The Nebraska Department of Education requires schools to classify absences using state-defined attendance descriptors (Ed-Fi descriptors) to specify the reasons for each absence. The Period Attendance module in jmc Office simplifies this process by allowing you to match these descriptors to your existing absence reasons, ensuring accurate section attendance reporting. After assigning descriptors, you can specify the relevant periods for section attendance to comply with state data collection requirements.

To add Ed-Fi descriptors to your existing absence reasons, log in to jmc Office and navigate to Period Attendance > Data > Edit Reasons and Cutoffs.

Step One: Click the "Edit" link next to a reason in the "Reasons" list to attach an Ed-Fi descriptor to all absences with that reason.

Step Two: Select the Ed-Fi descriptor that best matches the absence reason from the "Ed-Fi Descriptor" drop-down list. (For example: choose the "Illness/Medical" Ed-Fi descriptor to pair with the "Sick" reason.)

Helpful Tip: For reasons labeled as "Other," clarify whether it’s excused or unexcused.

Step Three: Click the "Update" link to save the selected descriptor, or click "Cancel" to discard your changes.

Step Four: Repeat these steps for all attendance reasons to ensure each has an attached Ed-Fi descriptor.

Set your period attendance settings for section attendance reporting by navigating to Period Attendance > Data > Edit Reasons and Cutoffs in jmc Office.

Step One: Click the "Edit" link next to a grade level in the "Period Attendance settings for Ed-Fi submission" section to set the attendance periods for the selected grade level.

Step Two: Place a checkmark next to each relevant period in the "Periods" multi-select drop-down list to define the periods used for taking attendance for that grade level.

Helpful Tip: For grades 1–5 that report 1 period for a half-day absence and 2 periods for a full-day absence, select the two periods your school uses (e.g., 1 and 2) to maintain accurate attendance calculations by section.

Step Three: Click the "Update" link to save your changes or the "Cancel" link to discard them.

Step Four: Repeat these steps for each grade level to define attendance periods school-wide.