Attendance Policy

Attendance is mandatory. Students should refer to their enrollment agreement for class start and end times. Due to the minimum training hours as required by the Department of Licensing, the attendance policy described below does not apply to the Professional Truck Driving program. Students enrolled in the Professional Truck Driving program should refer to their enrollment agreement for more information.

Instructor Notification

Students are required to notify the instructor before the scheduled start time each day they are absent or late. Failure to notify the instructor on the day of a tardy will result in a written advising (1st occurrence), and probation (2nd occurrence). Failure to notify the instructor on the day of an absence will result in immediate probation.

If a student fails to notify the instructor of an absence or tardy, the instructor is responsible to reach out to the student by the first scheduled break time via phone and/or email. Once the instructor has made an attempt to contact the student, the instructor notifies the attendance coordinator and the assigned dean. If the student has not shown up for class or contacted the instructor by the scheduled lunch time, the assigned dean contacts the emergency contact. The student will be dismissed after three consecutive days of unexcused absences without notification.

Clocking In

Students are required to clock in each day when arriving and clock out when leaving, at any time of the day other than at stated break periods. Student attendance is recorded using an electronic time management system. The time displayed on the time clock is the time that will be recorded. Students are provided an ID scan card on the first day of class. The cost to replace the ID scan card is $5.

Points

If a student misses up to three hours of scheduled class time in a day, the student will accrue one point. If a student misses more than three hours of scheduled class time in a day, the student will accrue three points. Once a student has accrued eight or more points in a term, the student is placed on attendance probation for the remainder of the term. If a student accrues additional points while on attendance probation, the student may be subject to immediate dismissal.

Students are limited to two one-point infractions in a month. For example, if a student misses one hour of scheduled class time (accruing one point) on the 16th day of a given month, the student will only be allowed one more one-point infraction until the 16th day of the following month. At the third one-point infraction in a month, the student will be placed on probation for one month or until the end of the term, whichever comes first, and may not accrue any points during the probation period. If additional points are accrued during that month, the student’s probation will be extended to the end of the term. Any points accumulated after the probation has been extended may result in immediate dismissal.

If a student misses scheduled class time without clocking out, the student’s instructor will notify the attendance coordinator, who will document the missed time.

Class Cut

A class cut is defined as not being present during scheduled class time at other than stated break periods, or leaving class prior to the end of the scheduled instruction period without instructor permission.

Scanning another student’s card will result in dismissal of all parties involved. Grades, financial aid and other agencies sponsoring students depend on accurate records of attendance.

Emergency Absence

An emergency absence is defined as an officially excused period of time, while maintaining the status of student. An emergency absence request must consist of two (2) or more school days and must meet one of the following conditions:

  1. Military service
  2. Medical restriction
  3. Funeral for immediate family member
  4. ER visit for student or immediate family member

Requests for other reasons may be granted in extraordinary circumstances with approval from the dean or associate dean of education. An emergency absence request will not be granted for failure to make satisfactory academic progress.

A request for emergency absence must be made to the dean or associate dean of education. Time away from school for an emergency absence will not be subject to point accrual. The written request to the dean or associate dean must include dated third-party verification of the reason for the emergency absence as well as a typed letter outlining the reason for the request. The Financial Aid Office will be notified immediately when the student is granted an emergency absence. An emergency absence will be for a maximum of 16 school days. Failure to return to class following the emergency absence may result in dismissal. Emergency absence requests must be submitted within five school days of returning to class. Only one emergency absence may be granted per term for each student.

Make-Up Work

Make-up work will be available for the following reasons: medical emergency, military leave, or other approved family crisis. To request make-up work, the student must provide the instructor with third-party verification of the reason for the absence.

The following types of make-up work are allowed: textbook assignments, quizzes, tests, projects, and lab work.

Pregnant Student Policy

Perry Technical Institute is committed to creating and maintaining a community where all individuals enjoy freedom from discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of sex, as mandated by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX).

Perry Technical Institute will not discriminate against any student, or exclude any student from its education program or activity, including any class or extracurricular activity, on the basis of such student’s pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, or recovery therefrom. In accordance with Title IX, Perry Technical Institute will grant a pregnant student leave for the length of time deemed medically necessary by the student’s physician.

To the extent possible, Perry Technical Institute will take reasonable steps to ensure that pregnant students who take a leave of absence or medical leave return to the same educational status the student held prior to withdrawing. Given the nature of our cohort-style programs, medically necessary leaves are sufficient cause to permit the student to join a subsequent cohort when returning from leave, depending on the circumstances. Nothing in this policy requires modification to the essential elements of any academic program.

Pregnant students are encouraged to discuss their circumstances with their department head by the sixth month of pregnancy or sooner to explore options for academic success, which may include make-up work, or emergency absence (as outlined below). The Title IX coordinator will assist with plan development and implementation as needed.

