Compliance & Student Accountability

As a public charter school, Georgia Cyber Academy is required to monitor student compliance in accordance with all applicable statutes and State Board of Education rules. Georgia Cyber Academy’s Student Accountability Committee monitors student compliance. All Georgia Cyber Academy students must be legal residents of the state of Georgia and provide proof of residence at the time of enrollment, re-enrollment, and at any time during the school year if a change in residence occurs. If you have any questions about your student’s compliance, please contact your Compliance Specialist.

• Students are required to follow the school calendar, which includes one hundred eighty (180) school days.
• All students must log in to the GCA Online School (GOLS) via Canvas every day to include Canvas Login Days (asynchronous days), and log completely out of the system when schoolwork is completed for the day. You can think of logging into Canvas like stepping into the school building.
• All students must log into Google, Clever, Canvas, or any other assigned GCA platform daily.
• Students must remain current with their schoolwork and maintain a minimum assignment completion rate of 91%
• Students are considered present for class if they attend for the entirety of the session.
• Students are required to click the 'Consent and Join' button at the beginning of each class session in order for class attendance to be captured
• Time spent in class will automatically be logged in Nucleus.
• Homeroom attendance is required daily for all students.
• Per SBOE Rule 160-5-1-.02, the minimum number of hours required per school day are as follows:
  • Kindergarten – 3rd Grade 4.5 hours per day
  •  4th – 5th Grade 5.0 hours per day
  •  6th – 12th Grade 5.5 hours per day
• Dual Enrollment and Work Based Learning students (full time and part time):
  • Are excluded from minimum instructional hours; however, they are not excluded from the minimum instructional days
  • Are required to attend homeroom live or watch the recording within two school days
  • Are required to log into Canvas and check their inbox on every GCA school calendar day to include asynchronous days, and log completely out of the system when schoolwork is completed for the day
  • Are required to check their student Gmail inbox on every GCA school calendar day to include asynchronous days
  • Fifth year seniors are excluded from the minimum instructional hours listed above; however, they are not excluded from the minimum instructional days

Participation during personalized learning and asynchronous learning time is documented through observable academic participation.

Participation may include, but is not limited to:

• Attending the entire required class session
• Assignment submission
• Completion of quizzes or checks for understanding
• Discussion participation
• Progress within digital curriculum platforms
• Submission of performance-based tasks

Seat time alone does not constitute participation.

Failure to complete required work within the assigned due date timelines may result in the student being identified as non-compliant under the Student Accountability Committee (SAC) policy. Continued non-compliance may lead to intervention, including a required SAC meeting, and may ultimately result in withdrawal from Georgia Cyber Academy.

To have an absence excused, a legal guardian (or learning coach, where applicable) must upload documentation to Nucleus within three (3) school days of the student’s return.

Please note that students are excused from attending for the reasons below, but students are not excused from completing assignments and assessments. It is the students’ and parents’ responsibility, not the teachers’, to arrange for make-up work. Students should ask their teacher for any missed assignments on the first day they return to school. The days allowed to make up work will not exceed the number of days absent. All excuse documentation must be uploaded in Nucleus by the last day of each semester, as compliance records will be finalized at that time. Valid reasons include:

• Medical/Dental Appointments for the student
  • Doctor’s notes must include specific dates to be considered for excused absences beyond the appointment date. Open-ended or conditional statements will not extend the excused absence past the appointment date.  Appointments for family members are not excused.  
  • Must be scheduled outside of core classes when possible. If it is not possible, please reach out to your Compliance Specialist for information on the required documentation to submit.
• Death or Serious Illness in immediate family
  • Up to 5 consecutive days for bereavement. Ongoing illness of a family member requires provider documentation that the student is unable to participate in school.
• Death or Serious Illness in Non-Immediate family
  • Up to 3 consecutive days for bereavement. 
•  Court/Government Orders involving the student.
• Religious Holidays
  • Religious holidays are not considered excused absences; however, students who observe a religious holiday may make up missed work under the following conditions: prior notice must be given to the school before the holiday, and students will have up to two school days to view class recordings and complete any missed assignments. Failure to view the recordings and complete the assignments within this timeframe will result in an unexcused absence.
• Educational Travel
  • Educational travel must be approved at least 5 days in advance by the School Accountability Director. Approval is not guaranteed and will be denied during testing windows. Non-school-related vacations or trips will not be excused. Legal guardians may submit a summary of the educational activities to the Compliance Specialist. If available, students may be approved to watch class recordings in place of being excused from class.
• Military Leave (Parent/Guardian Deployment)
  • Up to 5 excused days per year for visits before or during deployment with proper documentation.
• Internet/Technology Issues
  • If a student experiences technical difficulties with GCA systems, they are required to submit a ticket to the Help Desk and let their Compliance Specialist know by providing the ticket number in Nucleus: https://support.georgiacyber.org/hc/en-us/requests/new?ticket_form_id=18851293650327  in real time to troubleshoot the issue, or contact SCA at 404-334-4790 extension 8 for hardware-related problems.
  • All personal internet issues must be documented by the service provider, including ticket numbers or official outage confirmations, and must include identifying information. Information to include would be your name, address, and date of the outage.
• Therapy
  • Therapy should be scheduled outside of school hours whenever possible.  LG and LCs should notify their Compliance Specialist before therapy sessions so the student can be accommodated.  Failure to communicate therapy appointments and watch the class recording could result in an unexcused absence.

