UPPER MERION AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT
Request for Excused Absence for Students Taking Non-School Educational Trip with Family or Other Approved Adult Sponsor
Criteria/Guidelines
Regulations of the state of Pennsylvania provide that, upon written request from the parents/guardians of the student involved, a student may be excused from school attendance to participate in an educational trip/Travel not sponsored by the school when the trip is evaluated by the superintendent as educational, and if the adult supervision is acceptable to both the superintendent and the student’s parents/guardians.
In the Upper Merion Area School District, the building principal has been designated by the superintendent to make the initial decision, based on the information provided.
In order to provide guidance to parents/guardians, the following procedure for non-school educational trips/tours has been established:
- This form must be submitted to the principal a minimum of two weeks before the date of departure (except in an emergency). Parents/Guardians will be notified in any case in which the request is denied.
- Requests will be approved only if it can be determined that the trip/tour is of educational value to the student.
- If more than one child in the family will be taking the trip/tour, a separate request for each child shall be made to each child’s principal if the children attend separate schools.
- No more than five (5) school days per student will be approved for educational trip/tour requests in any school year.
- Trips/Travel may not be approved if they conflict with finals, achievement tests, or other school events during which the superintendent deems attendance is necessary.
- All schoolwork missed during the trip/tour must be made up at the initiation of the student and reasonable convenience of the teacher at the secondary level, immediately upon returning to school. Work that is not made up shall count as a failure.
- Unapproved trips shall be treated as unexcused absences.
- Students who are absent from school for 10 consecutive days due to family travel, shall be removed from the active membership roll.
