Denver-Area School District Attendance and Support Contacts

This page lists where to find attendance policies, school mental health staff, Section 504 and special education contacts, and online school options for seven Denver-area school districts. Find your district below and follow the links to its own pages.

Every item was read on the district's or organization's own website on October 1, 2026, and each one links to its source. Policies, phone numbers and staff change, and charter schools often set their own rules. The district is the authority, so confirm anything here with your school. Where we could not find a public page, we say so; that means ask your school, not that the service is missing.

How to use this page

Start with the school. District offices are the next step if you cannot get an answer.

For what to say when you call or write, see how to talk to the school. For what state law says about excused absences and truancy, see Colorado attendance law and school refusal. For formal accommodations, see 504 plans and IEPs for school refusal.

Policy wording is quoted as it appeared in October 2026. A quoted policy describes a category of absence. How your child's absences are coded is the school's decision under its district's policy.

District directory

Districts appear in the order we checked them, which is not a ranking. Greenwood Village is in the Cherry Creek School District.

Cherry Creek School District

• Attendance policy: Board Policy JH, Student Absences and Excuses. As of October 2026 its list of excused absences includes "a student who is absent for an extended period due to physical, mental or emotional disability," and it says the district "may require suitable proof," including written statements from medical sources.
• Attendance process: the Attendance Policy and Process page describes automatic letters at 10 and 15 days absent, counting excused and unexcused days.
• Who to contact: the Overcoming Barriers to Daily School Attendance page says to reach out to your school's principal about barriers to attendance, and to the school psychologist or social worker if your child needs support.
• Mental health and counseling: mental health page and school counseling services.
• Section 504 and special education: we could not find a parent-facing 504 page; ask your school. The Special Education page lists a staff contact for 504 at 720-886-7281. Child Find (preschool age): 720-554-4001.
• Online school: Cherry Creek Elevation (grades 6 to 12), which the district describes as "an enriched virtual model."
• Homebound instruction: we could not find a public page for this; ask your school.

Denver Public Schools

• Attendance and who to contact: the DPS attendance page says, "If you have any questions about your child's absences, please contact their school," and asks parents to notify the school's front office when a child misses school.
• How excused absence is described: we could not open the district policy document. One school's page, Inspire Elementary, said in October 2026 that under district policy JHB-R excused absences include "physical, mental, or emotional disability or condition." Ask your own school for the current policy.
• Mental health: the Mental Health Services page describes the work of school social workers and school psychologists.
• Section 504: the Section 504 page says "anyone can refer a student to the school's Section 504 Coordinator." Contact shown: 720-423-2400.
• Special education and Child Find: the Special Education page says the first step is to contact your child's school. The Child Find intake line, for children ages 3 to 5 not yet enrolled, is 720-423-1410.
• Online school: Denver Online, which was enrolling for the 2026-27 school year.
• Homebound instruction: we could not find a public page for this; ask your school.

Littleton Public Schools

• Attendance policy: we could not read the district's policy text online, so we do not describe it here. Ask your school for the attendance policy and how excused absences are handled.
• Mental health and who to contact: the LPS Mental Health Resources and Support page says mental health professionals are available in all LPS schools and that it is helpful for parents to reach out directly to the school mental health provider. It also lists a School Engagement Specialist at 303-347-3401.
• Section 504 and special education: the Special Education and Section 504 page says to contact the 504 Coordinator at your school, and lists Student Support Services at 303-347-3472 and Child Find (ages 2 years 10 months to 5) at 303-347-6980.
• Online school and homebound instruction: we could not find a public page for either; ask your school.

Douglas County School District

• Attendance policy: Board File JH, Student Attendance. As of October 2026 it describes excused absences as including those resulting from "temporary or extended illness, injury or physical, mental, or emotional disability." It designates secondary assistant principals and elementary principals as attendance officers.
• Mental health: the school mental health providers page says "each school employs a mental health team." It gives a contact order: school mental health staff, then the administrator who oversees them, then the district Mental Health Director at 720-841-5226.
• Section 504: the Section 504 page says to start with your student's school and links a 2026-27 list of 504 contacts.
• Special education and Child Find: Help Begins at Your School. Child Find (ages 3 to 5) information line: 720-433-0020.
• Online school: eDCSD, described as a K-12 online education program. Front office: 303-387-9600.
• Homebound: the Homebound Programming page says requests must be initiated through the student's school, for students expected to be absent more than 20 consecutive school days due to a medical or mental health condition. For mental health, it says students "must be actively participating in an in-person mental health program." It lists as not eligible students whose school avoidance "has not been addressed by an individualized plan to increase attendance over time."

Jeffco Public Schools

• Attendance and who to contact: the Attendance Awareness page names mental health among the things that can get in the way of attendance. It says to contact the main office at your school, and lists the Student Engagement Office at 303-982-6559 and the Family Response Service Team at 303-982-3778.
• How excused absence is described: we could not open the district policy document. The Jeffco Virtual Academy attendance page said in October 2026 that, per board policy, excused absences include "a student who is absent for an extended period due to physical, mental, or emotional disability." Ask your own school for the current policy.
• Mental health: the mental health page lists the mental health roles in schools.
• Section 504: the Section 504 page includes a parent and guardian guide with translations in Spanish, Russian, Vietnamese and Chinese.
• Special education and Child Find: the Special Education page lists a Community Support Line at 303-982-6682 and Child Find intake at 303-982-7247.
• Online school: Jeffco Virtual Academy, which describes itself as based primarily online.
• Homebound: the Health Services page describes a Medical Homebound Instruction Program for students unable to attend "for an extended time because of a physical or emotional health concern," and says to contact your school.

