Attendance Policies Between Ages 6 and 19

Truancy INFORMATION

When a student between ages 6 and 19 incurs unexcused absences for three or more days or parts of days within a four-week period, the school will send a notice to the student’s parent, as required by law, to remind the parent that it is the parent’s duty to monitor his or her child’s attendance and to require the student to come to school. The notice will also inform the parent that the district will initiate truancy prevention measures and request a conference between school administrators and the parent. These measures will include a behavior improvement plan, school-based community service, or referrals to either in-school or out-of-school counseling or other social services. Any other measures considered appropriate by the district will also be initiated.

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 180 day in the same school year

    or

• Is absent without excuse on three or more days or parts of days within a four-week period.

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. If a student age 12 through age 17 violates the compulsory attendance law, both the parent and student could be charged with an offense.

[See policy FEA(LEGAL)]

The truancy prevention facilitator for the district is Melissa Brown. If you have questions about your student and the effect of his or her absences from school, please contact the facilitator or any other campus administrator.

Attendance Intervention Policy:

Prior to filing in court, KISD will utilize the following steps to keep parents involved in managing attendance.

1.  Automated phone message for every undocumented absence.
2. Official warning letter sent to parent or guardian at 3 and 5 undocumented or unexcused absences.
3. Notification of conference and Truancy Prevention Measures after the 8th undocumented or unexcused absence.

All notes regarding your child’s absences from school are required to be turned into the attendance office at your students campus within 2 (two) days of the last day he/she was absent.

It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to ensure excuse notes are turned into the office.

All notes must include the following:

• The date of the note
• Child’s name
• Date of the absence or tardy
• An explanation of the absence or tardy
• Parent’s signature

NOTE: Notes from parents will be accepted until five (5) are reached. Once five (5) excused or unexcused absences have occurred, only absences with a doctor's note will be excused.

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.

KISD accepts the following as excused absences:

• Personal illness.
• Death in the immediate family.
• Days of suspension.
• Participation in court proceedings.
• Late enrollment/early withdrawal for migrant students or students under the Texas Youth Commission.
• Days missed while classified as a runaway.
• Participation in a substance abuse rehabilitation program.
• Days missed to care for a student’s child or children.
• A note from a doctor must be on file with office in the case of recurring conditions that require a child to be out for regular medical or psychological appointments, therapy, etc. and will not be required to have a doctor’s note for each visit.
• Vacations ARE NOT an acceptable cause for an excused absence from school.

Attendance for credit or final grade (Kindergarten–Grade 12)

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, which 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 in Exemptions to Compulsory Attendance (Excused Absences) will be considered extenuating circumstances for purposes of attendance for credit or the award of a final grade.
• 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 by following 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 (all grade levels)

The district must submit attendance of its students to the TEA reflecting attendance at a specific time each day.

Official attendance is taken every day during the Second Instructional Hour or 9:30 am; except KMS which is 9:10 am and KHS which is 9:00 am.

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 (all grade levels)

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 age 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 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 (all grade levels)

Within two (2) days of returning to school, a student absent for more than five (5) 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)]