No-Show students are students that are enrolled in the district for the first time and never attend.
Columbus City Schools refers to "No Show" students as those who enroll in the district for the first time, or were enrolled in previous years, left for another district for a period of time, then return but never show up to the enrolled school. Once a student is enrolled, they are assigned to the applied lottery or school of attendance. If the student is new to the district or had not been on attendance at the end of the previous year, they should be considered "No Show", in either case, the student should have been given a schedule. Once the student doesn't show, the student should be moved to the no show blocker (this can be done as soon as the second day of school). Attendance needs to be taken every day while efforts to find the student are made. If the location of the student can't be found in a reasonable amount of time (two weeks or more) or a record request is received, a withdraw should be submitted through the CCSDAS. The withdraw date should be the summer withdraw date or if student enrolled after that date, the withdraw should match the date of enrollment. Withdraw code "81" student reported in error" needs to be used for all "No Show" students.
Unable to Locate students are students that are enrolled, and have attended at some point in the year, but have stopped attending without notice.
"Unable to Locate" are students that were in attendance at the end of the previous school year but didn't come back from summer or, students that enrolled over the summer, attended a day or more in the current school year and stopped attending without notice. As the name implies, these are students that a record request has not been received, no contact can be made with the family and there is no way to verify where or if the student is currently attending school.
Either "No Show" or "Unable to Locate", schools are responsible for trying to locate students who have stopped attending. Work with your school's Social Worker and School Attendance Team to document any attempts to locate these students on the Unable to Locate Checklist. All attempts to ensure students stay with CCS should be exhausted.
Steps for Locating No Show and Unable to Locate Students
- Run Consecutive Absence Report and/or Reports. Note: If accurate attendance is not taken, the student will not show up on the report. It may be a good idea to share this list with teachers and ask your teachers for input so that they can see if there are students who have not shown up that are not on this list.
- Call parents/guardians of all no shows. If phone number is not available or disconnected: Check with other siblings or relatives in the school building for a working phone number. Check IC to find out if there are siblings at other CCS schools, if so, contact the schools to find out if they have pertinent information. Call alternative contact numbers or emergency contacts on Emergency Contact Card .
- Send home Truancy Warning Letter. If letter comes back: Call alternative contact numbers or emergency contacts on Emergency Contact Card. Check with other siblings or relatives in the school building for updated address.
- Have School Social Worker or Student Data Specialist check the Community Schools database (ODDEX) to see if the student has been enrolled into another school district or charter school in Ohio. If the student came to us from out of district or out of state, it's a good idea to call the school they were previously attending to see if the student returned to their school.
- If you are still unable to locate the student after exhausting all resources, a house check must be completed by the social worker.
Document all efforts on the Unable to Locate Checklist.
If all steps on the Unable to Locate Checklist have been completed over a 15 day period, the Principal needs to review the form and sign it agreeing that all steps have been completed and the student should be withdrawn.
Proceed to withdraw the student on the CCSDAS:
- Use code 74 for "Unable to Locate" using the date the principal signs the form as withdraw date.
- Use code 81 for "No Show" using the summer withdraw date or date of enrollment as specified earlier.
There are several reasons why a student may not have shown up to the school. Some of these reasons are:
Reason student did not return | What needs to be done | Note: |
Student is going to be attending another school. | School can process a withdrawal once a records request or other notification from the new school has been received. School may need to contact the new school and ask them to fax/email a request. | Written documentation from the new school must be received. |
School has not been able to get in contact with the parent/guardian to find out where the student is now attending. | Complete the steps in the Unable to Locate Checklist. Once all steps have been completed over a 15 day period, the school can process a withdrawal. | The school cannot end date a student's schedule, the student's schedule will be ended during the withdraw process. Attendance needs to be taken every day until the student is withdrawn. Withdraw code 74 or 81 accordingly. |
Student has turned 18 and no longer wishes to continue his/her education. | Student (not parent/guardian) must sign a withdrawal form. The signed withdrawal form is completed and the school can process a withdrawal. Withdraw date used is date the form was signed. | Signed withdrawal form must be received. |
Any other reason | Contact your Student Data Specialist to best determine the proper course of action. | If you have any questions, please ask! |
Important Tips!
All students must have schedules, even if they are going to be withdrawn.
Students must continue to be marked absent daily, until they are withdrawn. All efforts must be made to ensure student withdrawals are completed in a timely manner.