Dear Maquoketa CSD Families,
I hope this message finds you well. As the Superintendent of Maquoketa Community School District, I want to take a moment to inform you about the new chronic absenteeism legislation that was recently implemented in Iowa for this school year.
Under this legislation, students who are considered chronically absent—defined as missing 10% or more of school days during a semester—will be referred to the county attorney. This is legislatively directed to school districts and not a school district decision. The county attorney and Maquoketa CSD will then collaborate on implementing processes together to support students, families and school attendance. Students are considered truant once students have missed 20% of school days within the grading period (a semester). It is important to note that this legislation encompasses both excused and unexcused absences, as well as partial days. This means that if a student misses certain class periods or half days, this will also be factored into their chronic attendance record.
We are waiting on further guidance from the Department of Education regarding absences due to significant health reasons or students who have a health condition documented in an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or 504 plan.
To support our students, our district will be sending awareness letters before a student reaches the chronic absenteeism threshold. We believe that open communication is key to ensuring student success.
We will continue to navigate this process together and keep you informed of any additional legislative updates. Thank you for your attention to this important matter and for your ongoing support of our schools.
Sincerely,
Tara Notz
Superintendent
Maquoketa Community School District