In this edition of Attendance Bites, I’d like to clear up some confusion about your child’s school absences. Under Texas law, a student is required to attend school 90% of the days that school is in session. Schools are required to be open 180 days per school year. That means your child should be in school for at least 162 days. The flip side of that is that your child can only have 18 days of unexcused absences for the entire year! In addition, absences include partial days too. If your child comes to school late or leaves early, those can be considered absences as well.
Excused absences include such issues as medical appointments, religious holy days, and the death of an immediate family member. These absences do not count against you or your child. Other absences may also be excused by Bryan ISD administrators.
The best course of action? Email your child’s teacher as soon as you know your child will be out. If your child has a written medical excuse, have the child give it to their teacher the day they return. The quicker attendance records can be fixed, the better it is for everyone involved.
(The data above can be found by clicking here.)
As always, thank you for allowing us to invest in your child.
Ms. Neal – Rayburn’s PBIS Attendance Lead Teacher