Attendance

Important: LTISD schools are no longer accepting phone calls to excuse student absences. Please email Carmen Cruz, HBMS Attendance Secretary, at cruzc@ltisdschools.org if your child is absent.

Early Release

Please make sure all people authorized to pick up your student are in Skyward. You can edit this in Skyward but not on the app. If you need to add someone this will happen immediately but you will need to let me know so the change can be approved.

Students will be called from class once a parent/guardian/authorized person is present in the front office. Please have your valid ID available in case it is needed.

Attendance Accounting

Middle and high school attendance differs from elementary school. In middle and high school, attendance is taken every period, that is eight times a day for each student. If a student is absent for even one period it is an absence for the day in Skyward. In turn, if the student is absent for the entire eight periods of the day Skyward will record it as absence for the day.  If they are absent for a medical appointment and documentation is provided those absences will be excused.

Attendance Committee

If a student does not meet compulsory attendance requirements, the campus attendance committee will review the circumstances, using the guidelines at Board Policy FEC(Local), to determine whether the student will receive credit. Please see your student's Assistant Principal if you would like an appeal form.

Compulsory Attendance

Students are required by State law to be in attendance for at least 90 percent of the days a class is offered per year in order to receive credit for the classes in which they are enrolled. Once a student is enrolled in school, the compulsory attendance laws apply. For the scheduled 180 days in the school year, each student must be in attendance 162 school days. 

If the student is absent from school on nine or more days or parts of days within a six-month period in the same school year or on three or more days or parts of days within a four-week period, the student’s parent may be subject to prosecution under Texas Education Code §25.093 and the student is subject to prosecution under Texas Education Code §25.094.for compulsory attendance law violation. LTISD is required to report violations of compulsory attendance laws to law enforcement authorities.

A court of law may also impose penalities against both the student and his or her parents/guardians 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 from school on ten or more days, or parts of days within a 6-month period in the same school year, or
• Is absent on three or more days or parts of days in a 4-week period.

Documentation From A Healthcare Professional

A student will be counted as an excused absence for a documented appointment with a doctor, dentist or other health care professional if the student attends school at any time on the day of the appointment, and if the student satisfactorily completes the missed school work in a reasonable amount of time. The documentation must be in the form of a note from the health care professional and must be provided within 3 days of the absence.

Upon return to school, a student absent for more than 5 consecutive days because of 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. 

Excused Absences

Excused absences are recognized for the following reasons: 

1. Illness, quarantine of the student or the immediate family- a doctor’s note may be required after three or more consecutive days. 
2. Death of an immediate family member or a family emergency which could not be anticipated 
3. Participation in a school sponsored activity 
4. Participation in medical or dental appointments – written verification required 
5. Observance of a religious holiday under TEC 25.087 
6. Participation in activities related to Child Protection Services or the Juvenile Justice System 
7. Teen parent absences to take care of his or her child 
8. Absences related to migrant workers 
9. Days missed as a runaway 
10. Participation in a substance abuse rehabilitation program 
11. Homeless as defined by law
12. Appearing at a governmental office to complete paperwork required in connection with the student's application for US citizenship or taking part in a US naturalization oath ceremony.
13. Student with diagnosed autism disorder when attending health care appointments related to the disorder.

Absences for reasons other than those listed above will be considered unexcused and may result in disciplinary consequences.