School Attendance
AISD students are required to attend school on a regular basis. As a result, students tend to achieve better grades, seek an active involvement in activities on campus and learn the skills necessary to attain success after leaving our school district.
AISD is committed to working together with our parents and guardians to support our students in developing strong habits of punctuality and self-discipline. We encourage you to stay informed about your child’s schedule and to reach out to the school with any questions or concerns about their attendance or punctuality. Your involvement is key to your child's success, and we are here to support you every step of the way.
Student attendance is regulated by Texas law, the Texas Education Code and AISD Board policies, including:
Students can be considered absent if they miss all or part of the school day, including late arrival and early pick-up. This includes all tardies. Junior High and High School students may be considered absent if they miss more than 20 minutes of an individual class.
, a student must be present for at least 90% of the time a class is offered. Students who don’t meet this requirement, regardless of the reason for the absence, will lose credit in the class. Completing a plan determined by the campus principal or attendance committee will be required to restore credit and/or avoid retention.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time is my child considered present for the day?
Students must be on campus at their to be counted present for the day. Students who arrive after this specific time OR leave before this specific time will be counted absent unless a doctor’s note is provided for an appointment on that day.
What if my child misses part of the day for a doctor's appointment?
If a student attends school for any part of the day, please provide a doctor’s note upon return. This note must include the date of the appointment and any other attendance dates the doctor is excusing.
What if my child has recurring doctor's appointments throughout the year?
If a student has regularly scheduled appointments with a doctor, a note should be provided weekly noting the dates of the appointments the student attended that week. Blanket notes (e.g. student attends this appointment every Thursday) are not accepted, as the district needs confirmation that the student attended each day from the doctor’s office to excuse the appointment.
What if my child needs to miss school due to illness or a family emergency?
It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to call the school each day of absence by 10 a.m. to explain the absence of the student. The purpose in notifying the school is to promote that both the school and the family are aware that we can account for each student. All absences not cleared within 24 hours are unexcused. Upon the student’s return, it is the responsibility of the parent or guardian of a secondary student to call the school by 10:00 a.m. to explain the absence. If the student had a medical appointment, the note shall be turned into the appropriate attendance office. The parent or guardian of an elementary student is encouraged to send a written note on the first day the student returns to school. (Code of Conduct page 90)
What if my child needs to miss due to a vacation or business trip?
Vacation or business trips are not recognized by the state as acceptable reasons for students being out of school and will be treated as unexcused. Therefore, these days should be planned only for school holidays that do not disrupt student learning or cause loss of credit. (Code of Conduct page 93)
What if my child needs to miss school due to a religious holy day?
To be considered a religious holy day, the day should be generally recognized by the student’s religious denomination as a holy day that is required to be observed by all denomination members. Church retreats, camps, mission trips, and individual religious rites such as baptisms, christenings, bar mitzvahs, etc. are not considered holy days. Parent notes will be accepted to excuse an absence for the purpose of observing a religious holy day.
Do attendance laws apply to children enrolled in Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten?
Yes, who is at least 6 years of age, or who is younger than 6 years of age and has previously been enrolled in first grade, to attend school. Under , compulsory attendance also applies to students voluntarily enrolled in prekindergarten or kindergarten. Students enrolled before age 6 are subject to truancy law and prevention measures.
What if my child's absence is incorrect?
If there is an issue with your child being notated as absent, please contact the campus. The campus clerk will then contact the teacher to request to update the student record. If the concern is related to the coding of the absence as excused versus unexcused, please contact the attendance office.
Can my child leave school early?
Yes, however, all students must be checked in and out through the front office. Parents must contact the campus to notify the campus attendance clerk. Student drivers must check out through the office, and a note is still required. Missing any part of the day can count against the student for 90% and truancy. All absences remain unexcused unless documentation is received by the attendance clerk within the time frame required for submission.
What if my child arrives late to school or class?
Students who arrive late for class will be marked tardy for that day (elementary) or period (secondary) unless they provide a medical note due to a health care appointment and as long as the student is present in the class at the . If a student is not present at the , they will be marked absent. Each campus will develop and publish their own tardy policies. Students that arrive to campus late due to an AISD transportation delay, will be excused.
