 2000 - requires all students to attend school 95 percent of the time. This means that a student may not miss more than four days of school (unexcused absences) in a semester. Currently, the average daily attendance in Minneapolis is 91.9 percent.  To help improve school attendance, Minneapolis Public Schools has also teamed up with the Hennepin County Attorney's Office to target truancy through the School Attendance Review Board (SARB).

What are the consequences for missing school?
High school students who have more than four unexcused absences in a single semester may be at risk for failing those classes that they miss. Failing a student however, will only occur after exhausting all options to work with the student and family to complete missed classroom work. Families can play an important role in making sure their students are in school.

In Minnseota there is a compulsory education law that states that all students must attend school until the age of 18. If students miss seven or more unexcused days (full and/or partial days), legal action may be taken by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office or the Hennepin County Department of Human Services.

What are considered excused absences?

• Illness.
• Religious holidays when the school is notified in advance.
• Recognized cultural observances when the school is notified in advance
• Funeral or other family emergency.
• Family activity for up to 5 days when arranged in advance with school.
• Transportation problems caused by failure of MPS transportation system.
• Appointments with health care providers or other professionals.

What is the district doing to support student attendance?

Minneapolis Public Schools is:

• Communicating the policy and procedures to staff, students and families.
• Conducting an audit of the practices throughout the district to assure consistency and equity, and identify needs for staff development.
• Strengthening current attendance monitoring systems.
• Working with students and families to intervene early and often when students are absent without an excuse.
• Working to engage students in the learning process with strong curriculum, instruction and relationships with staff.
• Involving the community through shared expectations and actions.
• Students with attendance issues are asked by school staff to sign a school site attendance contract (pdf).

What can I do if I need help with supporting my child's attendance?
There are many district and community support services available to help you and your child with issues that may be affecting their attendance. Please call your school if there is anything the district can do to help ensure your child is in school every day.

What is the School Attendance Review Board?
The School Attendance Review Board (SARB) is a community-based effort to bring together multiple resources to assist students and their families with truancy problems. In addition to the schools and the County Attorney's Office, the district Review Board includes representatives from community agencies, Hennepin County Juvenile Probation, Hennepin County Children & Family Services and the Minneapolis Police Department.

Under Minnesota law, all children must attend school until the age of 18. Students with seven full and/or partial days of unexcused absences from school are in violation of compulsory education law.

The SARB process has proven effective in dealing with students who have poor attendance.  Eighty-six percent of the students who have participated in the SARB process improved their attendance by up to 20 percent.  More information on SARB and related forms...