Other Approved Absences

• Severe weather or safety concerns
• One (1) day for voter registration
• Other absences approved by school administration

 

Absences that do not meet the criteria listed under Excused Absences are considered unexcused. If documentation is not uploaded to Nucleus within three (3) school days of the student's return—regardless of the reason—the absence remains unexcused.  Students are responsible for making up any work missed in accordance with the Late Work Policy outlined in this Handbook.  Approved excuses only excuse students from the missed live class session(s) and not the assigned work while out.

Additional provisions:

• Excuses must match official student records
• Documentation may be verified by the school by contacting the provider
• Absences from required state testing without provider documentation will be unexcused
• Any absence dates not specifically identified on an open-ended excuse will be considered unexcused

There is no legal “opt-out” of mandated testing, including Georgia Milestones Assessments.  The State of Georgia’s legislation does not permit opt-outs from state mandated assessments (Georgia Law O.C.G.A. §20‐2‐281).  GCA students who do not attend testing will be counted as absent.  The refusal to participate will impact overall school achievement and CCRPI scores (State Board of Education Rule 160‐4‐2‐.11).  More importantly, the absence of state mandated testing would result in data that does not reflect the true achievement of the student and would not show a complete and accurate picture of the academic performance and quality of instructional programs.

Both state and federal laws currently require the annual assessment of all students enrolled in public schools in identified grades and courses and neither law nor policy currently allow for a parent to opt a student out of this requirement for any reason.  Parents who wish to advocate for a change in testing requirements are encouraged to contact their federal legislators and to work within the legislative process.

Students are required to attend all scheduled in-person testing sessions. To be excused, valid documentation must be provided — this includes a medical note from a healthcare provider or official evidence of a family emergency.

Please note that personal notes from parents stating a student is "not feeling well" or verbal explanations such as car trouble will not be accepted. If appropriate documentation is not submitted, the absence will be marked as an unexcused (UA).

Only documented situations that prevent a student from being at the test site will qualify for an excused absence.

Students may be identified for intervention based on:

• Lack of daily Canvas engagement
• Low assignment completion
• Missed instructional sessions

Interventions follow a progressive process, including:

• Email notifications
• Phone communication
• Required parent meetings
• Certified letters
• Withdrawal review

A student is considered non-compliant when they demonstrate:

• Five (5) or more days without Canvas login
• Assignment completion at or below 70%
• Eighteen (18) or more missed instructional sessions

Interventions and Potential Outcomes

Prior to court involvement, the school will document multiple intervention attempts.

If attendance concerns persist:

• Students may be referred to juvenile court
• Parents/guardians may be subject to legal consequences under Georgia law
• Students ages 14–18 may have driver’s license eligibility impacted

Parent and Student Responsibilities

Parents and students are responsible for:

• Monitoring compliance daily through Nucleus
• Submitting documentation within required timelines
• Ensuring consistent participation in all instructional activities
• Maintaining communication with their assigned Compliance Specialist

Withdrawal Protocol

Students may be withdrawn for:

• Ten (10) or more days of no Canvas login
• Continued non-compliance with academic course completion requirements, with a course completion rate at or below 70% for ten (10) consecutive days
• 30 or more missed required class sessions
• Non-residency or enrollment in another educational setting

Withdrawals may be applied retroactively to the first day of absence.

Post-Withdrawal Requirement (DFCS Notification)

If proof of enrollment in another school or a homeschool declaration is not provided within 45 days, the student will be referred to the Georgia Department of Family and Children’s Services (DFCS).   

O.C.G.A. § 20-2-690.1 & HB268

Submit proof of registration or homeschool declaration to:

• K-8: csimmons@georgiacyber.org
• 9-12: cgermain@georgiacyber.org

References

• SBOE Rule 160-5-1-.02
• SBOE Rule 160-5-1-.10
• O.C.G.A. § 20-2-690.1

The Student Accountability Committee (SAC) Policy recognizes three distinct paths to intervention, any of which may independently trigger compliance action. These paths include: (1) lack of daily Canvas engagement, (2) insufficient assignment completion, and (3) absences from required instructional sessions. A student may enter the compliance process based on any one of these indicators, regardless of performance in the other areas.

