Understanding Truancy Prevention for Successful School Attendance

Attendance Matters! Online Truancy Prevention Course

Starting in preschool and kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school. Attendance Facts Missing 10%, or about 2 days each month over the course of a school year, can make it harder to learn to read. Students can still fall behind if they miss just one or two days every few weeks. Being late to school may lead to poor attendance. Absences and tardiness can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help children catch up.

CompA slide2.mp3 3 Compulsory Attendance Law State law requires children to attend school each full day that instruction is provided. The law applies to children ages 6-18. If you voluntarily enroll your child in Pre-K before age 6, school attendance applies to your child as well. A person who voluntarily enrolls in or attends school after turning 19 is also required to attend for the entire period of the program of instruction. Pre-K is included! SEC 25.085

4 Truant Conduct Sec.25.0951 Truancy is when a student fails to attend school without excuse on 10 or more days or parts of days within a 6 month period in the same school year; a school district shall within 10 days of the student s 10th absence refer the student to truancy court for truant conduct under section 65.003(a), Family code. CompAslide3.mp3

REFERRAL FOR FAILURE TO ATTEND SCHOOL SEC 25.0951 If a student fails to attend school without excuse as specified, a school district may file a complaint against the student s parent or the student in a county, justice, or municipal court for an offense under section 25.093 if the school district provides evidence of the parent s or student s negligence to attend school. Parent includes a person standing in parental relationship. CompA4.mp3

Parent Contributing to Non-Attendance: Truancy referral against the parent for elementary non-attendance in grades K-5. The parent is responsible for assuring the student attends school. PCN- Parent Case grades Pre-K, K-5 CompA45.mp3

Adjudication of Truancy: AOT- Student Case grades 6-12 Truancy Referral against the student for failing to attend school without excuse in grades 6-12. This also includes students who skip periods of classes during the school day. CompA6.mp3

8 A school district shall offer additional counseling to a EXEMPTIONS FROM REFERRING TO COURT student and may not refer the student to truancy court if the school determines that the student's truancy is the result of: (1) pregnancy; (2) being in the state foster program; (3) homelessness; or (4) being the principal income earner for the Student will have to have a plan and continue to monitor their attendance. student's family. Comp9.mp3

COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE LAW EXEMPTIONS Sec 25.086 Select the words on the laptop screen to review the exemptions. Compulsory Attendance Law Exemptions CompA7.mp3

10 Religious Holiday Observance Citizenship Proceedings/Naturalization Oath Ceremony in the U.S. Healthcare appointments (with physician's note) Students in Foster Care Military Dependents Early Voting Clerks Required Court Appearances (present court documentation) Serving as an election clerk Funerals Therapy appointments (with physicians note) Election Clerks Higher Education Visits Military Enlistment in Armed Services Taps at Military Funeral Excused Absences for Compulsory Attendance per TEC 25.085 Comp8.mp3

Examples of Unexcused Absences Examples of unexcused absences include, but are not limited to: Skipping class Car trouble Over sleeping Vacation Appointment for a sibling or parent

Minimum Attendance for Credit Sec. 25.092 A student in any grade level from kindergarten through grade 12 may not be given credit or final grade for a class unless the student is in attendance for at least 90% of the days the class is offered. Example: Math class is offered 80 days during the fall semester. Sam has been absent 8 days. Sam s attendance percentage is 90% because he has been present in the class for 72 days. Comp10.mp3

A handwritten note or email from the parent to the campus (explaining the reason for the absence) is required when a student is absent from school. This documentation must be received within 3 school days after your child returned to school. What do you do when your child is absent? We will not accept phone calls as acceptable documentation. Unless the absence is for an allowed reason under compulsory attendance laws, the district will not excuse any absence, even if the parent provides a note explaining the absence.

Try to schedule medical appointments before or after school or when school is not in session. When appointments must be made during the school day, schedule the appointments to allow your child to attend school a part of the school day. Make sure you turn in a note/excuse to the attendance office Check Parentsquare for student attendance What can parents do to improve school attendance?

Turn in a note every time your child is absent. Do not rely on your child to turn in a note. Parent notes and doctor s notes should be emailed or handed to the campus attendance clerk. Contact the school immediately if you believe there is an error with your child s attendance. Pay attention to the phone calls and emails from your child s campus every time your child is absent. You will only receive these calls/emails What can parents do to improve school attendance? when your child has been marked absent.

Please take the Attendance Matters Online Quiz using the link below: https://forms.gle/yeRbdSzxFyTCtgMy 8 You must receive a score of 80 or higher to pass this quiz. You may take the quiz as often as needed to obtain this score. Please print a copy of the quiz results for your records. FinalComp11.mp3