No Show and Unable to Locate Procedures


No-Show students are students that are enrolled but do not attend.

  • Columbus City Schools refers to "No Show" students as those who are enrolled but never show up to the enrolled school. 

  • Once the student doesn't show, the student should be moved to the course N90130 - NO SHOW (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 student cannot be located 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 who were not enrolled with CCS on the last day of school the previous school year.

    • If the student was enrolled with CCS on the last day of school the previous school year, proceed to withdraw the student with the Unable to Locate Checklist.

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 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. 

  • The blocker course N90135 - UNABLE TO LOCATE should be used for these students that cannot be found.

When "No Show" or "Unable to Locate" blockers are used, it is the responsibility of the schools' staff to attempt 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 ChecklistAll attempts to ensure students stay with CCS should be exhausted.

 

Steps for Locating No Show and Unable to Locate Students




Identify 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.  There are other reports that may assist you in identifying these students, such as the ADM/ADA Detail Report and the Period Count Report.  Additionally, there is a Certify Rule that reports any students that have already been identified as a No Show and have been on the No Show Roster for more than 15 days.

 

Board Policy 5130.01 states that a minimum of five (5) different strategies must be documented over the course of fifteen (15) consecutive school days.  These five strategies are:

  1. Phone Call- 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, such as updated phone numbers. Call alternative contact numbers or emergency contacts on Emergency Contact Card.

  2. Truancy Letter Sent- Send home Truancy Warning Letter. HB 410 Notification and/or Invitation Letters. 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.  Note: There are specific directions for handling returned mail on the Infinite Campus Dashboard https://columbus.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SC/pages/528220590/Return+Mail+Address+Verification.

  3. Cross Check Community Schools Database (ODDEX)- 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.

  4. Social Worker Consult-Consult with your Social Worker to help determine if the family is in contact with any community agencies.

  5. House Check- If you are still unable to locate the student after exhausting all resources, a house check must be completed. (This requirement is being waived during the COVID-19 Stay Safe Ohio Protocol.)


Document Interventions: 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, and have been unsuccessful in locating the student, the Principal needs to review the form and sign it, agreeing that all steps have been completed, and the student should be withdrawn.

Students cannot be withdrawn for non-attendance.  It is important to note that once a parent has been located (or student, if the student is 18 years old), the student is no longer considered “Unable to Locate”.  The school must continue to make attempts to reengage this student in their learning. 


If the student has reached 18 years old and indicates that they do not wish to continue attending school and want to withdraw themselves, the Withdrawal Form can be found on this page:  https://columbus.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/SC/pages/133235046/Forms

Process Withdrawal: 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!















Department of Accountability & Other Support Services
Division of Information Management