Attendance

At Groveport Madison Schools, we are committed to supporting regular, on-time attendance for every student, in accordance with Board of Education policy and Ohio state law. Our educational programs are built on consistent participation and meaningful classroom engagement—because every day of learning matters.

As required by House Bill 410, student attendance is tracked by hours—not just days—and includes both excused and unexcused absences, along with any planned time away from school.

To help prevent chronic absenteeism and promote student success, we encourage families to:

Prioritize daily, on-time attendance.
Talk with your child about the importance of being present at school and how missing too much can impact learning.
Create an open, safe space for your student to share any issues or challenges that might be affecting their attendance.
Plan ahead with a backup transportation or care option in case of unexpected changes.
Schedule family trips and appointments during school breaks whenever possible.
Keep an eye on your student’s attendance patterns and address concerns early.
Reach out to your child’s school if you need help—there are resources and supports available to assist your family in building strong attendance habits.

Together, we can ensure that every Cruiser has the opportunity to grow, learn, and thrive every day.

Excessively Absent Students

Under Ohio law, a student is considered excessively absent if they miss 38 or more hours of school in a single month or 65 or more hours over the course of the school year—unless those absences are medically excused. Once a student reaches this threshold, the school district is required to report it, and the District Truancy Plan will be put into effect. Parents or guardians will receive official notification along with a copy of the plan.

After a student has been identified as excessively absent, any future absences must be medically documented in order to be excused. A medically excused absence includes time missed due to illness or appointments with healthcare providers such as doctors, dentists, or mental health professionals. To be accepted, medical documentation must be submitted within five (5) school days of the student’s return.

Habitually Truant Students

Attendance Intervention Plans

When a student is identified as habitually truant, the District is required to take specific steps to support the student and family before considering legal action. This includes creating an Absence Intervention Team to develop a plan that addresses the student’s attendance issues. Filing a truancy complaint with the court only occurs if these intervention efforts do not lead to improvement.

Here’s what happens when a student is considered habitually truant:

Within 7 school days of the absence that triggers habitual truancy, the District will:
- Select members to serve on the Absence Intervention Team (per ORC 3321.19(C)(2)(e));
- Make at least three meaningful attempts to involve the student’s parent, guardian, or legal custodian in the team.
The family will receive a formal Habitually Truant Letter to notify them of the situation.
Within 10 calendar days of the triggering absence, the student will be officially assigned to the Absence Intervention Team (ORC 3321.19(D)(1)).
Within 14 school days of that assignment, the team will develop a personalized Absence Intervention Plan (ORC 3321.191(C)(2)(a)) to help improve attendance.
Within 7 calendar days of finalizing the plan, the District will make reasonable efforts to provide a written copy to the parent or guardian (ORC 3321.191(C)(2)(a)).

These steps are designed to partner with families and provide support before any legal measures are considered.

Tardies

Students late to school must report to the office to sign in before reporting to class. Parents/Guardians must provide an explanation for the tardiness. Excessive tardies that are unexcused will result in disciplinary action by the office. If the school does not receive an explanation of the tardiness within three (3) school days, the tardiness will automatically be considered unexcused.

every day counts!

Good attendance is key to student success—being in school on time every day helps your child stay on track and thrive.

If your child will be absent, please remember to report it by calling our Attendance Line at 614-836-4970.