Truancy
Absences from school have lasting impacts on a student's success — in the classroom and in life.
Cincinnati Public School is required by state law to count student absences based on the number of hours a student misses school — not the number of days a student is absent. Students who are consistently late to school or who leave school early may also be counted as excessively absent.
Parents or guardians of students who are excessively absent will receive a warning notice letter. If absenteeism continues, a school administrator will contact the student’s parent or guardian to create an attendance plan, which will outline expectations to improve the student’s attendance and provide information about resources available to assist families in getting students to school on time.
As a last resort, if a student’s attendance does not improve, Cincinnati Public Schools is required to refer them to the Hamilton County Juvenile Court for truancy proceedings.
House Bill 410 — Ohio Attendance Law
Ohio's Attendance Law encourages and supports a preventative approach to excessive absences and truancy.
Definition of Excessive Absences and Truancy
Excessive Absences:
- Absent 38 or more hours in one school month with or without a legitimate excuse; or
- Absent 65 or more hours in one school year with or without a legitimate excuse
Habitual Truant:
- Absent 30 or more consecutive hours without a legitimate excuse; or
- Absent 42 or more hours in one school month without a legitimate excuse; or
- Absent 72 or more hours in one school year without a legitimate excuse
Ohio law requires that if a student is absent with or without legitimate excuse from school 38 or more hours in one school month, or 65 or more school hours in a school year, the following will occur:
- School will notify the child's parent, guardian, or custodian of the child's absences after the date of the absence that triggered the notice requirement.
- If a student’s absences surpass the threshold for a habitual truant, the student will be assigned to a district absence intervention team, which will develop an intervention plan for that student.
- Every effort will be made to include a parent, guardian or custodian as a member of the student’s absence intervention team. Notice of the plan developed by the student’s absence intervention team will be provided to the student’s parent, guardian or custodian.
- If the student does not make progress on the plan or continues to be excessively absent, the district may file a complaint in juvenile court.
Truancy Hotline
Community members can report youths suspected of skipping school to our Truancy Hotline, a partnership of Cincinnati Public Schools and the Cincinnati Police Department.
Callers are asked to provide basic information about suspected truants.
Truancy Hotline: (513) 363-0003