Compliance concerns are addressed through a graduated, multi-level intervention process. 

• Level 1, Satisfactory Compliance, applies to students who demonstrate daily Canvas engagement, complete more than 90% of assignments, and miss fewer than ten required instructional sessions; no intervention is required at this level. 
• Level 2, Compliance Alert, is triggered when a student has two consecutive or nonconsecutive days without a Canvas login, assignment completion at 90% or below, or ten missed required instructional sessions, resulting in an email notice from the Compliance Specialist to the legal guardian. 
• Level 3, Compliance Concern, occurs when a student has three days without Canvas engagement, assignment completion at 80% or below, or fifteen missed instructional sessions, and results in an additional email notice from the Compliance Specialist.
• Level 4, Compliance Risk, when a student has four days without Canvas engagement, assignment completion at 75% or below, or eighteen missed instructional sessions, prompting a phone call from the Compliance Specialist.
•  Level 5, Compliance Intervention Required, is triggered by five days without Canvas engagement, assignment completion at 70% or less, or eighteen missed instructional sessions. At this level, the legal guardian is required to meet with the Student Accountability Committee to discuss barriers to academic success, a certified letter is mailed home, and additional student support interventions may be assigned. 
• Level 6, Continued Non-Compliance, applies when a student reaches seven days without Canvas engagement, remains at 70% or less assignment completion with no improvement for five school days, or misses twenty instructional sessions, resulting in an email notice from the Compliance Specialist. 
• Level 7, Continued Non-Compliance, is triggered by eight days without Canvas engagement, continued assignment completion at 70% or less with no improvement for eight school days, or twenty-five missed instructional sessions, resulting in a phone call from the Compliance Specialist.
• Level 8, Compliance Withdrawal Review, represents the most serious level of non-compliance and is triggered when a student has ten days without Canvas engagement, maintains assignment completion at 70% or less with no improvement for ten school days, or misses thirty required instructional sessions. At this level, the student’s enrollment is formally reviewed for withdrawal (WD) in accordance with school policy and state attendance requirements.

Students in the special education program will follow an aligned process with the SAC Policy which offers families the opportunity to schedule an IEP meeting to discuss concerns as they relate to each individual students Special Education eligibility, services and supports.*

*Special Education students will follow an aligned process with the SAC Policy which offers families the opportunity to schedule an IEP meeting to discuss concerns as they relate to each individual students Special Education eligibility, services and supports.

Status	Qualifying Criteria	Intervention Steps
🟢On Track	Logged into Canvas each day 90% of assignments completed Attended classes with less than 10 required classes missed	No action
🟡At Risk	2 days of no Canvas login 90% or less of assignments completed Did not attend 10 required class sessions	Email notice from Compliance Specialist
🟡At Risk	3 days of no Canvas login 80% or less of assignments completed Did not attend 12 required class session	Email notice from Compliance Specialist
🟡At Risk	4 days of no Canvas login 75% or less of assignments completed Did not attend 15 required class sessions	Phone call from Compliance Specialist
🔴Off Track	5 days fo no Canvas login 70% or less of assignments completed Did not attend 18 required class sessions	Legal Guardian is required to meet with the Student Accountability Committee to discuss barriers to academic success at GCA Additional interventions may be assigned to support student success Certified letter mailed home Possible referral to student support systems
🔴Off Track	7 days of no Canvas login 70% or less of assignments completed with no improvement for 5 school days Did not attend 20 required class sessions	Email notice from Compliance Specialist
🔴Off Track	8 days of no Canvas login 70% or less of assignments completed with no improvement for 8 school days Did not attend 25 required class sessions	Phone call from Compliance Specialist
🔴Off Track	10 days of no Canvas login 70% or less of assignments completed with no improvement for 10 school days Did not attend 30 required class sessions	Review for withdrawal

 

Understanding Student Accountability & Complaince

A student is considered non-compliant after five (5) consecutive or nonconsecutive days without Canvas login, assignment completion at 70% or less, or eighteen (18)  missed required class sessions.

Non-Compliance includes failing to attend school, missing required classes, or not completing coursework. Non-compliant students are scheduled for a Student Accountability Committee Meeting.  The Student Accountability process continues throughout the school year.

Once a student is deemed non-compliant, the Student Accountability Committee (SAC) Coordinator will notify the legal guardian of a required Student Accountability Committee (SAC) meeting with the Student Accountability Committee including a Compliance Officer.

If a student reaches ten (10) consecutive or nonconsecutive days without Canvas login, assignment completion at 70% or less with no improvement for ten (10) school days, or thirty missed required instructional sessions, they may be withdrawn from Georgia Cyber Academy (GCA) for non-compliance. Parents/guardians will be notified via email, and the local school district and juvenile court will also be informed to ensure the student is enrolled in another educational setting (public, private, charter, or homeschool).

