Attendance Policy

Regular school attendance is essential for the student to make the most of his or her education—to benefit from teacher-supervised activities, to build each day’s learning on that of the previous day, and to grow as an individual. Absences from class may result in a serious disruption of a student’s mastery of the instructional materials; therefore, the student and parent should make every effort to avoid unnecessary absences.

Compulsory Attendance

The state compulsory attendance law requires that students at least 6 years of age, and those who have not yet reached their 19th birthday attend school and school required tutorial sessions unless the student is otherwise legally exempted or excused. School staff must investigate and report violations of the state compulsory attendance law. A student absent from school without permission from any class, from required special programs (such as basic skills for ninth graders), or from required tutorials will be considered “truant” and subject to disciplinary action. Note, Kindergarten students are required to attend school and are subject to compulsory attendance requirements as long as they remain enrolled.

Truancy may also result in assessment of penalties by a court of law for the parent. State law requires that the school apply truancy prevention measures if the student is absent, without excuse, on three or more days or parts of days within a four-week period. If a student is absent, without excuse, on ten or more days or parts of days within a six-month period in the same school year, and those absences are verified by the campus as unexcused, students 12 years and older may be referred to truancy court. Further, state law permits the school to file a complaint against parents contributing to nonattendance regardless of their child’s age. Please refer to Texas Education Code (TEC) 25 and the Texas Family Code 65 for more details.

A student who voluntarily attends or enrolls after his or her 19th birthday is required to attend each school day. If a student 19 years of age or older has more than five unexcused absences in a semester, the school may revoke the student’s enrollment, except that the school may not revoke the enrollment on a day on which the student is physically present at school. The student’s presence on school property thereafter would be unauthorized and may be considered trespassing.

Notice to Parents: Under TEC § 25.095(a), you are hereby notified that if a student is absent from school on ten or more days or parts of days within a six-month period in the same school year, the student’s parent is subject to prosecution under TEC § 25.093; and the student is subject to referral to a truancy court for truant conduct under Texas Family Code § 65.003(a).

Attendance for Credit

To receive credit in a class, a student must attend at least 90 percent of the days the class is offered. These days include both excused and unexcused absences. A student who attends fewer than 90 percent of the days the class is offered may be referred to the Attendance Committee to determine whether there are extenuating circumstances for the absences and how the student can regain credit.

In determining whether there were extenuating circumstances for the absences, the Attendance Committee will use the following guidelines:

1. All absences will be reviewed, with special consideration given for religious holy days, documented healthcare appointments for which routine make-up work has been completed, and other special circumstances as defined by the TEC.
2. For a student transferring into the school after school begins, including a migrant student, only those absences after enrollment will be considered.
3. In reaching consensus about a student’s absences, the committee will attempt to ensure that its decision is in the best interest of the student.
4. The committee will consider whether the absences were for reasons over which the student or parent could exercise control.
5. The committee will consider the acceptability and authenticity of documentation expressing reasons for the student’s absences.
6. The committee will consider the extent to which the student has completed all assignments, mastered the essential knowledge and skills, and maintained passing grades in the course or subject.
7. The student, parent, or other representative will be given an opportunity to present any information to the committee about the absences and to discuss ways to earn or regain credit.

If credit is lost because of excessive absences, the Attendance Committee will decide how the student may regain credit. The student or parent may appeal the committee’s decision to the Board of Trustees by filing a written request with the Superintendent. The appeal notice must be postmarked to the following address within 30 days following the last day of instruction in the semester for which credit was denied:

Responsive Education Solutions
Notice of Appeal: Class Credit
Attn: Superintendent P.O. Box 292730
Lewisville, TX 75029

The appeal will then be placed on the agenda of the next regularly scheduled Board meeting. The Superintendent or designee shall inform the student or parent of the date, time, and place of the meeting.

Excused and Unexcused Absences

Regular, punctual attendance profoundly affects a child’s success at school. As a result, Ignite Community School views attendance as having a major role in our scholar’s education.  We ask parents to notify the campus administrative office no later than 7:50 A.M. to report an absence or late arrival to campus.] The following absences are considered excused absences:

1. personal illnesses that do not exceed three consecutive days (Illnesses that extend beyond three days will require a doctor’s note.);
2. family emergency;
3. An absence resulting from a serious or life-threatening illness or related treatment that makes the student’s attendance infeasible, if the student or the student’s parent provides a certification from a physician[LG1]  licensed to practice medicine in Texas specifying the student’s illness and the anticipated period of the student’s absence relating to the illness or related treatment
4. An absence for a student who is 15 years of age or older to visit a driver’s license office to obtain a driver’s license or learner license, provided that more than one day of school may not be excused during the period the student is enrolled in high school for the purpose of (i) obtaining a driver’s license[LG2]  or (ii) obtaining a learner license, and the school verifies the student’s visit to the driver’s license office in accordance with school procedures
5. observing religious holy days;
6. juvenile court proceeding documented by a probation officer;
7. appearing at a governmental office to complete paperwork required in connection with the student’s application for United States citizenship;
8. taking part in student’s United States naturalization oath ceremony;
9. documented healthcare appointment, if the student begins classes or returns to school on the same day as the appointment, including absences for recognized services for students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders
10. serving as an election clerk;
11. required screening, diagnosis, and treatment for Medicaid-eligible students;
12. documented college visit by a junior or senior student (see “College Days [H],” p. 34);
13. a student’s visit with a parent, stepparent, or legal guardian who has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or immediately returned from certain deployments (up to five days);
14. for students in the conservatorship of the state who need to attend an activity required under a court-ordered service plan; or any other court-ordered activity, provided it is not practicable to schedule the student’s participation in the activity outside school hours; or
15. temporary absence resulting from any cause acceptable to the Campus Director.

