Family Advocacy and Attendance Support

Supporting Student Success Through Engagement, Access, and Accountability

Welcome to the Attendance Department of Sumner County Schools. Serving a diverse student population of over 30,000 across Tennessee, our department is committed to ensuring that every student has consistent access to education—because we know that attendance is a key factor in academic achievement and long-term success.

Our Mission

To promote student achievement by supporting regular school attendance, verifying student residency, and providing resources to families facing barriers to consistent school engagement.

What We Do

The Attendance Department oversees a broad range of responsibilities to ensure all students are enrolled, engaged, and learning in a safe, supportive environment. Our key areas of focus include:

Compulsory Attendance Enforcement: Ensuring compliance with Tennessee’s compulsory attendance laws and working with families and schools to reduce chronic absenteeism.
Residency Verification: Confirming that students reside within district boundaries in accordance with state and district policies. This includes managing affidavits, lease agreements, and other supporting documentation.
Support for Homeless Students (McKinney-Vento Program): Coordinating services for students experiencing homelessness to remove barriers to education and ensure enrollment, attendance, and success.
Disciplinary Hearings: Facilitating student discipline hearings in alignment with district policy and state law, while supporting due process and educational equity.
Homeschooling Support and Oversight: Managing the registration and compliance process for families choosing to educate their children at home.
Power of Attorney and Educational Guardianship: Assisting families in completing and processing power of attorney or guardianship documentation to ensure students have appropriate educational support.

Why Attendance Matters

Every day a student is present at school is a step toward success. Our department works collaboratively with families, schools, and community partners to reduce absenteeism and keep students engaged in their learning journey.

Our Commitment

We approach every case with compassion, respect, and a focus on student well-being. Whether a student is facing housing instability, struggling with attendance, or navigating disciplinary procedures, our goal is to provide the guidance and resources needed to support their path forward.

MELANIE WEBSTER

ATTENDANCE SUPERVISOR

Central Office

Contact

TDOE Chronic Absenteeism

TDOE Attendance Manual

Tennessee Compulsory Attendance

Tennessee Compulsory Attendance Law (TCA 49-6-3001), states all children between the ages of 6 and 18 must attend school and be on time to school and classes. The Attendance Department investigates violations through referrals from schools, law enforcement agencies, court officials and citizens due to allegation relating to any school attendance. Truant Officers are available for school conferences to assist administration, guidance counselors, teachers and parents in attendance matters. Truant Officers serve as a representative of SCS initiating and maintaining Attendance/Behavior Contracts in partnership with Sumner County Juvenile Court. Truancy issues which cannot be resolved will result in petitions filed on the student and parent.

(Policy JB K-12)

Disciplinary Hearings

Student’s scheduled for Disciplinary Hearings will be notified by mail concerning the specific charges, assigned date, and time. All Disciplinary Hearings are held on Wednesday in the Board Room of the Sumner County Board of Education at 695 E. Main Street, Gallatin, TN. Parent/Guardian may request the school to provide copies of the Disciplinary Packet for review prior to the hearing date. At the time of the hearing, you may have an attorney present to support the student only. An attorney may not cross examine the principal or directly participate in the hearing. The student may bring a witness to testify to facts directly related to the event and a student has the right to tell their side of the story during the hearing. Once the hearing is concluded all parties have the right to appeal the decision within five (5) business days to the Director of Schools.

(Policy JCC, JCCC, JCCCA)

Residency Verifications

A Truant Officer may verify a student’s residency at any time during the current school year. During any such investigation the child shall continue to attend school.

The Primary residential parent or guardian shall provide two (2) of the following documents as proof of residency:

Legal document/lease showing proof of residency for specific address (Notary public or typed/hand written letters from the land owner is not accepted)
Current bill assigned to specific address – electric, gas, water, landline telephone (cell phone bill not accepted)

McKinney Vento Act - Homeless Students

F.A.S.T. Program - Resources for Families Experiencing Homelessness

We Are Here to Support You

A family may quality for our district F.A.S.T. program if there is a lack of a fixed, regular, or adequate night-time residence.

If you live in a shelter or a transitional housing program.
If you are temporarily living with friends or family because you do not have a permanent address.
If you live in a motel or campground because you cannot find or afford housing.
If you live in a car, abandoned building, or a place not normally designed for sleeping.

