• ABSENCES/ATTENDANCE

    Regular school attendance is essential for a student to make the most of his or her education—to benefit from teacher-led and school activities, to build each day’s learning on the previous day’s, and to grow as an individual.  Absences from class may result in serious disruption of a student’s mastery of the instructional materials; therefore, the student and parent should make every effort to avoid unnecessary absences.  Two state laws—one dealing with the required presence of school-aged children in school, e.g., compulsory attendance, the other with how a child’s attendance affects the award of a student’s final grade or course credit—are of special interest to students and parents.  They are discussed below.

    Compulsory Attendance

    State law requires that a student between the ages of six and 18 attend school, as well as any applicable accelerated instruction program, extended year program, or tutorial session, unless the student is otherwise excused from attendance or legally exempt.

    A student who voluntarily attends or enrolls after his or her 18th birthday is required to attend each school day until the end of the school year.  If a student 18 or older has more than five unexcused absences in a semester, the district may revoke the student’s enrollment.  The student’s presence on school property thereafter would be unauthorized and may be considered trespassing.  [See policy FEA.]

    Students enrolled in prekindergarten or kindergarten are required to attend school and are subject to the compulsory attendance requirements as long as they remain enrolled.

    State law requires attendance in an accelerated reading instruction program when kindergarten, first grade, or second grade students are assigned to such a program.  Parents will be notified in writing if their child is assigned to an accelerated reading instruction program as a result of a diagnostic reading instrument.

    A student will be required to attend any assigned accelerated instruction program, which may occur before or after school or during the summer, if the student does not meet the passing standards on the state assessment for his or her grade level and/or applicable subject area.

    Exemptions to Compulsory Attendance

    State law allows exemptions to the compulsory attendance requirements for several types of absences if the student makes up all work.  These include the following activities and events:

    • Religious holy days;
    • Required court appearances;
    • Activities related to obtaining United States citizenship;
    • Service as an election clerk;
    • Documented health-care appointments for the student or a child of the student, including absences for recognized services for students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders.A note from the health-care provider must be submitted upon the student’s arrival or return to campus; and
    • For students in the conservatorship (custody) of the state,

    o   Mental health or therapy appointments; or

    o   Court-ordered family visitations or any other court-ordered activity, provided it is not practicable to schedule the student’s participation in the activity outside of school hours.

    As listed in Section I at Accommodations for Children of Military Families, absences of up to five days will be excused for a student to visit with a parent, stepparent, or legal guardian who has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or immediately returned from certain deployments. 

    Failure to Comply with Compulsory Attendance

    School employees must investigate and report violations of the state compulsory attendance law.  A student absent without permission from school; from any class; from required special programs, such as additional special instruction, termed “accelerated instruction” by the state; or from required tutorials will be considered in violation of the compulsory attendance law and subject to disciplinary action.

    A court of law may also impose penalties against both the student and his or her parents if a school-aged student is deliberately not attending school.  A complaint against the parent may be filed in court if the student:

    • Is absent without excuse from school on ten or more days or parts of days within a six-month period in the same school year, or
    • Is absent without excuse on three or more days or parts of days within a four-week period.

    o   Parts of days refer to both tardy to school and/or leaving school early without proper documentation.

    For a student younger than 12 years of age, the student’s parent could be charged with an offense based on the student’s failure to attend school.

     [See policy FEA(LEGAL).]

    Attendance for Credit or Final Grade

    To receive credit or a final grade in a class, a student in kindergarten–grade 12 must attend at least 90 percent of the days the class is offered.  A student who attends at least 75 percent but fewer than 90 percent of the days the class is offered may receive credit or a final grade for the class if he or she completes a plan, approved by the principal, that allows the student to fulfill the instructional requirements for the class.  If a student is involved in a criminal or juvenile court proceeding, the approval of the judge presiding over the case will also be required before the student receives credit or a final grade for the class.

    If a student attends less than 75 percent of the days a class is offered or has not completed the plan approved by the principal, then the student will be referred to the attendance review committee to determine whether there are extenuating circumstances for the absences and how the student can regain credit or a final grade lost because of absences.  [See policy FEC.]

