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District Attendance Policy

• Attendance 
  Each child residing in or legally transferred to GPISD who is as much as six years of age, or who is less than six years of age and has previously been enrolled in a public school, and who has not completed the academic year in which his/her nineteenth birthday occurred shall be required to attend school each day for the entire period the program of instruction is provided. Pre-Kinder and adult students may be withdrawn after five unexcused absences in a semester. In order to receive credit in a class, students must be in attendance for at least 90% of the days the class is offered. Students who are in attendance for fewer than the prescribed number of days set by the law shall not be given credit for the class unless the attendance committee finds that the absence(s) are the result of extenuating circumstances. When returning to school after an absence, a student must bring a note signed by the parent that describes the reason for the absence; notes signed by the student, even with the parent’s permission, will be considered forgery and the student will be disciplined. The District accepts the following as extenuating circumstances for the purpose of granting credit or promotion:
  • 1. An excused absence based on personal illness or illness or death in the family, quarantine, weather or road conditions making travel dangerous, and any other unusual cause acceptable to the teacher, principal, or Superintendent or Superintendent’s designee.
  • 2. Days of suspension.
  • 3. Participation in court proceedings or child abuse/neglect investigation or any court order activity.
  • 4. A migrant student’s late enrollment or early withdrawal.
  • 5. Days missed as a runaway.
  • 6. Completion of a competency based program for “at risk” students.
  • 7. Late enrollment or early withdrawal of a student under Texas Youth Commission.
  • 8. Teen parent absences to care for his or her child.
  • 9. Participation in a substance abuse rehabilitation program.
  • 10. Religious holy days when the days are a tenet of faith and parents submit a written request prior to the absence.
  • 11. For appointment with health care professional.
  • 12. Obtain U.S. citizenship.

If the attendance committee finds that there are no extenuating circumstances for the absence or if conditions established by the committee for earning or regaining credit are not met, the committee shall deny credit for the class. Students whose petitions for credit are denied may appeal the attendance committee’s decision to the Board of Trustees by submitting a written request that includes the basis for the disagreement with the committee’s decision to the Superintendent’s designee. The appeal shall be addressed as provided by the student complaint policies. (See FNG (Legal) & FNG (Local)). The District shall provide alternative ways for students to make up work or regain credit lost due to attendance. In all cases, the student must also earn a passing grade in order to receive the credit.

Consecutive Absences, Excused and Unexcused Absences, Tardies 
Students who have been absent for any reason are required to make up the work they missed within the time given by the teacher. Failure to make up work may result in academic penalties. It is the student’s responsibility to request missing assignments. Parents may request assignments for a student who will be absent more than three days for personal illness by calling the school office 24 hours in advance. Students who are absent for any part of the school day will not be allowed to participate in school related activities on that day or evening, unless the absence is considered justifiable (e.g. school related activities, doctor’s appointments for part of the day). This also applies to participating on Saturday when absent on Friday. Students who are absent from school or from any class without permission will be considered truant and will be subject to disciplinary action. Students with excessive tardies or unexcused absences shall be subject to appropriate disciplinary action and failure or loss of credit, but may not be suspended from school. The parent of a student is responsible for requiring the student to attend school. Legal action may be taken if the parent reneges on the responsibility.

Excused Absences 
A child required to attend school may be excused for temporary absence resulting from any cause acceptable to the teacher, or principal of the school in which the child is enrolled. Excused absences may include temporary absence resulting from personal illness, death or illness in the family, quarantine, weather or road conditions making travel dangerous, or a required court appearance. Excused absences may be claimed for religious holy days when the days are tenet of the faith and the parent submits a written request prior to the absence, and for temporary absences resulting from appointment with a health care professional, so long as the student commences classes or returns to school on the same day as the appointment. All absences for which the student brings a doctor’s note will be considered excused absences. In cases where the student brings a parent note, the first five notes will excuse the absence, as long as the duration of the absence is between one and four consecutive days. All absences of five days or longer will require a doctor’s note. After the fifth note, regardless of whether or not the child has a parent note, the absence will be considered an unexcused absence unless the child has a doctor’s note or visits the school nurse and is sent home due to illness. Any notes from the parent and/or guardian explaining the nature of the absence must be submitted no later than three (3) school days after the student’s absence and must include specific information as to the nature of the absence. Information required:

• • 1. Name of student
  • 2. Campus
  • 3. Date(s) of absence(s)
  • 4. Specific reason for absence(s)
  • 5. Signature of parent/guardian
  • 6. Phone number of parent/guardian
  • 7. Date

Semester examinations missed during exam week at the end of each semester must be made up within ten days after the end of each semester provided the student has an excused absence unless other arrangements have been made with the principal. Failure to make up final examinations will result in an exam grade of 0.

Consecutive Absences 
Any student who is absent five (5) or more consecutive days will be required to submit a doctor’s note to excuse the absences.

Warning Notice for Unexcused Absences 
The District shall notify a student’s parents in writing during student registration if the student has been absent without an excuse ten (10) or more days within a six-month period in the same school year, the student’s parent is subject to prosecution under Section 25.093 and the student is subject to referral to a truancy court for truant conduct under Section 65.003(a), Family Code. If a student aged 12 through age 18 violates the compulsory attendance law, both the parent and student may be referred to the truancy court. * The fact that a parent did not receive a notice does not create a defense to prosecution under Section 25.093 or under Section 65.003(a), Family Code.

Tardies 
Elementary Schools - Students who are tardy must go directly to the office for a tardy slip. Students are tardy to school if they are not in their classroom when the bell rings to start the school day or any of the class periods. Excessive tardies may lead to disciplinary action.