Frequently Asked Questions
Select to expand sections below
Parent/guardian should follow the “Report an Absence” procedures and any documentation should be submitted after the absence date (recommended within 48 hours after the absence has occurred). The campus will update attendance records based on the provided documentation.
Note: Phone calls are not required to report an absence in advance, per policy we can’t address absences in advance. Phone calls also cannot count as documentation.
Ill children should be kept at home to allow recovery and to keep other students from contracting the illness if contagious. A doctor's note is not required for each illness absence.
When a student's absence for personal illness exceeds 5 consecutive days, the principal or attendance committee may require that the student present a statement from a physician or health clinic verifying the illness or condition that caused the student's extended absence from school as a condition of classifying the absence as one for which there are extenuating circumstances.
If a student has established a questionable pattern of absences, the principal or attendance committee may require that a student present a physician's or clinic's statement of illness after a single day's absence as a condition of classifying the absence as one for which there are extenuating circumstances.
- Parents and guardians are notified of absences through:
- AISD Parent Portal: Frontline Self-Serve
- SchoolMessenger robo-phonecall/email/text
- School Progress Reports (delivered if there is an academic concern)
- Report Cards
- Attendance Warning letters (delivered each month; indicates 3 or more Unexcused absences)
Review your student’s attendance record. As soon as you notice a problem or if you do not recognize the absence dates listed, please contact your campus attendance specialist immediately. Unexcused absences can lead to a variety of issues including a referral to Truancy Court.
Attendance notifications are from an automated system. Every attendance note is manually entered, therefore attendance changes will not appear immediately in the Parent Portal - Frontline Self-Serve. Feel free to disregard any automated communication if you know you've done your part to inform us about absence(s) OR use it as a reminder to send in a note if you haven’t.
Some examples of absences that count against the 90% attendance law include, but are not limited to:
- Vacations
- Parent/guardian illness note
- Attendance at non-school sponsored events
Activities that do not count against the 90% attendance law include, but are not limited to:
- School field trip
- University Interscholastic League (UIL)
- Observing religious holy days under TEC 25.087. Travel is limited to no more than one day of travel to and one day of travel from the observation site. Church retreats, camps, and missions’ trips, and individual religious rites (Baptisms, Christenings, Bar and bat mitzvahs, etc.) are not holy days.
- Temporarily absent during the school day because of a documented appointment for the student, with a healthcare professional. The professional is licensed, certified or registered by an appropriate agency of the State of Texas. The student begins classes or returns to school the same day of the appointment.
- 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
- Participation in activities related to Child Protection Services or the Juvenile Justice System
- The official standards are described in TEA's Student Attendance Accounting Handbook (SAAH). 19 TAC 129.1025
For middle school and high school courses, attendance is taken for every class period. If you do not recognize the absence dates or times listed, please connect with that teacher immediately.
The student must obtain a Verification Of Enrollment and Attendance Form (VOE) from the school to obtain a learner’s permit or a driver's license. The VOE verifies that the student has met the 90 percent attendance requirement for the semester preceding the date of application. VOEs are only valid for 30 days from the date the VOE is issued. Please do not request a VOE if the student's appointment is more than 30 days from the request.
The student who is 15 years or older is excused from school for no more than one day while the student is enrolled in high school to obtain a driver’s license or learner license.
A maximum of two (2) days during the junior and senior year may be taken to visit an institution of higher education accredited by a generally recognized accrediting organization to determine the student’s interest in attending the institution. Documentation is needed: request a letter from the college/university stating that your student was there on a specific date(s) and a school official's signature. This cannot be a brochure, flyer, or an email. Travel days cannot be excused.
It is well known that the adolescent years are particularly stressful years for students and making the move from elementary to middle school and middle school to high school can bring about behaviors that were not present before. Despite this transition, you can help your student by immediately taking one or more of the following actions:
- Check in Parent Portal: Frontline Self-Serve for absences, low conduct marks and grades.
- If the school calls you, do not cover for your student to get them off the hook. This tells them that there are no consequences for breaking rules.
- Contact the school if you think your student has been skipping school and if you need additional community resources. Connect with your school to find out about your campus Child Study Team.
- To prevent a truancy court filing of “Parent Contributing to Nonattendance”, it is important that you stay in communication with your student’s school regarding attendance.
- There are many district and community support services available to help you and your student with issues that may be affecting their attendance. Talk with your principal or visit our School, Family & Community Education page to find out more about other support services.
Students thrive with adults who care to enforce rules and are available to provide help when it's needed. Your campus will want to work with you to create a best learning environment for your student.