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.  A recent study from E3 Alliance stated Texas high school students who miss 10 school days a year are three times more likely to drop out than those who miss 5 days. (Texas Monthly, December 2015, page 208).  As per the State’s mandatory attendance laws, pursuant to Section 25.095 of the Texas Education Code, if a student is absent from school for 10 or more days or parts of days within a 6 month period in the same school year or for 3 or more days or parts of days within a 4 week period, there is cause for concern and those absences must be addressed.  

   Under Texas law, it is the parent’s duty to monitor the student’s attendance and require the student to attend school. Children cannot learn if they are not present in school, so attendance is a must. Please visit with your child about the importance of showing up to school everyday, and make that the expectation.  Do not let your child stay home unless they are truly sick.   Showing up for school has a huge impact on a student’s academic success starting in kindergarten and continuing through high school. Even as children grow older and more independent, families play a key role in making sure students get to school safely every day and understand why attendance is so important for success in school and on the job.   Thank you for your help with this concern.