Here’s a refined SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for coding attendance using SC‑VTP in PowerSchool, following the South Carolina Department of Education’s Virtual Attendance guidance (SC‑VTP Version 1.0).
Ensure consistent and accurate application of the SC‑VTP (Virtual Present) attendance code in PowerSchool, in compliance with South Carolina virtual attendance guidelines.
This SOP applies to all district and school staff responsible for attendance tracking in PowerSchool, including virtual-only and hybrid learning environments.
SC‑VTP (Virtual Present): An attendance code used when a student participates in virtual learning by submitting assignments or engaging in educational activities by the teacher’s deadline. It is a present code.
Virtual Attendance: Learning that occurs offsite (online, electronic, or via learning packets). Attendance is confirmed by student submission or participation per course requirements and district deadlines.
Absences:
If a student fails to submit or participate by deadline → mark absent with excused or unexcused code as per district policy.
COVID-related absence without virtual opportunity → use SC‑FLU or SC‑COVD once available.
Students must engage in at least 50% of instructional time to be counted present. Less than 50% requires an absence code (e.g. SC‑DSML).
Navigate: School Management → Attendance → Attendance Codes
Ensure SC‑VTP exists with:
Code: SC‑VTP
Description: Virtual Present
Presence Status: Present
“Teacher Can Assign” = Yes
“Earns ADA credit” and “Counts toward membership” = Yes
Confirm other related codes available (e.g., SC‑FLU or SC‑COVD).
Verify standard categories (Excused, Unexcused, Tardy) exist and SC‑VTP is associated with the Present category.
Ensure Period‑to‑Day and Code‑to‑Day conversions are configured:
For Period‑to‑Day, ensure any presence in a period yields 1 day‑attendance value.
For Code‑to‑Day, assign 1 to SC‑VTP.
Verify all bell schedules are linked via SCDE Attendance conversions and labeled properly.
Teachers take attendance during virtual sessions or review submitted work.
If a student meets participation/submission criteria → mark SC‑VTP for that virtual day/period.
If student does not submit or engage → mark absence with appropriate code per policy.
Reconcile at least weekly to prevent unaccounted students.
For multiple virtual days assigned assignments with deadlines, if a student submits on time, mark SC‑VTP for each applicable virtual instructional day.
If student is ill/unable to participate virtually → mark SC‑FLU (or SC‑COVD when active), with "COVID‑19" in the comments.
If asymptomatic but virtually assigned and participates → mark SC‑VTP.
If fails to participate during quarantine → mark SC‑FLU (or eventually SC‑COVD).
Weekly audit: confirm virtual assignments were copied into seating and attendance records.
Flag students missing virtual participation across multiple days for intervention.
Ensure tardy or early dismissal codes are not used in place of SC‑VTP—they override it. Use tardy codes only for onsite tardiness.
Use parish closure or early dismissal codes (SC‑DSML) when less than 50% attendance on a virtual day.
Train all staff (teachers, attendance clerks, administrators) on when and how to use SC‑VTP.
Provide teachers with written criteria for assignment deadlines and participation expectations.
Communicate attendance policies to parents/guardians, including codes and expectations for virtual days.
Maintain logs of which students were assigned virtual days and whether SC‑VTP was applied.
Use custom instruments (e.g., weekly attendance reports or chronic absenteeism flags) to monitor compliance.
Ensure school/district reports align with state funding and reporting requirements (e.g. EFA/EIA membership).
For questions related to PowerSchool coding: contact the PowerSchool team at Charter Institute at Erskine.
For virtual attendance policy questions: contact Virtual Attendance specialist listed in SC-VTP guide.
Scenario Attendance Code Notes Student submits assignment on virtual day SC‑VTP Present code Student fails to submit SC‑EX or SC‑UNEX Depending on district policy Student absent due to illness and can't participate SC‑FLU / SC‑COVD Mark “COVID‑19” in comment field Student attends <50% of virtual learning SC‑DSML Applies same logic as early dismissal.