Olney ISD
Online Truancy Class
Regular School Attendance is the KEY
to Your Child’s Success
Student success begins with good attendance. The US Department of Education states that for every missed day of school, it takes a student two days to catch up. This is difficult because the student is forced to make up missed work at the same time they are receiving new information.
Attendance Categories
A student with GOOD ATTENDANCE generally achieves higher grades and enjoys school more. Your child will make the most of their educational opportunities and feel more connected to their school.
Good Attendance is 9 or fewer absences
per school year.
Attendance Categories
Student’s with AVERAGE ATTENDANCE generally miss a year’s worth of school before their Senior year. Your child will need to spend extra time catching up on school work to avoid underachieving.
Average Attendance is 10 to 17 absences per school year.
Attendance Categories
A student with CHRONIC ABSENCES lose opportunities to gain basic social and academic skills that are critical to ongoing academic success. These students are at-risk for eventually dropping out of school.
Chronic Absences are 18 or more absences per school year.
What Category Is Your Child In?
Why Does This Matter?
What Does Texas Law State?
Texas Education Code 25.085
State law requires children to attend school each day that instruction is provided. The law applies to children ages 6-19. If you voluntarily enroll your child in Pre-K or Kindergarten before age 6, school attendance laws apply 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.
What Does Texas Law State?
Family Code Section 65.003
A child engages in truant conduct if the child is required to attend school under TEC 25.085 and fails to attend school on 10 or more days or parts of days within a 6-month period in the same school year.
What Does Texas Law State?
Parent/Guardian Notices: If a student who is required to attend school under Texas Education Code 25.085 is absent from school 3 days or parts of days in a 4-week period, the District will send a warning letter and initiate Truancy Prevention Measures.
If a student is absent for 10 or more days or parts of days in a 6-month period in the same school year:
What Absences Are Excused By Law?
Although perfect attendance is the goal, it’s not always possible. School Districts are required to excuse a student’s absence for reasons listed in state law, such as:
The Texas Education Code describes these reasons, and other reasons, in greater detail and lists additional statutory excused absences.
What Absences Are Excused
By The District?
Olney ISD has its own criteria for determining what else is considered an excused absence. Generally, the following absences may qualify as excused:
What Absences Are NOT Excused?
Examples of unexcused absences include, but are not limited to:
What Do You Do When Your Child Is Absent?
Parents are required to submit notes to the campus explaining the reason for any of your child’s absences, including any required documentation. This documentation must be received within 3 days upon the child’s return to school.
We are NOT able to accept phone calls as acceptable documentation.
Please note that, 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.
What Do You Do When Your Child Is Absent?
When a student is absent for three or more consecutive days because of personal illness, the parent must present a statement from a physician or health clinic verifying the illness or other condition which caused the student’s extended absence from school.
Without this documentation, the student’s absence may be considered unexcused and, if so, would be in violation of compulsory attendance laws.
What Happens If I Have Excessive Absences For Personal Illness?
When a student develops a questionable pattern of attendance, the campus Attendance Review Committee may require a statement from a doctor or health clinic after a single class absence explaining the illness which caused the student’s absence from school. This information will be used to determine if the absences will be excused or unexcused.
What Happens If I Have Excessive Absences For Personal Illness?
The school nurse may serve as an acceptable clinic statement.
Students who begin classes or return to school on the same day of an appointment will not accumulate an absence. The appointment must be supported by documentation from a healthcare professional.
What Is The 90% Rule?
Attendance laws require Districts to enforce the 90% Rule, which states that students in grades K-12 must attend class for 90% of the time that class is offered to receive a final grade or credit. The 90% rule applies to ALL absences, including excused absences not exempted by the law.
What Is The 90% Rule?
A student who attends at least 75% but fewer than 90% of the days the class is offered, may receive credit for the class if the student completes an instructional plan approved by the principal and the campus Attendance Review Committee.
What Can The Parent Do?
Pay attention to the phone calls and emails that Olney ISD sends to you every time your child is absent. You will only receive these calls/emails when your child has been marked absent (this includes parts of the day absences).
Contact the school immediately if you believe there is an error with your child’s attendance.
What Can The Parent Do?
Turn in a note every time your child is absent. Do not rely on your child to turn in a note. Parent notes and Dr’s notes can be emailed to the campus secretary. We can only accept up to 5 parent notes a semester. 3 days out, would use 3 parent notes, one for each date gone.
If you are signing your student out for a Dr’s appointment, a note from a medical provider is required; otherwise please follow up with a parent note explaining why your student was absent.
What Can The Parent Do?
Schedule appointments before or after school or when school is not in session. When appointments must be made during the school day, schedule the appointment to allow your child to attend a part of the school day.
What Can The Parent Do?
*Check your child’s grades and attendance often.
*Review the attendance web page for information regarding information. If you still have questions, contact your child’s school.
ATTENDANCE MATTERS
Truancy Class Quiz
Click on the link below to complete the quiz required to receive credit for this truancy class. You must receive a score of 80 or higher to pass this quiz. You make take the quiz as often as needed to obtain this score. Please print a copy of the quiz results for your records.