Make-Up Work

Make-up work will be available to pregnant and postpartum/parenting students. The following types of make-up work are allowed: textbook assignments, quizzes, tests, projects, and lab work. The specifics of the make-up work assignments and related due dates will be left to the instructor and department head to determine.

Accommodations

Students with pregnancy-related disabilities, like any student with a short-term or temporary disability, are entitled to reasonable accommodations so that they will not be disadvantaged in their program of study. Students who wish to discuss their need for such accommodations should seek assistance from the Title IX coordinator. Pregnancy related accommodations shall be based on the pregnant student’s request, and shall not be initiated by Perry Technical Institute.

As with disability accommodations, information about pregnant students’ requests for accommodations will be shared with faculty and staff only to the extent necessary to provide the reasonable accommodation. Faculty and staff shall regard all information associated with such requests as private and will not disclose this information unless necessary. Administrative responsibility for these accommodations lies with the Title IX coordinator, who will maintain all appropriate documentation related to accommodations.

Reasonable accommodations may include, but are not limited to:

  • Providing accommodations requested by a pregnant student to protect the health and safety of the student and/or the pregnancy (such as allowing the student to maintain a safe distance from hazardous substances)
  • Making modifications to the physical environment
  • Providing mobility support
  • Extending deadlines and/or allowing the student to make up tests and assignments missed for pregnancy-related absences
  • Offering remote learning options (where possible)
  • Excusing medically-necessary absences
  • Granting leave per Perry Technical Institute’s emergency absence policy or implementing incomplete grades for classes that will be resumed at a future date
  • Allowing breastfeeding students reasonable time and space to pump breast milk in a location that is private, clean, and reasonably accessible

Attendance and Enrollment Options

The following attendance and enrollment options are available to pregnant students or those facing pregnancy related conditions. As long as students can maintain satisfactory academic progress (maintain 2.0 GPA), faculty, staff or other PTI employees will not require them to take an emergency absence, or withdraw from or limit their studies as the result of pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions.

Requesting Excused Absences

Absences related to prenatal medical care and other pregnancy related absences may be excused with a doctor’s note. Perry Technical Institute requires that an emergency absence request form be completed each quarter and documentation must be submitted for each related absence. A letter to the respective dean of your program describing your need for excused absences must be provided, along with documentation from your medical provider. Please see the Education Department for the emergency absence request form.

Student Medical Leave

Students who desire to take leave under this policy for pregnancy related reasons must notify their department head of intent to take leave at least 30 calendar days prior to the initiation of leave. Perry Technical Institute strongly encourages students to notify their department head by the sixth month of pregnancy so that the school can work with the student to address their needs to the greatest extent possible.

Previous absences will not be counted towards the medical leave. For example, you may miss two days at the beginning of the quarter and still take a medical leave. In the case of pregnancy and postpartum related leave alone, medical leave may last as long as your medical provider deems necessary (documentation from your provider will be required).

Students are expected to submit make-up work upon return (see below). Note that longer periods of leave may interfere with your ability to maintain satisfactory academic progress.

Medical Withdrawal

A medical withdrawal occurs when a student determines that they must pause their education for medical reasons by taking a quarter or more off from their program of study. If a pregnant student wishes to withdraw for pregnancy and postpartum/parenting reasons and re-enroll at a later date, Perry Technical Institute will work to help reinstate the student to the same educational status the student held prior to withdrawing. After a medical withdrawal, a student seeking re-enrollment will need to join the next available cohort. Perry Technical Institute reserves the right to require a student to restart a program if more than two years have passed between their withdrawal and re-enrollment, or if there has been a significant curriculum revision.

Students who wish to re-enroll in order to complete their program of study should know that Perry Technical Institute generally restricts the use of financial aid for the first quarter of re-enrollment, but students have the option to appeal for hardship and medically documented reasons. A financial aid specialist will provide more information about existing options or any financial aid questions in general.

Religious Accommodations Policy

Perry Technical Institute will make good faith efforts to provide reasonable religious accommodations for students to observe religious holidays. This policy will apply to students who have sincerely held religious practices or beliefs that conflict with a scheduled course/program requirement. Students requesting religious accommodation should submit a written request directly to their department head within the first two weeks of the beginning of the quarter.

Being absent from class or other educational responsibilities does not excuse students from keeping up with any information shared or expectations set during the missed class. Students are responsible for obtaining any materials and information provided during their absence. The student shall work with the instructor and department head to determine a schedule for making up missed work.

Examples of religious accommodations may include: rescheduling of an exam or giving a make-up exam for the student in question, altering the time of a student’s presentation, and allowing extra-credit assignments to substitute for missed class work or arranging for an increased flexibility in assignment due dates.