Attendance
Regular school attendance is essential for the 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. Two state laws, one dealing with compulsory attendance, the other with attendance for course credit, are of special interest to students and parents. They are discussed in the following sections:
Compulsory Attendance
State law requires that a student between the ages of 6 and 18 attend school, as well as any applicable accelerated instruction programs, extended year programs, or tutorial session, unless the student is otherwise legally exempt or excused. A student who voluntarily attends or enrolls after his or her eighteenth birthday is required to attend each school day. If a student 18 or older has more than five unexcused absences in a semester, however, the district may revoke the student’s enrollment. The student’s presence on school property thereafter would be unauthorized and may be considered trespass.
If kindergarten, first grade, or second grade students are assigned to an accelerated reading instruction program under state law, compulsory attendance applies to attendance in the reading program. Parents will be notified in writing if their child is assigned to an accelerated reading instruction program as a result of the reading diagnosis test.
School employees must investigate and report violations of the state compulsory attendance law. A student absent without permission from school; from any class; from required special programs, such as additional special instruction (termed “accelerated instruction” by the state) assigned by the grade placement committee and basic skills for ninth graders; or from required tutorials will be considered in violation of the compulsory attendance law and subject to disciplinary action.
A court of law may also impose penalties against both the student and his or her parents if a school- aged student is deliberately not attending school. A complaint against the parent may be filed in court if the student:
Parents of Canton Independent School District students are urged to reserve vacation trips for the designated holidays. The district will only accept the following reasons for excusing students from school.
Students may have absences waived and will be considered present for the following reasons:
Please note that for medical or dental appointments a student must be in class at least a portion of the day to be considered present.
Adequate documentation must be presented to the office within 48 hours of the absence to have the absence waived and to retain exemptions. The 48 hours begin at the onset of the absence. Documentation should be presented to the attendance clerk at the beginning of the second day following the onset of the absence. For example, if the student is absent on Monday, documentation needs to be presented no later than the start of school on Wednesday. School holidays and weekends are not used to calculate the 48 hours.
Students who have been in attendance for a portion of the day and sign out through the office for a scheduled doctor or dentist appointment may have their absence waived provided that proper documentation is presented to the office from the doctor or dental office within a 48 hour period.
Unexcused Absence
Students who have an unexcused absence will be required to make up the time missed in Saturday School and/or Detention Hall or serve time in OCS as determined by the principal or his designee. If the student is in OCS and has an unexcused absence then two additional days of OCS will be assigned or other disciplinary actions will be taken. Students will be allowed and required to make up all class assignments missed on those days. There will be no grade reduction on all such assignments if the assignments are made up in the required time frame set by the teacher.
Compulsory Attendance
State law requires that a student between the ages of 6 and 18 attend school, as well as any applicable accelerated instruction programs, extended year programs, or tutorial session, unless the student is otherwise legally exempt or excused. A student who voluntarily attends or enrolls after his or her eighteenth birthday is required to attend each school day. If a student 18 or older has more than five unexcused absences in a semester, however, the district may revoke the student’s enrollment. The student’s presence on school property thereafter would be unauthorized and may be considered trespass.
If kindergarten, first grade, or second grade students are assigned to an accelerated reading instruction program under state law, compulsory attendance applies to attendance in the reading program. Parents will be notified in writing if their child is assigned to an accelerated reading instruction program as a result of the reading diagnosis test.
School employees must investigate and report violations of the state compulsory attendance law. A student absent without permission from school; from any class; from required special programs, such as additional special instruction (termed “accelerated instruction” by the state) assigned by the grade placement committee and basic skills for ninth graders; or from required tutorials will be considered in violation of the compulsory attendance law and subject to disciplinary action.
A court of law may also impose penalties against both the student and his or her parents if a school- aged student is deliberately not attending school. A complaint against the parent may be filed in court 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, or
- Is absent on three or more days or parts of days within a four-week period
Parents of Canton Independent School District students are urged to reserve vacation trips for the designated holidays. The district will only accept the following reasons for excusing students from school.
- Illness of the student. – If a student is absent for 5 consecutive days or more a doctor’s note is required for the absence to be excused.
- Medical or dental appointments
- Sickness or death in the family
- Death of relative or intimate friend
- Quarantine
- Weather or road conditions making travel dangerous
- Parent-request days, as defined in this handbook
- Educational reasons approved by the Board
- Observance of a religious holy day
- Any other unusual cause acceptable to the Superintendent or Principal
Students may have absences waived and will be considered present for the following reasons:
- Medical or Dental appointment
- The student misses school for the purpose of sounding “Taps” at a military honors funeral held in Texas for a deceased veteran.
- The student misses school for the purpose of attending a required court appearance, including traveling for that purpose. Travel days for which the student is considered in attendance shall be limited to not more than one day for travel to and one day for travel form the site where the student is required to appear in court. Prior notification to the office is required.
Please note that for medical or dental appointments a student must be in class at least a portion of the day to be considered present.
Adequate documentation must be presented to the office within 48 hours of the absence to have the absence waived and to retain exemptions. The 48 hours begin at the onset of the absence. Documentation should be presented to the attendance clerk at the beginning of the second day following the onset of the absence. For example, if the student is absent on Monday, documentation needs to be presented no later than the start of school on Wednesday. School holidays and weekends are not used to calculate the 48 hours.
Students who have been in attendance for a portion of the day and sign out through the office for a scheduled doctor or dentist appointment may have their absence waived provided that proper documentation is presented to the office from the doctor or dental office within a 48 hour period.
Unexcused Absence
Students who have an unexcused absence will be required to make up the time missed in Saturday School and/or Detention Hall or serve time in OCS as determined by the principal or his designee. If the student is in OCS and has an unexcused absence then two additional days of OCS will be assigned or other disciplinary actions will be taken. Students will be allowed and required to make up all class assignments missed on those days. There will be no grade reduction on all such assignments if the assignments are made up in the required time frame set by the teacher.