Truancy is governed by SBOE Rule 160-5-1-.02, which relates to student attendance during the school day and State Board of Education Rule 160-5-1-.10: Student Attendance, which defines a truant student as one who has more than five unexcused absences during the school year.

IMPORTANT: By law, if a student is withdrawn and no proof of transfer or homeschool declaration is received

within 45 days, the student will be referred to DFCS (Department of Family and Children’s Services).

Submit proof of registration or homeschool declaration to: 

• K–8: csimmons@georgiacyber.org
• 9–12: cgermain@georgiacyber.org 

 

To withdraw, parents must contact their Family Engagement Liaison in writing via email and complete a DocuSign form. A copy will be sent to the provided email. Return of school-issued materials and equipment (computer, printer, hotspot) will be arranged by GCA. If you have questions about your student's compliance, please contact your Compliance Specialist. Appeals for Compliance Withdraw will not be accepted after the last day of school.

IMPORTANT: By law, if no transfer documentation is submitted within 45 days of withdrawal, the student will be reported to the Department of Children and Family Services (DFCS.) 

Post-Withdrawal Requirement

If proof of enrollment in another school or a homeschool declaration is not provided within 45 days, the student will be referred to the Georgia Department of Family and Children’s Services (DFCS).   

O.C.G.A. § 20-2-690.1 & HB268

Submit proof of registration or homeschool declaration to:

• K-8: csimmons@georgiacyber.org
• 9-12: cgermain@georgiacyber.org 

Georgia Cyber Academy is a full-time virtual program that requires consistent attendance and active participation for student success. When a student is withdrawn due to non-attendance, their prior enrollment history may be reviewed as part of any future application.

Students who have demonstrated significant challenges with engagement or attendance in the GCA program may not be approved for re-enrollment in the following school year, as the virtual instructional model may not be the most appropriate setting to support their success at that time. Families are welcome to reapply in a future school year.

Students withdrawn from GCA due to compliance in the current school year or truancy in previous years will be placed on Accountability Probation for the entire school year. A Probation Compliance Specialist will be assigned to your student, and they will be reviewed for withdrawal if they become at risk in any area described in the table above.  Additional requirements must be met during enrollment.

Per SBOE Rule 160‐5‐1‐.02, Georgia Cyber Academy students must participate in school learning activities for a minimum of 180 days per school year.

Per SBOE Rule 160‐5‐1‐.02, the minimum number of hours required per school day are as follow:

• Kindergarten  4.5 hours per day
• 1^st through 3^rd grade    4.5 hours per day
• 4^th through 5^th grade   5.0 hours per day
• 6^th through 12^th grade 5.5 hours per day

For Kindergarten through 12^th grade, time does include Math, Social Studies, Language Arts, Science, Foreign Language, Art, PE, Music, Health, and other Elective courses, as well as, support activities such as tutoring, state testing, and Academic Support Services (per IEP). Time may also include Educational Field Trips, Testing, Counseling, Health Screenings, and extended learning time activities, however additional attendance guidelines for these activities may be outlined in the GCA District Handbook. Also, school sponsored non-instructional activities may count toward attendance hours. Additionally, 30 cumulative health hours and 60 cumulative PE hours are required per year.  Logging in daily, attending required class sessions, and completing assignments on time are all considered part of the Student Accountability Policy.  Students must remain compliant in these areas to remain in good standing at GCA.

For High School, time includes all courses on the approved course list as defined in State Board Rules 160‐4‐2‐.03 and 160‐4‐2‐.20 shall be counted as instructional time (Note: All GCA courses are on the approved course list). In addition, Educational Field Trips, Testing, Counseling, Health Screenings, Academic Support Services (per IEP), and extended learning time activities may be included, however additional attendance guidelines for these activities may be outlined in the GCA District Handbook. Also, school sponsored non-instructional activities may count toward attendance hours.

NOTE: Attendance hours must be logged in a timely manner in accordance with GCA procedure and guidelines. Failure to follow attendance logging procedures may result in withdrawal from GCA.

This policy may be amended at any time in order to align with federal and state laws, rules, regulations, and policies.

Special Student Populations

Students participating in Dual Enrollment, Work-Based Learning, or fifth-year senior programs:

• Are exempt from minimum daily hour requirements
• Must still meet the 180-day attendance requirement
• Must log into Canvas daily 
• Check school communications daily
• Must attend or view homeroom recording within two (2) school days

 

Resource Document Links: 

Georgia Department of Education: Defining Instructional Time and School Day for Students

160-5-1-.02  School Day and School Year for Students and Employees