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     HISD Attendance...

   
ATTENDANCE COMMITTEES The Board shall establish an attendance committee or as many committees as necessary for efficient implementation of Education Code 25.092.

The Superintendent or designee shall make the specific appointments in accordance with legal requirements.

PARENTAL NOTICE OF EXCESSIVE ABSENCES A student and the student's parent or guardian shall be given written notice prior to and at such time when a student's attendance in any class drops below 90 percent of the days the class is offered. When a student's attendance drops below 90 percent of the days the class is offered, the student, parent, or representative may request award of credit by submitting a written petition to the appropriate attendance committee. The attendance committee shall review the student's entire attendance record and the reasons for absences, and shall determine whether to award credit.

Petitions for credit may be filed at any time the student receives notice, but in any event, no later than 30 days after the last day of classes.

The attendance committee may review the records of all students whose attendance drops below 90 percent of the days the class is offered, whether or not a petition is filed.

Students who have lost credit because of excessive absences may regain credit by fulfilling the requirements established by the attendance committee.

PERSONAL ILLNESS When a student's absence for personal illness exceeds seven consecutive days, the student shall present a statement from a physician or health clinic verifying the illness or condition that caused the student's extended absence from school.

If the student has established a questionable pattern of absences, the attendance committee may also require a physician's or clinic's statement of illness after a single day's absence as a condition of classifying the absence as one for which there are extenuating circumstances.

GUIDELINES ON EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES The attendance committee shall adhere to the following guidelines to determine attendance for credit:
DAYS OF ATTENDANCE
  1. All absences shall be considered in determining whether a student has attended the required percentage of days. If make-up work is completed, absences for religious holy days and health care appointments shall be considered days of attendance for this purpose.
TRANSFERS / MIGRANT STUDENTS
  1. A transfer or migrant student incurs absences only after his or her enrollment in the District.
BEST INTEREST STANDARD
  1. In reaching consensus regarding a student's absences, the committee shall attempt to ensure that its decision is in the best interest of the student.
  1. The Superintendent or designee shall develop administrative regulations addressing the committee's documentation of the decision.
DOCUMENTATION
  1. The committee shall consider the acceptability and authenticity of documented reasons for the student's absences.
CONSIDERATION OF CONTROL
  1. The committee shall consider whether the absences were for reasons out of the student's or parent's control.
STUDENT'S ACADEMIC RECORD
  1. The committee shall consider whether or not the student has completed assignments, mastered the essential knowledge and skills, and maintained passing grades in the course or subject.
INFORMATION FROM STUDENT OR PARENT
  1. The student or parent shall be given an opportunity to present any information to the committee about the absences and to discuss ways to earn or regain credit.
IMPOSING CONDITIONS FOR AWARDING CREDIT The committee may impose any of the following conditions for receiving credit lost because of excessive absences:
  1. Completing additional assignments, as specified by the committee or teacher.
  2. Satisfying time-on-task requirements before and/or after school.
  3. Attending tutorial sessions as scheduled.
  4. Attending Saturday classes.
  5. Maintaining the attendance standards for the rest of the semester.
  6. Taking an examination to earn credit.
  7. Attending summer school.

In all cases, the student must also earn a passing grade in order to receive credit.

APPEAL PROCESS A parent or student may appeal the decision of the attendance committee in accordance with HISD Policy FNG(LOCAL) beginning at Level Three.