The Office of School Attendance is committed to serving and supporting the students of Carrollton-Farmers Branch ISD. The Office of School Attendance strives to:
- Support campuses with attendance needs
- Facilitate improved attendance with students who are at-risk for poor attendance
- File truancy cases in the Justice of the Peace and Municipal courts
- Implement truancy prevention measures for parents and students
- Monitor and review improved attendance with truant students after court action has been taken
Texas Compulsory Attendance Law
Texas requires a child who is at least 6 years of age, or who is younger than 6 years of age and has previously been enrolled in first grade, and who has not yet reached his/her 19th birthday to attend school unless exempt by Sec. 25.086. Upon enrollment in pre-kindergarten or kindergarten, a child shall attend school. A person who voluntarily enrolls in school or voluntarily attends school after the person’s 19th birthday shall attend school each school day for the entire period the program of instruction is offered and is subject to the same requirements for compulsory attendance for students under 19 years of age .TEC Sections 25.085, 25.086.
Student Absences:
Carrollton Farmers Branch ISD has several ways parents can notify campuses of their child’s absence(s). If your child is absent, notification of the absence must be made in writing within three days of the absence. Parents can notify the campus through Parent Square, by calling the attendance office, sending an email or by providing a handwritten note with a signature to the attendance office at your child’s school.
Absences will be recorded as:
- Verified Absence(s): A documented unexcused absence(s). Parents have notified the campus of the student’s absence.
- Excused Absence(s): An absence listed as an excused absence per TEC 25.087.
- ABS: An undocumented unexcused absence without any notification from the parent.
Absences such as vacations/trips, babysitting, working (including modeling), non-school sponsored athletic events and programs shall be considered unexcused. In order for a student to make up and receive credit for work assigned during this unexcused absence, the parent must submit one week in advance a written notification of the planned absence to the principal. When no prior notification is given, students may receive a zero for all work assigned during the absence.
Truant Conduct/Truancy
A child engages in truant conduct if the child is required to attend school under Section 25.085, Education Code , and fails to attend school on 10 or more days or parts of days within a six-month period in the same school year. Truant conduct may be prosecuted only as a civil case in a truancy court.
A parent/guardian commits an offense of Parent Contributing to Non –Attendance under TEC Sec. 25.093, if, after having been warned in writing, a child has unexcused voluntary absences from school on 10 or more days or parts of days within a six month period . An offense under the Subsection (a) is a misdemeanor, punishable by fine only, in an amount not to exceed $500. Parents who engage in the non-attendance of their child(ren) not attending school will be referred to the District Attendance Officer.
Students who engage in truant conduct will be referred to the District Attendance Officer. For truant conduct attendance violations, a referral can be made to the Justice of the Peace or Municipal courts in Dallas and Denton counties. Family Code 65.003(a)(b)
Tardy Policy
Tardies are considered “parts of days” and are generally considered unexcused except for doctor/dentist appointments, as outlined herein. For truancy court purposes, three tardies are equivalent to one (1) unexcused absence. Tardies are not converted to unexcused absences onto report cards or onto official attendance records. TEX. EDUC. CODE §25.093 and FAMILY CODE 65.003.
90% Attendance Rule For Credit
Students must attend school 90% of the days the class is offered in order to receive credit. ALL student absences, Excused or Unexcused, will count towards the 90% Compulsory Attendance Law. Students who fall below 90% in attendance are required by the State of Texas to make up hours/minutes with a Principal’s Plan , or risk losing credit for class(es). [see board policies FEA, FEC.]