Understanding attendance.
Attendance in online school works differently than in a traditional school — but it matters just as much. Here's what you need to know, and how to stay on track.
Attendance in online school usually means:
- Logging in and completing schoolwork in every class daily
- Logging attendance hours — a combination of required time in Canvas and submitted offline time
- Participating in classes and staying connected to assignments
- Log into school every day
- Check Canvas together once in the morning
- Contact your Success Coach early if something feels confusing
Important: Each ACCEL school sets its own attendance requirements. This page explains the basics of how attendance usually works. For your school's specific requirements — including how many hours are expected and how to log them — contact your Success Coach or school office.
How does attendance work in online school?
Instead of a teacher marking you present at a desk, online school attendance is typically tracked through the work your student completes. This usually includes:
- Completing required hours (online and offline) — recording time spent on schoolwork inside and outside of Canvas, including reading, writing, or studying away from the screen.
- Completing daily work in Canvas — regular assignment completion is often counted as part of attendance.
- Joining live sessions — depending on your school, attending live BigBlueButton classes may be part of your requirement.
Some attendance activity is automatically tracked through Canvas participation, but families may still need to submit offline learning time depending on their school's process.
How do I enter attendance?
Your school will walk you through the attendance logging process during onboarding. It's important to start logging correctly from day one.
Because the exact steps depend on your school's platform and process, your Success Coach is the best source for your school's specific logging instructions. Reach out during onboarding so you're set up correctly from the start.
Who to ContactHow many hours does my student need?
This varies by school. Online school attendance requirements are set at the school level and can differ even between ACCEL schools in the same state. Your Success Coach will share your attendance expectations during enrollment.
If you're unsure how many hours your student needs, don't guess — contact your Success Coach or school office to confirm.
Why attendance matters
We know life gets complicated. But staying on top of attendance matters for several reasons:
Falling below minimum requirements can affect your student's ability to earn credits and progress in their courses.
Schools are required to keep attendance records, just like traditional schools. Logged hours are part of that record.
Consistent attendance is one of the strongest predictors of success. When it slips, it's often the first sign something needs attention.
Tips for building a strong attendance habit
- Set a consistent start time each school day and stick to it
- Designate a dedicated workspace — somewhere quiet and free from distractions
- Log offline time at the same time each day so it becomes routine
- Keep your student's weekly schedule visible — post it on a wall or whiteboard
- Check in with your student at the start and end of each school day
If your student is falling behind
If attendance is slipping, the most important thing you can do is reach out early.
- Pay attention to communications from your Success Coach or attendance staff, and work with them to address concerns
- Talk with your student to reinforce expectations and find out what's stopping them from meeting them
- Ask about available supports — some schools offer attendance recovery options or flexible scheduling
- Be honest about what's making things difficult. Your Success Coach can support your family better when they understand what's getting in the way
It's very common to have questions during the first few weeks. Falling behind for a few days doesn't mean you can't catch up. Tell an adult or your Success Coach what's going on so they can help you make a plan. Reaching out early usually makes things much easier to fix.