If your child has ongoing health problems that cause them to be frequently absent from school or limit their participation in physical education, they may be entitled to certain protections and flexibility under Arizona’s chronic health conditions law, A.R.S. § 15-346.
Under the Arizona law, school districts are required to have policies and procedures that enable students with chronic health conditions to keep up with work during absences and offer flexibility in physical education requirements.
Chronic Health Condition Defined
Under A.R.S. § 15-346, a student with a chronic health condition is anyone who:
- Is not homebound, but is unable to attend classes for intermittent periods due to illness, disease, pregnancy complications, or accident; or
- Has a condition that requires management on a long-term basis.
Note: As long as the chronic illness form is completed and certified by a licensed health professional or registered nurse practitioner, the definition for “chronic health condition” under the law recognizes that a wide variety of conditions may impact a child’s academic performance, including temporary ones.
Chronic Illness Form
If your child has a chronic health condition, you will need to submit a Certification of Chronic Health Condition form (also referred to as a “chronic illness form”) to the school. Such forms must be completed by a licensed health professional or registered nurse practitioner. Although these forms can vary between school districts, they typically require information about:
- The student’s diagnosis;
- Any physical limitations affecting the student’s ability to participate in physical education; and
- The anticipated number of absences due to the student’s chronic health condition.
You will likely have to contact the school’s health office to access the district’s chronic illness form. If the district has made their policies and procedures available on Policy Bridge, you may also be able to find the form under section JHD.
Chronic illness forms must be submitted to the school every year. Keep in mind that back-to-school season is a busy time for doctors to fill out school forms for their patients. If possible, try to get the chronic illness form to your doctor a few weeks prior to the start of the school year to give them enough time to complete the form.
If your child is newly diagnosed with a chronic health condition or involved in an accident that will cause them to miss school in the middle of a school year, be sure to contact the school as soon as possible to ensure the proper protections are in place.
Who Are Licensed Health Professionals?
- Physicians
- Naturopaths
- Physician Assistants
- Chiropractors
Documenting Absences
The chronic illness form is important not only to ensure your child does not fall behind academically during absences, but also to prevent them from being disciplined for their absences.
In Arizona, “excessive absenteeism” is defined as missing more than 10% of required attendance days. In most cases, that means missing more than 18 days of school. School districts have penalties for students who are excessively absent and will therefore typically notify parents as their child’s absences near 18 days.
However, Arizona law prohibits districts from applying such penalties to certified students with chronic health conditions who have completed course requirements. A.R.S. 15-843(C). In other words, chronic illness forms protect students from being penalized for absences due to their health condition. If you have a chronic illness form on file with the school but are receiving notifications regarding your child’s absences, be sure to contact the school office to ensure the absences are being documented correctly.
Under Arizona’s chronic health conditions law, you are still required to notify the school office of your child’s absences. Be sure to identify to the school that your child’s absence is related to their chronic health condition. If you know ahead of time that your child will miss school for any scheduled medical procedures or treatments, be sure to let the school know as soon as possible.
Tip: Keep a record of your child’s absences, as well as any correspondence regarding your child’s absences and medical accommodations. This may be useful in case of disputes.
Additional Resources & Information
For additional services and accommodations, talk to your school about your child’s eligibility under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504). See Chronic Health Conditions: Eligibility Under Federal Laws for information regarding eligibility and DRAZ’s Special Education Tip-of-the-Day: Evaluations/Meetings for information about requesting an evaluation.
If your child already has an IEP or 504 Plan, you can also request an accommodation be added to the plan stating that your child will not be penalized for disability-related absences. Even with such an accommodation, however, you should still submit a chronic illness form to the school.