Attendance Flexibility

Changes to the administration and provision of this accommodation were implemented in the fall of 2024 to remain current with recent Office of Civil Rights rulings.

For students with chronic conditions that are episodic in nature, there may be periods of time in which they are too unwell to attend class. The purpose of reasonable accommodations is to ensure access, and this extends to providing flexibility within attendance policies to ensure students with disabilities are not disproportionately penalized for exacerbations of their condition that prevent them from being present for every class session, as their condition may be unpredictable and inevitable despite ongoing health and time management practices. 

Students receiving the accommodation of attendance flexibility will request this accommodation through their ARC Go portal at the start of each semester, or as soon as they are approved for this accommodation, thus initiating the accommodation determination process between Accessibility Resource Center (ARC) and the instructor of record for the course. The student will be informed of the final accommodation determination.

Who Receives This Accommodation?

Students with disabilities who navigate disability-related experiences that are particularly chronic or episodic in nature may be approved for this accommodation. Granting attendance flexibility ensures that the student is not unfairly penalized for absences due to their disability if the absences do not fundamentally alter the essential elements of the class. 

How Does ARC Evaluate the Reasonableness of Attendance Flexibility in a Class

The accommodation for attendance flexibility should always be considered on an individual class basis, allowing an intentional and critical analysis of how attendance is essential to the class learning objectives and pedagogical components. While an attendance policy may already be incorporated into the grading scheme and syllabus, and its value is inherent to student success and learning, this accommodation is intended to modify any stated attendance policies allowing some flexibility beyond that limit to account for the student’s disability-related need. Analysis of reasonable accommodations is within the purview of ARC. 

When approved, the accommodation should be provided unless the accommodation significantly compromises the integrity of the course as offered. If instructors believe additional absences beyond the stated policy would  fundamentally alter the nature or essential elements of their class, instructors should consult with an Accessibility Advisor to determine reasonability of the request within the specific context of their class. 

To evaluate the extent to which attendance is critical to the essential learning objectives of a class, and to determine whether attendance flexibility can be reasonably implemented, ARC will make an accommodation determination based upon the following points as recommended by the Office of Civil Rights (OCR). 

1. What does the class description and syllabus say about attendance?
2. How is the final class grade calculated? Is attendance factored into the final grade?
3. Is the attendance policy consistently applied? (i.e., Have there been any exceptions made to the policy for non-disabled students, such as for athletic travel or religious observances? If so, these exceptions must also be granted to students with disabilities.)
4. Is there significant interaction between the instructor and students, and among students? If so, how much?
5. Do student contributions and participation in class constitute a significant component of the learning process (i.e., discussion, presentations, role play, group work)?
6. To what degree does a student’s failure to attend class compromise the educational experience of other students in the class?

When is Attendance Flexibility Not Reasonable?

In general, if the class is mostly lecture based, the in-class experience focuses on reviewing content available in the text or from instructor or peer notes, and involves little student interaction during class, more flexibility with excused absences and participation points is reasonable. 

However, there are various classes in which attendance flexibility as an accommodation would not be reasonable. Attendance could be critical to the learning objectives of classes that utilize significant in-class participation and interaction as a method of instruction; classes where student learning is created and assessed in the classroom through experiential or conversational means; and classes in which absences would compromise the educational experience of other students in the class. In these situations, less flexibility with excused absences and participation points is reasonable.

Considerations to Keep in Mind When Implementing Attendance Flexibility

• Limits are reasonable. ARC will provide clear limits to the number of absences allowed and stay away from blanket “come-and-go and submit work as you please” policies.
• Make-up tests or missed work due to absences, when reasonable, will typically have short extension windows.
• The accommodation does not cover non-disability-related illnesses (such as cold, flu, etc.) or other non-disability-related reasons (such as loss of daycare, vacation, etc.) as to why a student is absent.
• Accommodations are not retroactive. Instructors are not obligated to adjust previous penalties for absences if the instructor notification of accommodations email is provided later in the semester.

