Fort Worth Independent School District
Missed school days are missed opportunities to learn.
- Read on grade level by 3rd grade
- Pass STAAR tests in middle school
- Stay on track for graduation in high school
Chronic absenteeism is a better predictor of whether a student will drop out before graduation than test scores.
At Fort Worth ISD, every day counts. We don’t want your child to miss a second of the enriched learning experience we plan for them. We’re committed to fighting chronic absenteeism within our district because we want all students to succeed.
Contact
Wendy Teer
Director of Multi-tiered Systems of Support
817-814-3448
Christina Galanis
Executive Director of Counseling, Advising, & Student Supports
817-814-2576
What you can do to keep your child on track:
- Only keep them home if they are truly ill.
- Schedule doctor appointments and vacations on non-school days.
Click here to see the academic calendar.
- Maintain routines for eating, sleep, and homework even on non-school days.
- Alert a counselor or your child’s teacher if there is something happening at school that has your child thinking twice about attending.
Attendance Requirement
What the law says:
Compulsory Attendance
Student attendance is compulsory in Texas. All students enrolled in public schools are required to attend schools. This applies to pre-kindergarten and kindergarten.
90 Percent Rule
In order for a student to receive credit or a final grade for a class, the student must attend class 90% of the days the student is enrolled. All absences, excused and unexcused, count against the 90 percent.
What type of absences may be excused?
- Child’s illness or injury
- Family emergency with administrator approval
- Death of a family member
- Doctor or dental appointments they cannot be scheduled outside of school hours
- Religious holy days
- Court appearances
- College visits (Juniors and Seniors only – 2 visits per year)
- Department of Motor Vehicle appointments (1 to obtain Learner’s Permit and 1 to obtain Driver’s License)
- Department of Family Protective Services appointments
Truant Conduct
What the law says:
Notices to Parents/Warnings
A district shall notify a student’s parent in writing at the beginning of the school year that, 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, the student’s parent is subject to prosecution under Texas Education Code § 25.093, and the student is subject to referral to a truancy court for truant conduct under Texas Family Code § 65.003(a).
Notice of Absences
A district shall notify a student’s parent if the student has been absent from school, without excuse under Education Code § 25.087, on three days or parts of days within a four-‐week period. The notice must:
- Inform the parent that:
- It is the parent’s duty to monitor the student’s school attendance and require the student to attend school;
- The student is subject to truancy prevention measures under Education Code § 25.0915; and
- Request a conference between school officials and the parent to discuss the absences.
The fact that a parent did not receive the notices described above is not a defense for the parent’s failure to require a child to attend school nor for the student’s failure to attend school. Texas Education Code § 25.095
Non‐Attendance/Parent Liability
A parent or person standing in parental relation commits an offense if:
- A warning notice is issued;
- The parent with criminal negligence fails to require the child to attend school as required by law; and
- The child has absences for the amount of time specified under Family Code 65.003(a).
The attendance officer [see FED] or other appropriate school official shall file a complaint against the parent in an appropriate court, as permitted under Education Code § 25.093.
Truancy Prevention Measures
The Fort Worth ISD Student Engagement Department equips parents and students to remove barriers to regular school attendance by providing direct support, practical information, and helpful campus and community resources based upon individual family needs. Before any court action is taken, Truancy Prevention Measures (TPMs) are implemented with the family including the following:
- Warning Notice
- Home Support Call and/or Porch Visit
- Student Attendance Review Team (SART) Agreement
- Campus Support and Interventions
- Referrals to Community Resources
- Recognition for Improved Student Attendance
Court Action is always a last resort.
Submitting an absence note
If a student is absent for whole or part of the day, it is required that parents/guardians submit one of the accepted notes below to the attendance office of the student's school within five (5) days of their absence(s).
Notes can also be uploaded into Focus via the Parent Portal.
If not received within five days, the absence will be unexcused.
Accepted Notes:
- Medical Note
- Court Note
- Official note for observance of religious holy days
- Verification of college visit.
- Verification of Department of Motor Vehicle visit.
- Parent note with the following information:
- Student Name
- Student ID number
- Date the note is written
- Date of absence
- Reason for absence
- Parent/guardian name
- Parent/guardian phone number
- Parent/guardian signature
Chronic Absenteeism
What is chronic absenteeism?
The state defines chronic absenteeism as attendance falling below 90% based on the student’s enrollment date.
There are three ways Fort Worth ISD takes attendance:
- Average Daily Attendance (ADA) time
This set time, during which schools mark attendance, is used by the state in a funding formula. - Truancy
Fort Worth ISD identifies truancy by examining unexcused absences. If a student accrues 10 or more unexcused absences, the district may send the family to truancy court. - Compulsory attendance
Compulsory attendance is determined for grade promotion or course credit. In elementary, attendance is taken one time and counts for all three types of attendance. In secondary school, attendance is taken each class period. In all grade levels, students whose attendance is below 90% of the days enrolled are not eligible for grade promotion or course credit.
Why is regular attendance so important?
Regular attendance not only influences district funding but also has a direct positive impact on your child’s learning.
- Elementary students missing an average of just two days per month are less likely to read on grade level by third grade.
- Chronically absent middle school students lag behind their peers in social development.
- High school students who are chronically absent are more likely to drop out than their academically struggling counterparts.
- Students at all grade levels with chronic absenteeism are less likely to perform well on state tests.
How can families support regular attendance?
- Check in with your student daily! Ask them what they learned at school each day and ask to see their homework. Additionally, take time to ask them about their friends or what they talked about at lunch; take time to show you care about the social aspects of their day so you let your child know they can talk to you.
- Encourage your student to get involved in some kind of club, team, or other organization. Fun incentives like this motivate children to come to school, especially when participation hinges on good attendance.
- Make sure you’re opted in to receive phone calls from the district so you can get an automatic call when your child is absent.
- Use your Parent Portal login to check attendance, grades, communicate with the school, or send notes to the office.
- Try to schedule doctor, dentist, and other appointments outside of school hours as much as possible.
- We understand varied work schedules but emphasize the importance of aligning drop-off and pick-up times with school hours. If your child is missing class, they’re missing valuable instruction time. Every minute of the day counts!
- Please bring your student to school unless they are sick and contagious!
What are some practical tips and resources to help combat absenteeism?
- If personal issues arise that affect attendance, reach out to your student’s counselor, intervention specialist, or administrator.
- District Health Services and City of Fort Worth Community Centers can provide helpful resources and referrals.
By working together, we can ensure that every school day contributes to your child's growth and success.