Attendance Information

Group of students standing in line

It is essential for students to attend school daily in order to acquire the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to be college- and career-ready. Parents, guardians and students are all responsible for making sure students are on time and ready to learn.

School attendance is required by state law for students up to age 17 (Colorado School Attendance Law – C.R.S. 22-33-101 et seq.).

Students must attend a minimum number of hours of school in order to comply with the law. These minimum requirements are:

  • 1,056 hours in middle and high school; and

  • 968 hours in elementary school.

Below is an overview of the different types of absences.

Types of Absences

Reporting Absences

Save time by letting us know that your student is going to be absent or arriving late. Starting this year, DPS families will be able to use their computers or smartphones to know about absences or late arrivals so they can focus on taking care of their children. Guardians of DPS students must have an active DPS Parent Portal account to use this new feature. Visit myportal.dpsk12.org to sign up, or to check that your account is active and ready. Learn more about how to use this new feature.