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Be Here PG! Attendance Support

Be Here PG: Attendance Resources for Families

Welcome to Prince George County Public Schools' Be Here PG attendance resources portal. This webpage serves as the place to learn more about the important role our community serves in fostering good attendance habits to help the children of Prince George County succeed. 

Explore this page for more information about attendance and supports available to Prince George County Public Schools' families, along with valuable resources from Attendance Works, a non-profit initiative that partners schools, districts, states, communities and organizations to ensure that everyone recognizes that chronic absence is a serious issue that can be addressed using a positive, problem-solving approach.

Did You Know?

  • Absenteeism in the first month of school can predict poor attendance throughout the school year. Half the students who miss 2-4 days in September go on to miss nearly a month of school.
  • Poor attendance can influence whether children read proficiently by the end of third grade or may be held back.
  • By 6th grade, chronic absence becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school.
  • Research shows that missing 10 percent of the school year, or about 18 days in most school districts, negatively affects a student’s academic performance. That’s just two days a month and that’s known as chronic absence.

Attending school is crucial for a child's academic and social development. Regular attendance ensures that students do not miss out on important lessons and discussions, which can impact their grades and overall academic success. Additionally, being present in the classroom allows students to interact with their peers and build important social skills.

Data shows when students improve their attendance rates, they improve their academic prospects and chances for graduating.

Tips for Families

Being in school is important for the academic success of students and their ability to receive valuable instruction, while also building important social skills with their peers. Here are some tips to help ensure your child is able to build good attendance habits throughout their time in school:

  • Make school attendance a priority, discussing the importance of being in school daily.
  • Ensure children are maintaining daily routines, such as finishing homework and get a good night's sleep.
  • Try to schedule medical appointments and extended trips when school isn't in session by reviewing the district's calendar.
  • Know the district's attendance policy.
  • Connect with your child's school, other parents, or community agencies if you need support.

Frequently Asked Attendance Questions

In this section, we will provide answers to some of the common questions that our school community may have about chronic absenteeism and school attendance, how it affects your child's individual education and their school, and what resources are available to recover lost instructional time. 

  • Chronic absenteeism is defined as a student who has missed ten percent or more of the enrolled school days. For example, if there are 176 school days scheduled for students during a given school year, ten percent of 176 school days equals 17.6 days. When a student misses more than 17.6 school days, they will be considered chronically absent regardless of the reason for the absences.

  • Chronic Absenteeism Truancy
    • Missing ten percent or more of the academic year for any reason, including excused absences, unexcused absences, and suspensions.
    • The act of accruing one or more unexcused absences.
    • Includes all missed instructional days for any reason.
    • Only includes absences that are not excused.
     
    • Students reaching 10 or more unexcused absences may be referred to the Connection Coach and/or Attendance Officer.

  • It is important for your child to be present at school daily to learn and build a solid educational foundation for the future. 

    Students who become chronically absent during the school year will be expected to make up lost instructional time through before/after school tutoring and/or Saturday school. Chronically absent students are those who accumulate 5 or more absences in a quarter, 9 or more absences in a semester, and 18 or more absences in a school year.

    • Students in grades 3-12 who fail to meet the makeup requirements will have their report card annotated with the comment, “Student was chronically absent from school”.

    The following guidelines, as detailed in Prince George County Public Schools’ Regulations for Student Absences, are in place to make up lost instructional time:

    Grades 3-8

    Quarter 1 2 3 4
    Days Absent 5 or more 9 or more 14 or more 18 or more
    Required Make Up Hours 3 hours plus an additional 30 minutes for every day missed over 5. 5 hours plus an additional 30 minutes for every day missed over 9. 7 hours plus an additional 30 minutes for every day missed over 14. 9 hours plus an additional 30 minutes for every day missed over 18.

     

    Grades 9-12 & Grades 7-8 Students in Credit Bearing Course

    Quarter 1 2 3 4
    Days Absent 5 or more 9 or more 14 or more 18 or more
    Required Make Up Hours 5 hours plus an additional hour for every day missed over 5. 9 hours plus an additional hour for every day missed over 9. 14 hours plus an additional hour for every day missed over 14. 18 hours plus an additional hour for every day missed over 18.

  • Virginia Department of Education has established a new accountability system. Schools across the state will continue to be monitored on several components: Mastery, Growth, Readiness & Graduation. Chronic Absenteeism is a part of these components which determine the overall performance level each school will fall under at the conclusion of a school year.

    These overall performance levels include Distinguished, On Track, Off Track and In Need of Intensive Supports. There are several charts, graphs and descriptions on the VDOE website that elaborate on these components and overall performance levels for each school.

    For more information, please use the link below. 

    School Performance & Support Framework Overview | Virginia Department of Education

  • The parent or legal guardian should provide a written note or email, and other requested documentation for an absence to be excused. If circumstances permit, the parent/guardian should call or email to provide the school administration with the reason for the nonattendance prior to the absence.

    Up to 10 absences per student per year may be excused with a note from parent/guardian for excused absences which include illness, quarantine, natural disaster, religious holiday, death in the immediate family, legal or medical appointments, and school-sponsored/related activities.

    After the 10 absences with a parent note, absences will require a doctor’s note for illness/appointments. Additional absences will require documentation to support the absence.

  • An excused absence refers to absences accumulated due to circumstances that are beyond the control of student, parents/guardians, and the school.

    Reasons for excused absences include illness, quarantine, natural disaster, religious holiday, death in the immediate family, legal or medical appointments, and school-sponsored/related activities.

    Special requests made in writing to the school principal at least 10 days in advance for other excused absences, for reasons such as for travel, may be approved on a case-by-case basis when a student is not on track to be chronically absent and is performing satisfactorily academically.

    Up to 10 absences per student per year may be excused with a note from parent/guardian for excused reasons listed above. After the 10 absences with parent note, absences will require a doctor's note for illness/appointments. Additional absences will require documentation to support the absence. 

  • Written documentation, such as a signed and dated parent note with the name of the student and reason for the absence, doctor’s note with date the student was seen and the student’s name, or an email with the information attached are necessary upon the child’s return to school. 

  • Once information has been received by the school about a student’s absence, the school will update the attendance record to document the information.  Please contact the school if you do not see the absence updated in ParentVue after 48 hours. 

  • Family trips are not automatically considered excused absences.  A parent or guardian would need to submit a request to the school principal in writing at least 10 days in advance. The principal will review requests on a case-by-case basis and may grant approval if a student is not on track to be chronically absent and is performing satisfactorily academically.

  • An unexcused absence refers to absences that keep a student away from school AND is not excused for the reasons outlined as excused absences. Examples of unexcused absences include, but are not limited to, vacation, personal travel, including travel sports, missing the bus, child care, and truancy.

Last Updated: 10/30/2025