DENVER (KDVR) — As many high school seniors are gearing up for their big dance, others are facing enough unexcused class absences that they will not be allowed to attend prom.

That’s the case at Douglas County High School as students seek to join in on the “Glitz, Glam and Gatsby” styled prom to be held at Mile High Stadium this weekend. But the administration says the attendance rates are just too important to let students still go to their senior prom.

Douglas County School District administration hopes that by giving prom as an incentive, students will be more likely to attend school regularly. The district told students who have 25 or more unexcused absences they will not be able to attend the big dance unless they complete three hours of school-determined community service.

“See, this is a life skill,” said Douglas County Assistant Principal Diane Shuck-Gray. “A lot of times we told the kids if you don’t go to your job all year long, and then they’re giving away bonuses, would you be eligible for a bonus? And those are exactly what we want to teach, is that there’s so much more to this whole process. We just want the kids to know we appreciate them, we value them, but we also want them to come to school.”

Douglas County attendance is above statewide rates

According to the Colorado Department of Education, during the 2022-2023 school year, Douglas County schools had an attendance rate of about 93.1%, which is higher than the statewide rate of 90.8%, and a truancy rate of about 1.5%, which is lower than the state’s average of 3.5%.. Another 19.4% were considered chronically absent, which is lower than the state’s average rate of 31.1%.

The state provides no data for the current year, as it’s currently being collected.

But school administrators said they met with students in September and January to explain the consequences of skipping class, according to the district. The impact isn’t just prom, too — students with 25 or more unexcused absences would be subject to missing homecoming, athletic events and other bonuses.

The district also maintains good graduation rates — last year, 90.8% of students graduated in four years. That’s up from the 2021-2022 school year where 88.52% of students graduated in the expected four years. Another 91.6% of the remaining students graduated in five years. That’s above the statewide rates as well. In 2022-2023, the state recorded a graduation rate of 83.1% and about 82.3% in 2021-2022.

According to administrators, the 25 absences could work out to be six full days of school. Students who completed three hours of community service were allowed to redeem themselves and make up those absences.

So far, the Douglas County High School administration says prom ticket sales are on track to be the same as the average year.