Important:  LTISD schools are no longer accepting phone calls to excuse student absences. Please send an email or a written note upon your child's return to school.

If you would like to pick up your child early, please send a written note with your student before school to obtain a pass from the front office.
Thank you!

If you have specific questions regarding excessive absences or tardies or if you received a letter regarding excessive absences or tardies, please contact the Attendance Secretary, Kara Barber at 533-6215.

Attendance Accounting

Students must be present in school by 10:00 a.m. in order to be counted present for purposes of reporting attendance to the state. Student attendance is taken in each class daily. Students must be in attendance the majority of the school day in order to participate in school-related activities on that day or evening.

Attendance Committee

If a student does not meet compulsory attendance requirements, the campus attendance committee will review the circumstances, using the guidelines at Board Policy FEC(Local), to determine whether the student will receive credit. Please see your student's Assistant Principal if you would like an appeal form.

Compulsory Attendance

Students are required by State law to be in attendance for at least 90 percent of the days a class is offered per year in order to receive credit for the classes in which they are enrolled. Once a student is enrolled in school, the compulsory attendance laws apply. For the scheduled 178 days in the school year, each student must be in attendance 160 school days.

If the student is absent from school on ten or more days or parts of days within a six-month period in the same school year or on three or more days or parts of days within a four-week period, the student’s parent may be subject to prosecution under Texas Education Code §25.093 and the student is subject to prosecution under Texas Education Code §25.094.for compulsory attendance law violation. LTISD is required to report violations of compulsory attendance laws to law enforcement authorities.

A court of law may also impose penalities against both the student and his or her parents/guardians if a school-aged student is deliberately not attending school. A complaint against the parent may be filed in court if the student:

• Is absent from school on ten or more days, or parts of days within a 6-month period in the same school year, or
• Is absent on three or more days or parts of days in a 4-week period.

Documentation from a Health Care Professional

A student will not be counted absent for a documented appointment with a doctor, dentist or other health care professional if the student attends school at any time on the day of the appointment, and if the student satisfactorily completes the missed school work in a reasonable amount of time. The documentation must be in the form of a note from the health care professional and must be provided within 3 days of the absence.

Upon return to school, a student absent for more than 5 consecutive days because of personal illness must bring a statement from a doctor or health clinic verifying the illness or condition that caused the student’s extended absence from school.

Excused Absences

Excused absences are recognized for the following reasons:

• Illness, quarantine of the student or the immediate family- a doctor’s note may be required after three
  or more consecutive days.
• Death of an immediate family member or a family emergency which could not be anticipated
• Participation in a school sponsored activity
• Participation in medical or dental appointments – written verification required
• Observance of a religious holiday under TEC 25.087
• Participation in activities related to Child Protection Services or the Juvenile Justice System
• Teen parent absences to take care of his or her child
• Absences related to migrant workers
• Days missed as a runaway
• Participation in a substance abuse rehabilitation program
• Homeless as defined by law
• 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.
• Student with diagnosed autism disorder when attending health care appointments related to the disorder.

Absences for reasons other than those listed above will be considered unexcused and may result in disciplinary consequences.

If you have any questions regarding your child's absences, excessive absences or tardies, or if you received a letter regarding excessive absences or tardies, please contact the Attendance Secretary, Kara Barber at 533-6215.