Campus Attendance Office Page
Types of Absences
State law requires that students be in attendance for at least 90% of the time class is scheduled to meet to receive credit for that class. This includes both EXCUSED and UNEXCUSED absences. A student who is in violation of the 90% Attendance Law will NOT receive credit for the course. A student who receives No Credit (NC) in a course may regain credit status by completing an alternate attendance action plan set by their assistant principal. Students who receive a NO CREDIT are not eligible to receive the Verification of Enrollment (VOE) form required in order to receive a Texas Driver's License until they regain credit status.
The following acceptable reasons for an absence that DO NOT count against the student in regards to the 90% law must be accompanied by appropriate documentation to verify absences:
- Required court appearance (with subpoena, not including traffic violations)
- Religious Holy Days (not including church retreats, mission trips, baptisms, etc.)
- Military TAPS
- Health care appointment with an original, signed doctor's note returned no later than two days of the absence: Per Texas Education Agency Attendance Laws, if a student attends part of the school day on the same day they have an appointment, they do not have to make the day up. If the student misses the whole day and does not attend school at all, they will have to make the day up, even with a note.
- Activities related to obtaining US Citizenship
- District-approved school business activities: Students who participate in school activities during the school day will be marked "S" for extra-curricular, or OC for on-campus activities. These absences DO NOT count against the student in regards to the State's 90% attendance law.
- Learner's Permit appointment (1 day)
- Driver's License appointment (1 day)
Junior and senior students are allowed a maximum of two days per year to visit a college or university. Please provide documentation signed by a college or university official to the Attendance Office.
We are unable to accept itineraries as proof.
Acceptable reasons for an excused absence must be accompanied by approved documentation to verify absences:
- Personal or family illness verified by a note from a parent/guardian NOT TO EXCEED 5 total days per semester
- Natural disasters, weather or road conditions as declared by BISD making travel dangerous
- Death outside of the family
- Family emergency recognized and approved by the administration
Per TEA, excused absences count against the student in regards to the 90% law.
Unacceptable reasons for attendance will be documented as unexcused absences and are subject to grading policy. Unexcused absences include the following:
- Truancy
- Vacations or pleasure trips
- Parent/Guardian notes for personal or family illness in excess of 5 days per semester
- Youth programs not associated with the school
- Transportation issues
- Oversleeping
- Birthday
- Jobs
Per TEA, unexcused absences count against the student in regards to the 90% law.
Students who participate in school activities during the school day will be marked "S" for extra-curricular, or OC for on-campus activities. These absences DO NOT count against the student in regards to the State's 90% attendance law.
If a student becomes sick at school, they need to report to the school nurse. The nurse will determine if the student needs to be excused due to illness. The parent/guardian will be contacted, asked to come and sign out the student. If the student is sent home by the nurse, the absence is considered excused for the remainder of the day.
Subsequent absences will be considered upon the student's return with a parent or doctor note.
Should the nurse choose to NOT send the student home due to illness and the parent chooses to sign their student out, the absence is unexcused until a parent note is received.
-
The following acceptable reasons for an absence that DO NOT count against the student in regards to the 90% law must be accompanied by appropriate documentation to verify absences:
- Required court appearance (with subpoena, not including traffic violations)
- Religious Holy Days (not including church retreats, mission trips, baptisms, etc.)
- Military TAPS
- Health care appointment with an original, signed doctor's note returned no later than two days of the absence: Per Texas Education Agency Attendance Laws, if a student attends part of the school day on the same day they have an appointment, they do not have to make the day up. If the student misses the whole day and does not attend school at all, they will have to make the day up, even with a note.
- Activities related to obtaining US Citizenship
- District-approved school business activities: Students who participate in school activities during the school day will be marked "S" for extra-curricular, or OC for on-campus activities. These absences DO NOT count against the student in regards to the State's 90% attendance law.
- Learner's Permit appointment (1 day)
- Driver's License appointment (1 day)
-
Junior and senior students are allowed a maximum of two days per year to visit a college or university. Please provide documentation signed by a college or university official to the Attendance Office.
We are unable to accept itineraries as proof.
-
Acceptable reasons for an excused absence must be accompanied by approved documentation to verify absences:
- Personal or family illness verified by a note from a parent/guardian NOT TO EXCEED 5 total days per semester
- Natural disasters, weather or road conditions as declared by BISD making travel dangerous
- Death outside of the family
- Family emergency recognized and approved by the administration
Per TEA, excused absences count against the student in regards to the 90% law.
-
Unacceptable reasons for attendance will be documented as unexcused absences and are subject to grading policy. Unexcused absences include the following:
- Truancy
- Vacations or pleasure trips
- Parent/Guardian notes for personal or family illness in excess of 5 days per semester
- Youth programs not associated with the school
- Transportation issues
- Oversleeping
- Birthday
- Jobs
Per TEA, unexcused absences count against the student in regards to the 90% law.
-
Students who participate in school activities during the school day will be marked "S" for extra-curricular, or OC for on-campus activities. These absences DO NOT count against the student in regards to the State's 90% attendance law.
-
If a student becomes sick at school, they need to report to the school nurse. The nurse will determine if the student needs to be excused due to illness. The parent/guardian will be contacted, asked to come and sign out the student. If the student is sent home by the nurse, the absence is considered excused for the remainder of the day.
Subsequent absences will be considered upon the student's return with a parent or doctor note.
Should the nurse choose to NOT send the student home due to illness and the parent chooses to sign their student out, the absence is unexcused until a parent note is received.
How to Document an Absence
Provide physical documentation (note, letter, etc.) to the Attendance Office within 48 hours of the student's last absence.
Please include: student's full name, ID#, date of absence, reason, printed parent's name, parent's phone number.
Provide Documentation
ALL GRADES: The Attendance Office at each campus may be accessed via the About link on campus homepage, or via the icons in the middle of the page.
Use Skyward
HIGH SCHOOL ONLY: High School parents/guardians may log in to Skyward Family Access and complete the ATTENDANCE NOTIFICATION form tile.
How to Check Your Student Out of School
Please allow time in your schedule for the Attendance Office to retrieve your student from their class if a student must be checked out of school for a health appointment or another planned event.
Students may be testing, outside their normal classroom, or in a lab.
Students Who Do NOT Drive
ALL GRADES: A parent/guardian must sign the student out in the front office and show valid photo identification before leaving campus with the student.
Students Who Drive
(or ride with sibling who is a current student who drives)
To request an early dismissal, a parent or guardian must log in to Skyward Family Access and complete the ATTENDANCE NOTIFICATION tile at least two hours before the student needs to leave campus.
Once the request is received, an Early Dismissal Pass will be delivered to the student. At the designated time, the student should report to the attendance office, sign out and receive a separate checkout pass. The student must present this pass to the security guard at the front gate before leaving campus.