ACES Attendance Program

ACES Attendance Information

Two Target Groups:
Students with Excessive Excused Absences:

  • Grades 1-6
  • Grades 7-12

Students with Unexcused Absences

  • Grades 1-6
  • Grades 7-12

Students with Excessive Excused Absences:

Excused absences not included in the ACES Program are:

  • Religious Holidays
  • Death in the immediate family
  • Court Appearances, Jury Duty
  • Serving as a page for the State Legislature
  • College Visitation - High School
  • Driver License Examination - High School
  • Immigration, passports
  • Medical, with doctor's note

* The following guidelines will be followed at the administrator's professional discretion.

  1. When a student misses 7 excused/unexcused days of school, the parent, student, school administration, counselor/social worker and nurse will meet to discuss the students attendance at school.  In some cases the School Resource Officer will attend the meeting. At the meeting, an attendance letter  will be handed to the parents. The meeting will attempt to discern what the issues are for the student missing school and devise a plan to assist the student in improving their attendance. Documentation of the meeting must be kept in the student file. 
  2. When student misses 10 excused/unexcused days of school, a Letter of Incapacity and a physician's certificate, which requires a doctor’s note for any further absences, will be mailed to parent by certified mail.
  3. Parent meeting is likely to take place after 10 days. 
  4. When student misses 12 unexcused days of school, the student and parent are referred to the ACES program.  The school administration will fill out and submit an ACES Referral Form to the Director of Student Services as well as the Hamilton County Prosecutor.  The Prosecutor’s Office will then contact the parents by mail and phone to inform the parent and child of the required meeting.
  5. At the meeting the deputy prosecutor will provide information to parents and students regarding truancy and how truancy increases the chances for becoming a dropout, Indiana law on school attendance and educational neglect, define excused and unexcused absences and the consequences of further absences from school. 
  6. Any further absences may result in a meeting between the deputy prosecutor, school administration, Carmel school probation officer, parent and child. 
  7. If students in grades 1-6 are still missing school, educational neglect charges may be filed.  If students in grades 7-12 are still missing school, truancy charges may be filed.

Students with Unexcused Absences:

“Unexcused Absence” means an absence from school that is not authorized by the local school administrator or local school corporation rule.

  1. When a student misses 1 day of school due to refusal to attend, the parent, student, school administration and counselor will meet.  In some cases the School Resource Officer will attend the meeting.  At the meeting, an attendance letter will be handed to the parents.  The child will be assigned an In School Suspension. 
  2. Upon the 2nd day where a student refuses to attend, student and parent are referred to the ACES Program.  The school administration will fill out and submit an ACES Referral Form to the Director of Student Services as well as the Hamilton County Prosecutor.  The Prosecutor’s Office will then contact parents by mail and phone to inform the parent and child of the required meeting.
  3. At the meeting the deputy prosecutor will present a presentation informing the parents and students how truancy leads to delinquency, increases the chances for becoming a dropout, Indiana law on school attendance and educational neglect, define excused and unexcused absences and the consequences of further absences from school. 
  4. Upon the 3rd day of a student refusing to attend, they may be assigned consequences within the school and classroom.
  5. When a student refuses to attend for 4 days, a truancy petition may be filed.