Attendance
Attendance Officer
George Navarro
(409) 735-1592
Absences & Attendance
Regular school attendance is essential for a student to make the most of his or her education—to benefit from teacher-led and school activities, to build each day’s learning on the previous day’s, and to grow as an individual. Absences from class may result in serious disruption of a student’s mastery of the instructional materials; therefore, the student and parent should make every effort to avoid unnecessary absences. Two state laws, one dealing with compulsory attendance, the other with attendance for course credit, are of special interest to students and parents. They are discussed below:
Compulsory Attendance
State law requires that a student between the ages of six and 18 attend school, as well as any applicable accelerated instruction program, extended year program, or tutorial session, unless the student is otherwise excused from attendance or legally exempt.
A student who voluntarily attends or enrolls after his or her 18th birthday is required to attend each school day until the end of the school year and is subject to compulsory attendance laws, if the student is under 21 years old. In addition, if a student 18 or older has more than five unexcused absences in a semester the district may revoke the student’s enrollment. The student’s presence on school property thereafter would be unauthorized and may be considered trespassing.
State law requires attendance in an accelerated reading instruction program when kindergarten, first grade, or second grade students are assigned to such a program. Parents will be notified in writing if their child is assigned to an accelerated reading instruction program as a result of the reading diagnosis test.
School employees must investigate and report violations of the state compulsory attendance law. A student absent without permission from school; from any class; from required special programs, such as additional special instruction (termed “accelerated instruction” by the state) assigned by a grade placement committee and basic skills for ninth graders; or from required tutorials will be considered in violation of the compulsory attendance law and subject to disciplinary action.
A court of law may also impose penalties against both the student and his or her parents 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 six-month period in the same school year, or Is absent on three or more days or parts of days within a four-week period.
If the student is over age 18, the student’s parents shall not be subject to penalties as a result of their child’s violation of state compulsory attendance law.
Drivers License Attendance Verification
To obtain a driver license, a student between the ages of 16 and 18 must provide to the Texas Department of Public Safety a form obtained from the school verifying that the student has met the 90 percent attendance requirement for the semester preceding the date of application. The student can obtain this form at the campus Counselor’s office or Principal’s office.
Attendance for Credit
See BCISD Board Policy FEC Local which is available on line or from the attendance office.
Absence Procedure
- Parent shall notify the school by a phone call before 2nd period on the day of absence. The telephone number is 735-1536.
- The attendance clerk will attempt to contact the parent as soon as possible if no earlier call has been received.
- If it is necessary for a student to be absent for personal business that cannot be conducted after school hours, the principal should be notified prior to the appointment to determine if the absence is excused or un-excused.
- In some situations a medical excuse may be required for absences.
Doctor’s Note After An Absence for Illness
Upon return to school, a student absent for more than (8) eight consecutive days because of a 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. [See FEC(LOCAL).] Absences from school for school activities:
- A student cannot miss more than 15 days during the entire year to participate in field trips and/or extra-curricular activities. Exception: a student may miss 5 extra for post district and 2 for state competition per activity.
- A student must check with his/her teacher before leaving and work should be turned in upon return. Teachers may extend this deadline at their discretion.
Misc. Student Absence Information
Students who enroll at BCHS who have missed several weeks because they were not enrolled in school, or were absent – up to a 6 week period – and do not have any grades for this time will be required to make up the work missed in the class they are enrolling in at BCHS. If they do not make up the work they will receive a 60 for that marking period.
Warning Notice
To Parents or Persons Standing in Parental Relation to Children
In accordance with the state compulsory Attendance Law (Sec.25.093 or Sec. 25.094 Education Code), any parent or person standing in parental relation to a child within the compulsory school attendance age and not lawfully exempt or properly excused from school attendance fails to require such child to attend school for periods as required by law beginning the 25 day of August, 2008.
It shall be the duty of the proper attendance officer to warn, in writing, the parent/person standing in parental relation that attendance must be immediately required. If after this warning the parent/person standing in parental relation intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence fails to require the child to attend school as required by law, and the child has unexcused voluntary absences for the amount of time specified under Section 51.03 (B) (2) Family Code, the parent/person standing in parental relation commits an offense. The attendance officer shall file a complaint in the Justice of Peace Court of his resident precinct, or Municipal Court of the City of Bridge City. Each day after the warning has been given may constitute a separate offense.
Early Dismissals and Checkout Prodedures
A student will not be released from school at times other than at the end of the school day except with permission from the principal or designee and according to the campus sign-out procedures. Unless the principal has granted approval because of extenuating circumstances, a student will not regularly be released before the end of the instructional day. A student who will need to leave school during the day must have his/her parent/guardian contact the attendance office the morning of the pending dismissal.
For appointments
A phone call (no note) from the parent indicating the time and reason for early release will permit the student to meet his appointment on time. An early dismissal slip will then be given to the student to present to the teacher for release from the class at the designated time. To be counted present in a class, the student must be in attendance in that class for a minimum of 30 minutes. Re-admittance to classes the next day will be as in “Absences” above. If a student wishes to leave campus or check out, he/she must have permission from a parent--the contact must be made through the attendance clerk. The student must present his early dismissal slip to the attendance secretary at the time designated on the slip when leaving for the appointment. Upon return, the student must bring documentation from his/her doctor that he/she has met his/her appointment. The student is to sign back in with the attendance secretary and obtain an admit slip.
For illness
If it is necessary for a student to leave school during the day for illness the student must first check with the school nurse or designee. If the nurse feels it would be in the best interest of the child to leave campus, a phone contact must be initiated from the nurse’s phone with the parent or guardian. If contact is not possible, then contact will be made to the person indicated on the emergency care form. Re-admittance the next day to missed classes will be the same as in “Absences” above. Students must sign out at the attendance office before leaving.
Regardless of reason for exiting, entering and/or re-entering school during the day, the student must report to the attendance secretary for admission.
When possible, appointments should be scheduled at times to avoid being absent from and/or tardy to classes.