ARC Responsibilities in Supporting Attendance Flexibility

• Review documentation and meet with students to better understand their disability-related experiences. Through this interactive process, an Accessibility Advisor determines if a student needs modification to class attendance policies to mitigate disability-related impacts throughout the semester.
• Review the course syllabus attendance policy as outlined in the Attendance Flexibility Questionnaire (completed by the instructor). If needed, consult with and support instructors in determining reasonableness of accommodations or how to implement this accommodation considering essential class elements.
• Provide support to students and instructors when questions or difficulties arise related to the accommodation.

​Faculty Responsibilities When Facilitating Attendance Flexibility

• After receiving an email notification of approved accommodations, instructors will complete the Attendance Flexibility Questionnaire via the link provided in the email.
• If instructors believe the accommodation is not reasonable considering their class objectives or pedagogical methods, contact ARC immediately as instructors should never unilaterally deny an accommodation. Instructors are expected to clearly articulate why flexibility is not reasonable.
• Instructors should engage in dialogue with the student and ARC regarding new attendance expectations: delineate the preferred communication process when the student needs to notify instructor and ARC of a disability-related absence, any critical dates that cannot be missed, and whether there are any alternatives to missed participation points or quizzes on days in which the student is absent. 
  • This information is collected in the Attendance Flexibility Questionnaire via the link provided. Instructors should contact ARC if there are any additional considerations and information necessary outside of what is collected in the Attendance Flexibility Questionnaire.
• If the student chooses not to work with their Accessibility Advisor to determine this accommodation, it is highly recommended that an accommodation attendance agreement is summarized in writing via contract. The contract summary helps ensure everyone is operating from the same point of view and that any confusion of the agreement can be clarified. Students and instructors are welcome to include ARC in these discussions for documentation purposes.
• When a student needs to utilize this accommodation, they are responsible for notifying their instructor and ARC staff in a timely manner. Timely is defined as “as soon as is reasonably possible.” There may be conditions or circumstances in which a student is not able to contact their instructor prior to the class. 
• At no time are students required to present documentation to instructors to justify a disability-related absence. 
• ARC is always available to mediate any concerns about attendance flexibility, including concerns about academic integrity and logistics of this accommodation. ARC remains a neutral party in evaluating what is reasonable as an accommodation and is here to support instructors and students.

Student Responsibilities When Eligible for Attendance Flexibility

• Students approved for attendance flexibility must request this accommodation through their ARC Go portal at the start of each semester, or as soon as they are approved for this accommodation. This initiates the process for ARC to collect information about course syllabus policies regarding attendance via the Attendance Flexibility Questionnaire and make an accommodation determination with their professor. Please note that accommodations are not retroactive.
  • If the student chooses not to work with their Accessibility Advisor to determine this accommodation, it is highly recommended that an accommodation attendance agreement is summarized in writing via contract. The contract summary helps ensure everyone is operating from the same point of view and that any confusion regarding the agreement can be clarified. Students and instructors are welcome to include ARC in these discussions for documentation purposes.  
• Students should clearly understand attendance expectations related to their accommodation. This includes knowing the finite number of absences that can be allowed, how to communicate with the instructor and ARC when they need to utilize the accommodation, any critical dates that cannot be missed, and whether there are any alternatives to missed participation points or quizzes on days in which they are absent. 
• When a student needs to utilize this accommodation, they are responsible for notifying their instructor and ARC in a timely manner. Timely is defined as “as soon as is reasonably possible.” 
• At no time are students required to present documentation to instructors to justify a disability-related absence.
• When a student is absent due to their disability, they are responsible for the class content, lecture notes, and information presented that day. The student should arrange how they will obtain this information.
• ARC is always available to mediate any concerns about attendance flexibility throughout the semester. If the student experiences a significant flare of symptoms that greatly impacts their academics or reaches 50% of the agreed upon number of absences, the student should reach out to ARC to discuss options and resources. 

Adapted with permission from Stanford University Office of Accessible Education Department.