Attendance Policy
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In order to receive credit in a class, students must be in attendance for at least 90% of the days the class is offered. Students who are in attendance for fewer than the prescribed number of days set by the law shall not be given credit for the class unless the attendance committee finds that the absence(s) are the result of extenuating circumstances. When returning to school after an absence, a student must bring a note signed by the parent that describes the reason for the absence; notes signed by the student, even with the parent’s permission, will be considered forgery and the student will be disciplined.
The District accepts the following as extenuating circumstances for the purpose of granting credit or promotion:
1. An excused absence based on personal illness or illness or death in the family, quarantine, weather or road conditions making travel dangerous, and any other unusual cause acceptable to the teacher, principal, or Superintendent or Superintendent’s designee.
2. Days of suspension.
3. Participation in court proceedings or child abuse/neglect investigation or any court-ordered activity.
4. A migrant student’s late enrollment or early withdrawal.
5. Days missed as a runaway.
6. Completion of a competency based program for “at risk” students.
7. Late enrollment or early withdrawal of a student under Texas Youth Commission.
8. Teen parent absences to care for his or her child.
9. Participation in a substance abuse rehabilitation program.
10. Religious holy days when the days are a tenet of faith and parents submit a written request prior to the absence.
11. Appointment with health care professional.
12. Obtaining U.S. citizenship.If the attendance committee finds that there are no extenuating circumstances for the absence or if conditions established by the committee for earning or regaining credit are not met, the committee shall deny credit for the class. Students whose petitions for credit are denied may appeal the attendance committee’s decision to the Board of Trustees by submitting a written request that includes the basis for the disagreement with the committee’s decision to the Superintendent’s designee. The appeal shall be addressed as provided by the student complaint policies. (See FNG (Legal) & FNG (Local)).
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Compulsory Attendance Law
Compulsory Attendance Notice
According to the Texas Education Code Sec. §25.085 and §25.095
STATE OF TEXAS §
COUNTY OF HARRIS §TEC Sec. §25.085. Compulsory School Attendance states:
(a) A child who is required to attend school under this section shall attend school each school day for the entire period the program of instruction is provided.
(b) Unless specifically exempted by Section 25.086, a child who is at least six (6) years of age, or who is younger than six (6) years of age and has previously been enrolled in first grade, and who has not yet reached his/her 19th birthday, shall attend school.
(c) Upon enrollment in prekindergarten or kindergarten, a child shall attend school.IN ADDITION: A person who voluntarily enrolls in school or voluntarily attends school after the person's 19th birthday shall attend school each school day for the entire period the program of instruction is offered. A school district may revoke for the remainder of the school year the enrollment of a person who has more than five absences in a semester that are not excused. A person whose enrollment is revoked under this subsection may be considered an unauthorized person on school district grounds.
TEC Sec. §25.095. Warning Notice
If a student is absent from school on ten (10) or more days or parts of days within a six-month period in the same school year:
(1) the student’s parent/person standing in parental relation is subject to prosecution for “Parent Contributing to Nonattendance” under Texas Education Code Section §25.093; and
(2) the student is subject to referral to a truancy court for truant conduct under Section 65.003(a), Family Code.It is the duty of the parent or person standing in parental relation to the student to monitor the student’s school attendance and require the student to attend school. If a student fails to attend school without excuse on 10 or more days or parts of days within a six-month period in the same school year, the school district may file a complaint against the student’s parent in a county, justice, or municipal court for an offense under Section 25.093.
When a student has been absent from school without excuse on three or more days or parts of days within a four-week period, the parent will be notified in writing that the student is subject to truancy prevention measures under Section 25.0915 and to request a conference with school officials to discuss the absences.