For religious holy days, required court appearances, activities related to citizenship, and services as an election clerk, one day of travel to the site and one day travel from the site shall also be excused.

Any absence not listed above will be considered an unexcused absence. Examples of unexcused absences include, but are not limited to, class cuts, car trouble, oversleeping, personal business, vacation, etc.

Required Documentation of Absences

When a student must be absent from school, it is the parent’s responsibility to call the school office each day to explain the reason for the student’s absence. Upon returning to school, the student must bring a note to the school office, signed by the parent, which describes the reason for the absence. In order to excuse the absence, the note must:

1. be submitted to the school office within three school days of the student’s return to school, and
2. describe an acceptable reason for the absence (see “Excused and Unexcused Absences,” p. 2).

Notification to Parents

The school will notify the parent by mail when the student is absent from school, without excuse, on three days or parts of days within a four-week period. The notice will inform the parent of, among other things, that their student is subject to truancy prevention measures, remind the parent of their responsibility to monitor their student’s attendance, and to request a parent conference between the parent and the Attendance Officer/Campus Director to discuss the absences.

Make Up Assignments

Make-up work will be given to scholars absent two (2) or less days upon their return to school. For scholars absent for three (3) or more days, assignments can be requested of the teacher via email. Arrangements for assignments for scholars traveling for an extended period of time can be made with the teachers. Please note however, all assignments will be due upon the scholars return to school. Grade penalties will be issued in the event the assignments are not submitted at that time. 

In the case of absences, it is the responsibility of the scholar and parent to contact the teachers for any missed assignments, homework, etc., as well as the due dates for the missed work. Scholars failing to submit any missed work by the specified due date could receive a failing grade. 

Absences resulting in missed assignments (including homework) must be completed within the same number of days (not to exceed five (5) days) a scholar is absent. For example, if a scholar is absent for two (2) days, he/she has two days to complete the missed assignments. If he/she is absent for three (3) days, they have that many days to complete the missed assignments. 

Tests and quizzes missed during an excused absence must be made up within the allotted time specified by the teacher. All assignments, tests, etc., scholars are informed of prior to an absence, must be submitted and or taken upon the scholar’s return to school, unless otherwise stated by the teacher. No additional preparation time is allowed.]

Early Pick-Up

In order for a scholar to leave school before dismissal (3:45 P.M.), a parent must sign out the child in the school office. A parent must call the campus to let us know in advance to ensure the scholar has all necessary items and assignments before leaving for the day. The front office staff will document that the child left early and release the child to the parent. 

We highly recommend that you do not pick up your child early when possible. Please schedule all of your medical appointments before or after school or on a scheduled day off. This will avoid any disruptions to the class time. If not possible, please send a note to school with your child letting us know they will be leaving early. 

When planning to pick up your child before dismissal time at 3:45 P.M., we ask that you do so before 3:00 P.M., as the doors are locked at that time in preparation for dismissal. We recognize from time to time the need for families to leave early for various reasons–many of them planned; in such cases, we ask that advance notice be submitted in writing to the office. We ask the same for planned absences (i.e. an all-day doctor’s appt., funeral, etc.).

For our scholars’ safety, no one may enter the building during our dismissal time. Any appointments with teachers or staff members must be scheduled in advance and are by appointment ONLY. 

Who Can Pick Up Your Child?

1. Only persons whose names are on the Pick-up Authorization Form that you completed and submitted to the office, will be permitted to pick up your scholars. 

2. Adults with the curbside tags (displaying your child’s name) will be permitted to pick up your child from the carpool lane. You must inform the office in writing of the individual(s) or company whose carpool your child is participating in so we may release them accordingly. 

3. Special arrangements can be made to allow others to pick up your child by sending a note to our front office staff or by calling the school office before 2:30 P.M., verifying your identity and issuing us permission to release your child. 

Scholars will not be released to any individual who is not on the authorized pickup list. 

Late Pick-Up 

School dismissal is at 3:45 P.M. for all scholars. Parents are allotted a 15 minute grace period. All scholars should be picked up no later than 3:45 P.M.. Scholars not picked up by 3:45 P.M. will be sent to the After School Program until a parent arrives. Parents will be charged an After School Drop-in Fee for each scholar not picked up by 4:00 P.M.. Fees are payable at the time of pickup. Arrangements for the After School Program drop-in service can be made through the front campus office.]

Driver’s License Attendance Verification

To obtain or renew a driver’s license, a student under 18 years of age must annually 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. Eligible students can obtain the required Verification of Enrollment (VOE) form from the school office.

The school will issue a VOE form for any transfer student that is transferring with no more than three absences for the previous six weeks.