This procedure is for situations where a student has been enrolled in PowerSchool for the new school year but does not actually return to school on the first day of the school year.

The student may still intend to attend the school, but the student's actual first day of attendance will be later than the original enrollment/start date.

Do not change the student's enrollment date before the student actually returns to school.
The student should remain enrolled in PowerSchool until the school confirms that the student will not be returning or that the student has transferred to another school.

Once the student actually returns, the school site should:
 

1. Clear the attendance that was entered for the days the student was not actually attending
2. Change the student's school enrollment Entry Date to the student's actual first day of attendance.
3. Change the student's course enrollment dates to the student's actual first day of attendance.
4. Verify the student's attendance and enrollment records.
   

Part 1 – Student Does Not Attend on the First Day

Step 1 – Leave the student's enrollment in PowerSchool

If the student was enrolled for the upcoming school year and you have confirmed with the parent that they intend to return to your school site: 

• Do not drop the student simply because they did not attend.
• Do not change the student's enrollment date yet.
• Do not drop the student from course enrollments.
  

Part 2 – Attendance on the Days the Student Does Not Attend

Step 2 – Mark the student absent - UNX with an appropriate note and your initials

If the student is still considered enrolled and the school is expecting the student to attend, the student should be marked absent (UNX) for the day(s) they do not attend.

This allows the school to properly account for the student's attendance while the student remains enrolled.

Example:
 

• First day of school: August 12 
• Student is enrolled but does not attend August 12 
• Student does not attend August 13 
• Student returns and actually attends August 14
  

At this point, the student's attendance may show:

Do not immediately change the enrollment date to 8/14.

Wait until the student actually returns.

Part 3 – Student Returns to School

When the student physically returns and begins attending school, the school site should correct the student's records.

Step 3 – Determine the student's actual first day of attendance

Confirm the exact date the student actually returned to school.

This date will become the student's new:
 

• School enrollment Entry Date
• Course enrollment date(s)
  

Example:
The student was originally enrolled for August 12 but did
not attend until August 14.

Actual first day of attendance = August 14

Part 4 – Clear the Incorrect Attendance

Step 4 – Clear the absence(s)

Before changing the enrollment date, clear the attendance that was entered for the days before the student's actual first day.

For example: 

• August 12 – Absent → Clear 
• August 13 – Absent → Clear 
• August 14 – Student attends → Keep attendance
  

The purpose of clearing these absences is to prevent attendance from remaining on dates that are no longer part of the student's active enrollment period.

Part 5 – Change the Student's School Enrollment Date

Step 5 – Open the student's enrollment information
 

1. Search for and select the student. 
2. Navigate to School Enrollment > Enrollment History.
3. Open the student's current enrollment record. 
4. Locate the Entry Date. 
5. Change the Entry Date to the student's actual first day of attendance. 
6. Verify the other enrollment information. 
7. Click Submit.
   

Example

Original Entry Date: 08/12/2026

Student actually began attending: 08/14/2026

Change the student's Entry Date to: 08/14/2026

Part 6 – Change the Student's Course Enrollment Dates

The student's schedule must also be reviewed.

Step 6 – Open the student's schedule
 

1. From the student pages, select Courses and Programs > Current Year Enrollments. 
2. Review all of the student's courses. 
3. Verify the Enroll Date for each course. 
4. Change the course enrollment date to the student's actual first day of attendance by selecting Edit. 
5. Click Submit.
   

Example

If the student actually began attending on 08/14/2026, the student's courses should begin on 08/14/2026, rather than 08/12/2026.

Part 7 – Verify the Student's Records

Step 7 – Review the student after making the changes

After changing the dates, verify: 

• School enrollment Entry Date is the student's actual first day.
• Course enrollment dates are the student's actual first day.
• Absences before the actual enrollment date have been cleared.
• Attendance on the student's actual first day is correct.
• The student remains enrolled at the school.
• The student's schedule is intact.
• No unexpected attendance or enrollment errors appear.
  

Example Scenario

Situation

A student is enrolled for the 2026–27 school year.

The first day of school is August 12.

The student does not attend August 12 or August 13.

The student actually arrives at school on August 14.

What the school should do

August 12–13:
 

• Student remains enrolled.
• Student is marked absent according to the school's normal attendance procedure.
  

August 14 – Student returns:
 

1. Confirm August 14 is the student's actual first day of attendance.
2. Clear the August 12 and August 13 absences. 
3. Change the school enrollment Entry Date from August 12 to August 14. 
4. Change the student's course enrollment dates from August 12 to August 14. 
5. Verify August 14 attendance. 
6. Review the student's enrollment and schedule to make sure everything is correct.
   

Important: If the Student Never Returns

If the student never actually returns and the school learns that the student is attending another school or will not be attending your school, do not follow the procedure above.

Instead, the school should follow the district's normal withdrawal/exit procedure and use the appropriate enrollment exit date and exit code.

The rule to remember:

The student's enrollment and course dates should reflect when the student begins attending, not simply the date the student was originally entered into PowerSchool.