If your child is too ill to come to school...

Attendance in Tennessee Public Schools is mandatory, of course, but there are some days when a child is just too ill to attend school. This becomes a judgement call between the parent and child. Certainly, we want your child to be in school, attending classes, and attentive each day. However, we also want to protect the health of all children and employees by making sure that children who are ill, especially with communicable illnessess, remain home long enough to be free of the illness.

Knox County Schools Board of Education maintains a well-defined attendance policy regarding student absences.

Unexcused Absences:

Knox County government, through the Juvenile Court and the office of the Attorney General, has an aggressive program on school attendance. The following document explains the county's procedures on excessive unexcused absences.

Court Order Changing Truancy Threshold to Ten (10) Days Unexcused Absences

IN THE JUVENILE COURT FOR KNOX COUNTY, TENNESSEE AT KNOXVILLE - Nov 16, 2001

IN RE: TRUANCY/JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

ORDER

Upon information and belief, this Court recognizes the high correlation between I truancy from school and juvenile crime and the increased number of youth who are at risk of delinquency because of truancy, and the high correlation of truancy and dependency and neglect and that through the Safe Policy Program and the Knoxville Truancy Initiative, there is an ongoing cooperative effort by all the agencies working with children to identify children who are at risk and to provide early intervention and prevention.

In recognition of the at-risk youth who is truant and subject to becoming delinquent or unruly or dependent and neglected and in an attempt at prevention and intervention, the Knox County Board of Education and the Superintendent of Knox County Schools shall furnish information and assistance to this Court regarding students that have ten (10) unexcused absences from school. Tenn. Code Ann. 37-1-128(a)(1)(C).

Pursuant to Tenn. Code Ann. 49-6-3007 and after the parent or guardian of a child has received notice of the child's absences from school, the Knox County Superintendent of Schools shall report all children who are habitually and unlawfully absent from school for ten (10) days or more to the Juvenile Judge for Knox County, Tennessee.

It is therefore ORDERED, ADJUDGED and DECREED beginning January 3, 2002 that the Knox County Superintendent of Schools shall release to this Court the names of students who have been unlawfully absent from school for ten (10) days, the parent’s or custodian's name(s); the child's address; telephone number if available; the child's date of birth; the child's race, sex; Social Security Number if available; and the name of the school in which the child attends.

ENTER this the 16th Day of November 2001.
(Signature of Judge Carey E. Garrett)

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I do hereby certify by my signature below that a true and correct copy of the foregoing Order has been sent to the following:

(Clerk’s Signature)

Law Director Mike Moyers
Knox County
City-County Building
400 Main Street
Knoxville, TN 37902

Attorney General Randy Nichols
Knox County
City-County Building
400 Main Street
Knoxville, TN 37902

Charles Q. Lindsey, Superintendent
Knox County Schools
Suite 100, Andrew Johnson Plaza
912 Gay Street
Knoxville, TN 37902

Jim McCIain, Chairman
Knox County School Board
Andrew Johnson Plaza
912 Gay Street
Knoxville, TN 37902

Bobbi McGarity
Assistant Superintendent
Knox County Schools
Andrew Johnson Building
P. 0. Box 2188
Knoxville, TN 37902-2188

Chief Phil Keith
Knoxville Police Department
P. 0. Box 1631
Knoxville, TN 37902

Sheriff Tim Hutchison
Knox County
City-County Building
400 Main Street
Knoxville, TN 37902

Tammy Gentry
Coordinator, Truancy Center
P. 0. Box 3610
Knoxville, TN 37927