Under California Education Code 48200, each person between the ages of 6 and 18 years of age is subject to a compulsory full-time education. If your child is going to be absent from school, you need to notify the El Rancho school office within 24 hours to report the absence. The El Rancho Attendance Hotline number is 714-628-5427, and can be called at any time, day or night. Any unreported absences will be recorded as truancies, and grades may be negatively impacted.
Excused Absences:
Excused absences are enumerated under California Education Code 48205, and include the following reasons:
- Due to his or her illness.
- Due to quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer.
- For the purpose of having medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic services rendered.
- For the purpose of attending the funeral services of a member of his or her immediate family, so long as the absence is not more than one day if the service is conducted in California and not more than three days if the service is conducted outside of California.
- For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of his or her religion, attendance at religious retreats, or attendance at an employment conference, when the pupil’s absence has been requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board. El Rancho Charter School must be notified prior to departure/absence or the absence will be considered unexcused.
Unexcused Absences:
- Family vacations/reunions
- Theme Park excursions
- Non-school-related sports events/competitions
- Cruises, fishing trips, trips to the river, beach trips, etc.
- Acting, movie, or commercial shoots
- Theme camps (i.e. cheer camp, dance camp, baseball camp, etc.)
- Other activities not enumerated under California Education Code 48205 that are deemed unexcused by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board.
Unexcused Absence Policy:
All students who are absent inexcusably as defined by the California Education Code will be subject to the El Rancho Unexcused Absence Policy. Students who have a regular unexcused absence may turn in assignments for 50% credit and may complete all tests and quizzes upon their return for full credit, but would not be allowed to retake any tests or quizzes.
Homework Requests:
A pupil absent from school under an excused reason enumerated under California Education Code 48205 shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence that can be reasonably provided and, upon satisfactory completion within a reasonable period of time, shall be given full credit therefore. The teacher of any class from which a pupil is absent shall determine the tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence. Teachers will be given a 24-hour window of opportunity to provide homework for excused absences only.
Parents and students are strongly encouraged to check each teacher’s classroom website on as well as Parent/Student Portal for missed work. If they are not available on the classroom website, feel free to email the teacher.
If your child will be absent from school three (3) or more consecutive days, you may obtain an Absence request form from the Attendance Clerk at 714-628-5443 during school hours. The student’s Advisor will review the request and issue a determination. You will be notified within 24 hours (business) of submitting the request.
If your child is absent from El Rancho for 15 days or longer (consecutive or non-consecutive ), their attendance will be reported to Child Welfare and Attendance, which could result in a School Attendance Review Board hearing for you and your child. Students who are absent 20 or more consecutive days will be dropped from our enrollment.