[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 45, Volume 4]
[Revised as of October 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 45CFR1305.8]

[Page 204]
 
                        TITLE 45--PUBLIC WELFARE
 
CHAPTER XIII--OFFICE OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 
                           AND HUMAN SERVICES
 
PART 1305--ELIGIBILITY, RECRUITMENT, SELECTION, ENROLLMENT AND ATTENDANCE IN HEAD START--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 1305.8  Attendance.

    (a) When the monthly average daily attendance rate in a center-based 
program falls below 85 percent, a Head Start program must analyze the 
causes of absenteeism. The analysis must include a study of the pattern 
of absences for each child, including the reasons for absences as well 
as the number of absences that occur on consecutive days.
    (b) If the absences are a result of illness or if they are well 
documented absences for other reasons, no special action is required. 
If, however, the absences result from other factors, including temporary 
family problems that affect a child's regular attendance, the program 
must initiate appropriate family support procedures for all children 
with four or more consecutive unexcused absences. These procedures must 
include home visits or other direct contact with the child's parents. 
Contacts with the family must emphasize the benefits of regular 
attendance, while at the same time remaining sensitive to any special 
family circumstances influencing attendance patterns. All contacts with 
the child's family as well as special family support service activities 
provided by program staff must be documented.
    (c) In circumstances where chronic absenteeism persists and it does 
not seem feasible to include the child in either the same or a different 
program option, the child's slot must be considered an enrollment 
vacancy.