    In determining whether there were extenuating circumstances for the absences, the attendance committee will use the following guidelines:

    • All absences, whether excused or unexcused, must be considered in determining whether a student has attended the required percentage of days.If makeup work is completed, absences for the reasons listed above at Exemptions to Compulsory Attendance will be considered days of attendance for this purpose.
    • A transfer or migrant student begins to accumulate absences only after he or she has enrolled in the district.
    • In reaching a decision about a student’s absences, the committee will attempt to ensure that it is in the best interest of the student.
    • The committee will consider the acceptability and authenticity of documented reasons for the student’s absences.
    • The committee will consider whether the absences were for reasons over which the student or the student’s parent could exercise any control.
    • The committee will consider the extent to which the student has completed all assignments, mastered the essential knowledge and skills, and maintained passing grades in the course or subject.
    • The student or parent will be given an opportunity to present any information to the committee about the absences and to talk about ways to earn or regain credit or a final grade.

    The student or parent may appeal the committee’s decision to the board of trustees by filing a written request with the Executive Director of Student Services in accordance with policy FNG(LOCAL).

    The actual number of days a student must be in attendance in order to receive credit or a final grade will depend on whether the class is for a full semester or for a full year.

    Official Attendance-Taking Time

    The district must submit attendance of its students to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) reflecting attendance at a specific time each day. 

    Official attendance is taken every day during the second instructional hour or fifth instructional hour or at 9:30am.

    A student absent for any portion of the day, including at the official attendance-taking time, should follow the procedures below to provide documentation of the absence.

    Documentation after an Absence

    When a student is absent from school, the student—upon arrival or return to school—must bring a note signed by the parent that describes the reason for the absence.  A note signed by the student, even with the parent’s permission, will not be accepted unless the student is 18 or older or is an emancipated minor under state law.  A phone call from the parent may be accepted, but the district reserves the right to require a written note.  The school will accept a total of 3 parent notes per semester; any other absences require a doctor’s note or appropriate documentation.

    The campus will document in its attendance records for the student whether the absence is considered by the district to be excused or unexcused.  Please note that, unless the absence is for a statutorily allowed reason under compulsory attendance laws, the district is not required to excuse any absence, even if the parent provides a note explaining the absence. 

    Doctor’s Note after an Absence for Illness

    Upon return to school, a student absent for more than 3 consecutive days because of a personal illness must bring a statement from a doctor or health clinic verifying the illness or condition that caused the student’s extended absence from school.  Otherwise, the student’s absence may be considered unexcused and, if so, would be considered to be in violation of compulsory attendance laws. 

    Should the student develop a questionable pattern of absences, the principal or attendance committee may require a statement from a doctor or health clinic verifying the illness or condition that caused the student’s absence from school in order to determine whether the absence or absences will be excused or unexcused. 

    [See policy FEC(LOCAL).]

    Pre-Planned Absences

    State law and school guidelines governing attendance require that excused absences pertain to illnesses, medical appointments, funerals of immediate family members, and school sponsored trips.  In addition, attendance is part of our gold performance work.  As a result of an absence caused by an obligation other than those listed above, a student must have this form completed and approved prior to the absence.  The process of approving this special request absence will include the consideration of attendance in class, grades, and other extenuating circumstances.  Absences will not be granted during state mandated assessments.  Each student may only be granted five (8) days (non-consecutive/consecutive) per school year.  A student must be in attendance 90% of the school year; a planned absence causing a student to be in attendance less than 90% of the school year would be cause to deny this request.  All requests must have parental consent and a student must return the form, which is in the office completed, to an Administrator for approval prior to the absence.  Excessive absences may result in retention or legal action.

    Perfect Attendance

    Per the LISD Student Handbook, a perfect attendance award can only be earned at the elementary level if the student is present every day, for the entire school day, with no unexcused late arrivals and no early departures.

    The State Attorney General has ruled that a child who is absent for religious holy days or medical appointments cannot be denied a perfect attendance award if the child has made up all work missed during the absences. Medical absences must comply with the TEA attendance guidelines and the parent must provide the required documentation within 3 days of the absence. Additionally, other funded exemptions to compulsory attendance under TEC 25.087 will not impact perfect attendance.