Elementary students that miss more than 16 days (excused or unexcused) during a school term will not receive credit for the term.  High school students that miss more than 8 days (excused or unexcused) during a school semester will not receive credit for that semester's work.

The only exception to the attendance regulation will be extenuating circumstances that are verified by the Supervisor of Child Welfare and Attendance.  Extenuating circumstances must be cleared within five school days of the student's return to school.  No absence of less than 5 consecutive days will be considered for junior high and high school students.  Students who are verified as meeting extenuating circumstances and therefore eligible to receive grades shall not receive those grades if they are unable to complete makeup work or pass the course or grade.

The principal of each school, or his designee, shall notify the parent or legal guardian in writing upon a student's third unexcused absence or unexcused occurrence of being tardy, and shall hold a conference with the student's parent or legal guardian.  The student's parent or legal guardian shall sign a receipt for such notification.  The term "tardy" shall include arriving at school unexcused after the tardy bell and before twenty five percent of the instructional day has passed, or checking out of school unexcused prior to the regularly scheduled dismissal time at the end of the school day not exceeding twenty five percent of the instructional day.

Services for Child Welfare is currently under construction. Please come back later.

Louisiana law states that in order to expel a student from school, there must be a recommendation for expulsion from the school.  Following this recommendation, there will be a hearing conducted by the Superintendent or the Superintendent's designee.  Ralph Davenport, as the Supervisor of Child Welfare & Attendance, is the designated Hearing Officer for the Morehouse Parish School System.  Present at this hearing should be the student who allegedly committed the violation, the student's parents/guardians, representatives and witnesses from the school, the Superintendent of the school district or his designee, witnesses, and the attorney for the school board.  The student may be represented by counsel of his choice.

At the hearing, the principal or other person seeking the expulsion of the student shall present information regarding the violations the student has committed and the reasons for the recommendation for expulsion.  Following that presentation, the student and/or his/her representative may present witnesses and respond to the charges.  After the response the issues will be discussed and/or considered in detail and the Superintendent or his designee shall make a decision regarding the student's future educational placement.

There are three outcomes that may result from the hearing.  Upon the conclusion of the hearing and upon a finding by the Hearing Officer that the student is guilty of conduct warranting the expulsion, the Hearing Officer shall determine whether the student shall be expelled from the school for the remainder of the school year, or up to four complete school semesters, depending upon the violation and the age of the student.  The Hearing Officer may determine that other corrective or disciplinary action shall be taken.  Thirdly, the Hearing Officer may determine that the student was not guilty of conduct warranting an expulsion.  The parent will receive a copy of the Hearing Officer's decision in writing.  The parent or guardian of the student may, within five days after the decision is rendered, request the school board to review the findings at a time set by the school board.  The school board may confirm, modify of reverse the action previously taken.  Within ten days after the decision of the school board, the parent or guardian of the pupil may appeal to the District Court the adverse ruling of the school board in upholding the action of the Superintendent or his designee.  The court may reverse or revise the ruling of the school board based upon a finding that the ruling of the board was based on an absence of any relevant evidence in support of it. 

If you wish to give up your rights to a hearing and concur with the expulsion, you may do so by signing a concurrence doing away with the need for the hearing.

• Crisis Response and Safe School Plan Development
• Gang Risk Intervention
• Tobacco Use Prevention and Safe and Drug Free Schools

Special Assignments for regular education students to attend a school out of their designated school zone will be granted only under the following guidelines:

1. Through the majority-minority ruling of the court order ( A student attending school in which he is in the majority race may request special assignment to a school where he/she will be in the minority race).  This applies for students in grades K-12.
2. School Board employees may request special assignment for their child to attend the school where they work.  This applies for students in grades K-12.
3. If an employee is not assigned to one particular school or does not work at a school that can accommodate the grades that their child/children are in, then that employee can choose a school under special assignment for their child/children to attend.  Once a school is chosen, their child/children can only attend that school and must stay at the school until they finish the highest grade at that school, or return to the school district where they reside.  This stipulation applies to grades K-6 only.  Children in grades 7-12 will attend school in the district where they reside.

If overcrowding results from special assignments, then the special assignment students will have to be moved.  Special assignments are made from year to year and a request must be made for each school year.