Attendance
Attendance
Attend. Achieve. Succeed.
Good attendance habits pay off! More than ever, attendance at school is critical for your child’s success. School attendance is a primary reason for academic improvement, involvement in school activities, and high school graduation. Every absence adds up–Missing a lesson today impacts the ability to learn new information tomorrow.
We do recognize that perfect attendance is not always possible. If your student is running a fever, is vomiting, or illness or injury causes discomfort that interferes with learning, please keep him or her home. A doctor’s note or parent/guardian written notification of the absence is expected when your child returns to school.
Texas Compulsory Attendance Law requires all students who are at least 6 years old and have not met graduation requirements by age 19 to attend school (TEC §25.085). This includes students who are voluntarily enrolled in prekindergarten or kindergarten and are under the age of 6. This law requires students to go to school all day each school day while school is in session.
Students in violation of this law may be subject to a referral to court proceedings against the parent, guardian, or student. Violations of the law occur when a student accumulates 10 or more unexcused absences within a six-month period in the same school year under TEC §25.085.
In addition to compulsory attendance, students are required to attend each class and subject area at least 90% of the time at all grade levels. The 90% Rule includes both excused and unexcused absences. According to Texas state law and Board policy FEC Local, this is defined as a student missing more than 10%, or approximately 18 days of school over the school year.
Remember that establishing a consistent pattern of attending school in early elementary sets your children up for success throughout their school career! For updates on your child’s absences and grades, enroll in BISD’s Ascender Parent Portal. You will need a portal ID number from the campus registrar when you register for the first time. The link to register or access your chld’s grades and attendance records is at https://portals15.ascendertx.com/ParentPortal/login?distid=025902
Attendance Contacts
Attend. Achieve. Succeed.
Attendance and Truancy Contacts
To report an absence, email or provide a note to the following person at your child’s campus:
Coggin Elementary PK - 5: aidalu.price@brownwoodisd.org
Coggin Elementary 6th Grade: ashley.pinkston@brownwoodisd.org
East Elementary: beatrice.fanning@brownwoodisd.org
Northwest Elementary: sylvia.tobias@brownwoodisd.org
Woodland Heights Elementary: kayla.moses@brownwoodisd.org
Brownwood Middle School: trease.burke@brownwoodisd.org
Brownwood High School: gloria.salazar@brownwoodisd.org
In addition to the above campus contacts, the district Parent Liaison is available to assist with attendance and truancy concerns.
District Parent Liason: lisa.mendoza@brownwoodisd.org
For further assistance or support, contact Stacy Loftin, Special Programs Coordinator, at 325-646-5644 or stacy.loftin@brownwoodisd.org.
Attendance FAQ
Attend. Achieve. Succeed.
What is the Compulsory Attendance Law and 90% Rule?
The Texas Compulsory Attendance Law requires that all students attend school on time, every day, and all day that school is in session. Compulsory attendance states that all students who are at least 6 years of age or voluntarily enrolled in Pre-K or Kindergarten must attend school until they graduate from high school or are 19 years old.
Additionally, the 90% Rule requires students to attend school at least 90% of the time in order to receive credit. If a student misses more than 10% or approximately 18 days of school, he or she may be required to make up class time or may fail to receive credit for the class. Missing just one day of school every two weeks will result in a student being in violation of the 90% Rule. The 90% Rule applies regardless of whether a student’s absence is excused or unexcused.
Why is attendance important?
It is very important for students to attend school each day. There is a strong connection between attendance and academic performance. When students miss class, they miss learning.
What should I do if my child needs to be absent?
A parent must provide an explanation for any absence upon the student’s arrival or return to school. The student must submit a note signed by the parent. The campus may accept a phone call from the parent but reserves the right to require a written note.
A student absent for more than five 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 absence. Otherwise, the absence may be considered unexcused and 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 absence to determine whether an absence will be excused or unexcused.
What types of absences can be excused?
For additional information about excused and unexcused absences, see the Student Handbook at https://www.brownwoodisd.org/Page/1587
- Religious holy days;
- Required court appearances;
- Activities related to obtaining U.S. citizenship;
- Documented health-care appointments for the student or a child of the student, including absences related to autism services, if the student returns to school on the same day of the appointment and brings a note from the health-care provider;
- Absences resulting from a serious or life-threatening illness or related treatment that makes a student’s attendance infeasible, with certification by a physician;
- For students in the conservatorship of the state,
- An activity required under a court-ordered service plan; or
- Any other court-ordered activity, provided it is not practicable to schedule the student’s participation in the activity outside of school hours.
- For children of military families, absences of up to five days will be excused for a student to visit a parent, stepparent, or legal guardian going to, on leave from, or returning from certain deployments.
What types of absences can be unexcused?
Absences that may be unexcused include the following. Absences not listed below may be at principal’s discretion to determine if they are excused or unexcused. For additional information about excused and unexcused absences, see the Student Handbook.
- Out of town vacations
- Absences for personal reasons other than illness without principal approval
- Oversleeping
- Parent failing to notify the child’s school in writing about an possible excused absence
When is a child considered truant?
A student is considered truant if the student does not attend school according to TEC §25.085. If a student fails to attend school and accumulates 10 unexcused absences within a six month period in the same school year, the parent/guardian or student may be referred to truancy court. All absences are verified by attendance personnel as unexcused prior to a court referral.
I received a truancy letter in the mail and my child does not have 10 unexcused absences. Why?
If you receive a truancy letter from your student’s school and he or she has less than 10 unexcused absences, it is because attendance records indicate he or she has accumulated several unexcused absences and the school would like to implement Truancy Prevention Measures (TPM) prior to a court referral. TPM are required by law to assist students and families to prevent unnecessary absences from school. As a part of TPM, the school may require a face-to-face meeting with parents/guardians at school, mandatory after school or Saturday school tutorials, referral to a counselor, or an attendance contract.
What is the school and district’s responsibility regarding school attendance?
The school will have automated phone calls notifying you when your child is marked absent. It is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to maintain updated contact information with the school for any notifications. The school district provides grades and attendance information on the Ascender Parent Portal at https://portal.ascender.esc15.net/ParentPortal/login?distid=025902.
The school and district may also schedule meetings with parents/guardians in order to attempt to solve barriers to good attendance.
How can I help my child improve attendance?
Parents and guardians’ value of education makes it a high priority in your family! Let your child know that learning and obtaining an education is the most important thing your child can do for him or herself. Children also need consistent bedtime and morning routines.
You can:
- Check Ascender Parent Portal for attendance information. Communicate with your child’s school if you believe there is an attendance mistake.
- Help your child establish good study and work habits. Praise your child when he or she does a good job.
- Check your child’s backpack frequently for information about what is going on at school.
- Get involved in school activities or PTO.
What if my child and family need extra support for good attendance?
Your child’s school is a great resource! Contact an administrator, school counselor, or parent liaison to schedule a meeting to problem solve. There may be many reasons why your child struggles with attending school–let us help!