Attendance
Arriving Late and Early Checkouts
Missing any portion of the school day can affect your child’s attendance record. Families must follow campus procedures and submit required documentation within the timeframe outlined in Section 2 of the FISD Student Handbook.
Arriving late
Students must check in at the front office before reporting to class.
Tardies remain unexcused until acceptable documentation is submitted and approved.
Students must complete missed work.
Every three tardies count as one unexcused absence for Pre-K and elementary students. Tardy rules for middle and high school students are listed below.
Repeated unexcused tardies may lead to attendance interventions or loss of attendance incentives.
Leaving early
Students must be signed out through the designated campus office.
Parents or guardians must provide identification and documentation as required.
Early checkouts remain unexcused until acceptable documentation is submitted and approved.
Students must complete missed work.
Every three early checkouts count as one unexcused absence.
Repeated unexcused early checkouts may lead to attendance interventions or loss of attendance incentives.
Students may not be checked out after these times:
Elementary: 2:30 p.m.
Middle School: 3:40 p.m.
High School: 4:00 p.m.
Parents or guardians must notify the Bus Barn of any transportation changes before 2:00 p.m.
Documentation Requirements
Examples of documentation supporting an excused absence, tardy, or early checkout include:
A parent or guardian note for personal illness.
Documentation from a licensed physician.
Documentation of a family member’s funeral.
Official documentation for a court appearance.
Other legally required excused absences are addressed in the Student Handbook. The campus reviews documentation and determines how the absence, tardy, or early checkout is recorded.
Parent or guardian notes may excuse up to 10 days of absence for personal illness. The campus will notify families when that limit has been reached. After 10 days, a doctor’s note is required for additional personal illness absences to be excused.
Middle & High School Tardy Consequences
Middle School
Third tardy: An administrator contacts the parent or guardian and meets with the student.
Sixth tardy: The student is assigned to the RESET Program, formerly the CHIL Program.
High School
Third tardy: An administrator contacts the parent or guardian, records a warning in Skyward, and gives the student a verbal warning.
Fifth tardy: An administrator contacts the parent or guardian, records a referral in Skyward, and schedules a counseling and goal-setting meeting. Lunch detention may be assigned.
Seventh tardy in a class during a quarter: An administrator records a referral and schedules a conference with the parent, student, counselor, and administrator. In-school suspension or Saturday School may be assigned. Students may also be required to recover attendance during their scheduled early-release period to receive credit.
When Attendance Concerns Begin
Under district procedures, a student with three unexcused absences will be placed on a Truancy Behavioral Improvement Plan.
When a student has three or more unexcused days or parts of days within a four-week period, the campus will notify the parent or guardian and begin truancy prevention measures required by Texas law.
These measures help identify attendance barriers, improve attendance, and prevent court referrals. Depending on the student’s needs and campus procedures, they may include:
Parent and student conferences.
An attendance contract or improvement plan.
Counseling or referral to an administrator or truancy officer.
An online truancy prevention class.
Tutorials or attendance recovery sessions.
Additional campus interventions.
Attendance recovery may be scheduled during non-instructional periods. Continued concerns may lead to additional family meetings or changes in eligibility for attendance incentives and school activities, as allowed by district policy.
When Court Referral Is Required
For students ages 12 through 18, Texas law generally requires a truancy court referral after 10 or more unexcused days or parts of days within a six-month period in the same school year, subject to legal exceptions.
The district may delay a referral when truancy prevention measures are working and the delay is in the student’s best interest. Certain circumstances require additional support instead of referral.
A parent or guardian may also face a criminal complaint for contributing to nonattendance when the legal requirements are met.
The district’s three-tardy rule for incentives and interventions is separate from the legal requirements for a truancy court referral.
We Are Here to Help
If transportation, health concerns, or another challenge is affecting your child’s attendance, contact your campus. Our goal is to work with your family to address concerns and help your child succeed.
Legal references: Texas Education Code §§ 25.085, 25.0915, 25.093, 25.095, and 25.0951; Texas Family Code § 65.003.