What We Can Do

Sumner County Schools offers several services to our families experiencing homelessness or living in transitional housing, such as:

Assistance with school enrollment process and paperwork
Help with school issues, questions, or concerns
Housing and community resource information
Obtaining birth certificates, immunization records, and school records
Parent education sessions and workshops
Referrals for dental, medical, and mental health services
School supplies and standard school attire
Special distribution events (food boxes, hygiene products, holiday toys, etc.)
Transportation to school and school-related events/activities
Tutoring services

KECIA RAY

MCKINNEY VENTO COORDINATOR

Central Office

Contact

FAST Program Documents

McKinney Vento Information

McKinney Vento Needs Assessment

McKinney Vento Needs Assessment (Spanish)

Student Residency Questionnaire

Student Residency Questionnaire (Spanish)

Students in Transition Dispute Request

Student Enrollment from Alternative, Residential, or Correctional Placements

Any student enrolling into Sumner County Schools from a previous Alternative Setting, Long-term Residential Placement or a State Correctional Facility is required to sign a Request for Attendance Release of Information form. This information will assist the Sumner County Attendance Department with consideration of enrollment and appropriate assignment of the student.

(Policy JCCCB)

Home School and Virtual School Enrollment

All home schooled students must be registered with the local Board of Education each year. (TAC 49-6-3050) Options and explanation:

Independent. Physical custodial parent/ guardian must have GED, High School Diploma or College Degree. Upon registering with the Attendance Department parent must provide copies of students birth certificate, Tennessee shot records and parent/guardian proof of education. Teaching parent/guardian will provide their own curriculum; keep record of daily attendance/time and grades. Students returning to public school will be tested for appropriate grade level or number of credits. There is no cost to register.
Church Related or Satellite Home School Programs. These are non-public homeschool programs that are under an “umbrella” of a private school. The curriculum and guidelines will be provided by the agency. The cost varies depending on selection. Once student is registered the parent/guardian will take proof of enrollment to the school of origin to withdraw student and transfer school records. The Attendance Department requests notification of any home school transfers.
Tennessee Virtual Academy. This full-time virtual academy is available for only grades of 1-8. Students may enroll in TVA during open enrollment only. An application is completed by parent/guardian from the Tennessee Virtual Academy in order to transfer their child. Once open enrollment is closed students will not be approved to enroll into the Tennessee Virtual Academy.

To Enroll:

Call (865) 992-9026 and obtain a registration form from the Tennessee Virtual Academy; complete and return it to Tennessee Virtual Academy.
Provide all the registration requirements for Tennessee Virtual Academy, this includes shot records, attendance records, confirmation the student is in good standing within the Sumner County School.
The Tennessee Virtual Academy will request the Child’s academic record.
Registration during open enrollment only; the student will not be released to transfer to the Tennessee Virtual Academy any other time.
Students enrolled with Tennessee Virtual Academy are under the guidelines of the Compulsory Attendance Law and subject to occur action due to non-compliance.

(Policy JBAA)

Power of Attorney

In order to qualify for a Power of Attorney for educational purposes the hardship must prevent the parent or parents from caring for the child. This authority may be delegated without the approval of a court by executing the writing of a power of attorney for the care of a minor child on a form available at TDOE Power of Attorney or from the Attendance Department. Hardships for educational purposes may include but are not limited to the following:

The serious illness or incarceration of a parent or legal guardian.
The physical or mental condition of the parent or legal guardian or the child is such that care and supervision of the child cannot be provided; or
The loss or non-inhabitability of the child’s home as the result of natural disaster
Death of a parent/parents
Military deployment

At no time will any SCS personnel accept typed or hand written letters from anyone giving permission for another individual to have control over their child.

(TCA 34-6-301)

Progressive Truancy Interventions

The Attendance Department is responsible for enforcing the Tennessee Compulsory Attendance Law by working with all Sumner County Schools students who are absent and/or tardy too frequently and who have not responded to the corrective efforts made by the building principal. Our goal is to ensure that students succeed in their education by maintaining optimal attendance.

Tier 1

Must include schoolwide, prevention-oriented attendance supports.
This may include rewards and incentives to promote good school attendance.

Three (3) Unexcused

Contact parent and inform them that 5 absences may be excused with a parent note, or a doctor’s excuse may be submitted.

Tier 2

Five (5) Unexcused

Schedule a SART meeting with student and parent. (Complete SART form.)
Identify any barriers to attendance. (Complete Individualized Student Assessment.)
Parent and Student sign an Attendance Contract.
Put interventions in place.

Tier 3

Ten (10) Unexcused

Complete box at the bottom of the SART form.
Progressive Truancy Assurance Statement signed by principal.
All documents sent to your truancy officer.
District interventions will be put in place which may include a petition in Juvenile Court.

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