#AttendanceMatters

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 days, 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.

In addition, students earn course credits by meeting the course requirements AND attending classes.  Texas Education Code states that students must be present in class 90% of the time in order for a student to earn course credit or promotion to the next grade level. Attendance is also an important factor for TISD funding.

Per the Student Attendance Accounting Handbook provided by Texas Education Agency, a student is either present or absent at the official attendance-taking time, known as SNAPSHOT.  Each campus attendance is determined by the number of students present at the district-designated snapshot time. All TISD students should be on time daily and accounted for to ensure academic continuity and to maximize learning. Students who do not meet the 90% Texas-required attendance may be in jeopardy of being denied course credit or not being promoted to the next grade level. Each campus has a designated Campus Attendance Committee who meet regularly to determine and review students who are not complying with the 90% attendance mandate.

To ensure academic engagement and successful learning, all students should be present daily by snapshot and remain academically engaged all day:

• LECHS – 8:30am
• TMS – 9:30am 
• THJ, NPE, MSI – 10:00am
• THS – 10:30am 

Parents and guardians should always submit absence notes to campus attendance personnel when their child is not present, even if the child is sent home due to illness or for quarantine reasons. Submitting a note for an absence will be determined to be excused or unexcused by the appropriate personnel on the campus. Parents and guardians should contact their child’s school if they have any questions. Unexcused absences can increase chances of truancy-based infractions against students.

REMEMBER: all students should be present daily. Failure to be in school once enrolled can result in a student not receiving course credit or not being promoted to the next grade level, per the Campus Attendance Committee. All denials of course credit or promotions are appealable via the Campus Attendance Committee.

Did you know?
Poor attendance can influence whether children read proficiently by the end of third grade or be held back.  

Did you know? 
By sixth grade, chronic absence becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school.

Did you know? 
Even if absences are excused, a student must attend a class 90 percent of the time to receive credit for a semester.