08/24/2026
Attendance Information for Families
Dear SCASD Families:
Attendance is an important component of success for every child in our district, so we would like to share some details regarding attendance and SCASD's obligation to ensure your child's regular presence in school.
In accordance with the Pennsylvania Department of Education Compulsory Attendance Law of 2019, the following processes are required for all students:
For families with an established ParentSquare account, a notification is automatically sent on the day of each unexcused absence. This notification provides information about attendance regulations, emphasizes the importance of regular attendance, and reminds families to submit an excuse note to the attendance secretary at their school to have the absence reviewed for a lawful excuse.
To ensure you receive notifications, sign up for them in the PowerSchool Parent Portal.
All absences are unexcused until the attendance office receives a written excuse. Excuses can be handwritten or sent via email.
If an excuse is not received within three days, the absence will be permanently unexcused.
If your child accumulates three days, or the equivalent, of unexcused absences, we must notify you of a first offense along with the potential legal consequences. This notification may be received by mail, email, or through the PowerSchool Parent Portal.
If your child has four days, or the equivalent, of unexcused absences, you will be invited to a school attendance improvement plan meeting (SAIP) to proactively collaborate with the team and create a plan to eliminate additional unexcused absences.
If you receive a first offense letter and a SAIP meeting has occurred, a second offense will be filed with the magisterial district judge and/or Children and Youth Services for any additional unexcused absences.
Additional Information
A maximum of 17 cumulative absences may be verified by a parental/guardian written notification during the school year to verify lawful absences. All absences beyond the 17 shall require an excuse from a licensed practitioner of the healing arts.
If a student is late to school, the amount of time they are late will count toward their 17 days.
If your child has a chronic medical condition that might affect attendance, please contact your child's school to discuss options and next steps.
Educational trips with the proper documentation are considered an excused absence and are included in the 17 allowable parental excuses. Families can request an absence be excused as an educational trip by filling out the educational trip form in advance.
Parents can monitor their child’s attendance record in the PowerSchool Parent Portal. If you do not have an account, please contact IT Support for assistance.
Please note, recent changes under Act 47 of 2025 prohibit habitually truant students from transferring to a cyber charter school during the school year unless a judge determines the transfer is in the student's best interest. Under Pennsylvania law:
"Truant" means three (3) or more unexcused absences during a school year.
"Habitually truant" means six (6) or more unexcused absences during a school year.
At any point, should your family be experiencing challenges that are affecting school attendance, resources are available to help. Please review our comprehensive list of school-based and community agencies that provide assistance with housing, food, transportation, childcare, and mental health services.
We appreciate your attention to these procedures and understand that extenuating circumstances may require special considerations. Our goal is to work together to ensure your child’s educational success.
If you have any questions or concerns about your student’s attendance, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child’s school or our Home and School Visitor, Cindy Sergeon, at 814-231-1011 ext. 6977.
Sincerely,
Stephanie Beaver, Ed.D.
Director of Student Services