Aurora Public Schools

• Attendance policy: Policy JE, Student Attendance, with regulation JE-R. As of October 2026, JE-R lists excused absences by category. It says absences for temporary illness or injury are excused if documented by the parent or guardian, and that appointments or "a circumstance of a serious nature" are "excused on a case-by-case basis." We did not see mental or behavioral health listed as its own category, so ask your school how those absences are handled.
• Who to contact: JE-R says parents notify the school attendance office. For continuing concerns, it says staff will schedule a conference to develop an attendance improvement plan.
• Mental health: the Mental Health and Counseling page says "every school has mental health professionals."
• Section 504: the Section 504 page says you may request an evaluation by contacting your school's Section 504 Coordinator, and that "you do not need to be certain that your child has a disability to make a referral."
• Special education and Child Find: Exceptional Student Services. Child Find: 303-326-3631.
• Online option: the district's online program link leads to APS Avenues (303-326-1100). Its programs page lists entry requirements.
• Homebound: Policy IHBF, Homebound Instruction, says it is provided at the request of parents with the approval of the student's physician or other licensed health care professional, and that parents request it from the building principal.

Englewood Schools

• Attendance policy: Policy JH, Student Absences and Excuses. As of October 2026 its list of excused absences includes "a student who is absent for an extended period due to a physical disability or a mental or behavioral health disorder," and it says the district may require suitable proof.
• Who to contact: the Attendance and Truancy page says "counselors, teachers and administration are all available to meet with families."
• Mental health: the Mental Health Support page names the school psychologist, social worker and counselor at each school.
• Section 504 and special education: we could not find a public 504 page; ask your school. See Student Services (303-806-2011) and Special Education. Child Find: 303-806-2522.
• Online school: the Online Learning page says the district "does not offer a fully remote, online school" and that fully remote learning must be pre-approved.
• Homebound instruction: we could not find a public page for this; ask your school.

A note on online school and homebound instruction

Online public school counts as attendance under Colorado's compulsory attendance statute, and the Colorado Department of Education keeps the official list of online schools and programs.

A change of setting is a schooling decision, not treatment. Our guide on whether to let your child stay home covers the trade-offs.

Statewide supports

These are available in any Colorado district.

• I Matter. imattercolorado.org offers up to six free therapy sessions for youth 18 and younger, or 21 and younger for those receiving special education services. It was taking sign-ups on October 1, 2026. Senate Bill 24-001 continues the program until June 30, 2034.
• 988 Colorado Mental Health Line. Call or text 988, or use the chat at 988colorado.com. The line describes itself as free, confidential and available 24/7. Since July 1, 2025, calls and texts to the former Colorado Crisis Services line connect to 988 Colorado. If your child is in immediate danger, call 911.
• Safe2Tell. Safe2Tell describes itself as a 24/7 anonymous reporting system run by the Colorado Attorney General's Office, for threats to student or school safety. Reports can be made at 877-542-7233, online or in its app, and its site says adults can report on behalf of their child. It is not counseling.

Parent support and advocacy organizations

Listed alphabetically, described as each describes itself. We are not recommending one over another.

• Colorado Department of Education dispute resolution: mediation, state complaints and due process complaints for special education disputes. CDE says it cannot investigate Section 504 complaints and refers families to the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights in Denver, 303-844-5695.
• Disability Justice (formerly Disability Law Colorado): Colorado's Protection and Advocacy system. Its site says its attorneys rarely provide individual representation. Request line: 303-722-0300.
• NAMI Colorado, NAMI Basics: a free, six-week education program for parents and family caregivers of children and teens.
• Parent to Parent of Colorado: connects families of individuals with disabilities or special health care needs to emotional and informational supports. Phone: 303-691-9339.
• PEAK Parent Center: Colorado's Parent Training and Information Center, with Parent Advisors for one-on-one guidance on special education and disability services. Phone: 719-531-9400.

If school support is not enough

School support does not replace treatment for the anxiety or low mood that is keeping your child home. Start with your child's pediatrician, and see our guide to school refusal treatment options.

Mountainside Behavioral Health offers outpatient CBT, DBT and parent training for ages 8 and up and their parents, in Greenwood Village and by telehealth across Colorado. We are not affiliated with any district or organization listed here.

If your child talks about wanting to die, is harming themselves, or you are worried about their safety, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Colorado Mental Health Line (free, confidential, 24/7). If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading

• How to talk to the school
• Colorado attendance law and school refusal
• 504 plans and IEPs for school refusal
• When outpatient therapy is not enough
• Denver Mental Health Resources
• School refusal and school avoidance support

All school refusal resources →

This page is general education, not medical or legal advice, and it does not replace an evaluation by a licensed professional who knows your child. Laws, district policies and program details change; confirm them with your school district or the organization named.