Truancy & Enforcement
Definition
- Truancy occurs when a student fails or refuses to attend school as required by Texas Compulsory Attendance laws (applies to ages 6–19).
- Prekindergarten & Kindergarten: If you voluntarily enroll your child in PK or kindergarten before age 6, all attendance laws apply to them as well.
District Enforcement Steps
- Collect Attendance Data: Monitor unexcused absences.
- Warning Letters: Issued if a student has 3 unexcused absences in a 4-week period, or 5 unexcused in a semester.
- Truancy Intervention: RaaWee notices or equivalent programs may be sent to families to encourage compliance.
- Court Referral: If 10 unexcused absences occur within a 6-month period, parents/guardians may face legal action.
Possible Consequences
- Fines, mandatory court appearances, and intervention requirements.
- Attendance Recovery or credit loss if the student falls below the 90% attendance threshold.