The School shall maintain records to reflect the average daily attendance (ADA). The Superintendent, principals, and teachers shall maintain accurate, current attendance records. 19 TAC 129.21(a), (e)
The School shall use the standards established by the commissioner to maintain records and make reports on student attendance and student participation in special programs. The official standards are described in TEA’s Student Attendance Accounting Handbook (SAAH). Certified attendance records must be preserved on site to be readily available for TEA auditors. 19 TAC 129. 1025, .21 (d)
MINIMUM ENROLLMENT
A student must be enrolled for at least two hours to be considered in membership for a half-day, and for at least four hours to be considered in membership for one full day.
Half-Day Students
Students enrolled on a half-day basis may earn only half-day attendance each school day. Attendance is determined for these pupils by recording absences in a period during the half-day they are scheduled to be present.
ATTENDANCE FOR STATE FUNDING PURPOSES
Attendance for all grades shall be determined by the absences recorded in the second or fifth period of the day, unless the School has obtained permission from TEA for an alternate period to record absences.
The established period in which absences are recorded may not be changed during the school year.
Students absent during the daily period selected by TSBVI for taking attendance shall be counted absent for the entire day. Students present at the time attendance is taken shall be counted present for the entire day.
19 TAC 129.21 (g), (h)
Students in an alternative education placement shall be counted in computing the average daily attendance for the student’s time in actual attendance in the program. Education Code 37.008(f)
Exceptions
A student not actually on campus at the time attendance is taken may be considered in attendance if:
Board-Approved Activities
1. The student is participating in a Board-approved extracurricular activity or public performance, which is under the direction of a member of a School’s professional or paraprofessional staff or an adjunct staff member who has a bachelor’s degree. [See FM]
Mentorships
2. The student is participating in a mentorship approved by School personnel to serve as one or more of the advanced measures needed to complete the Distinguished Achievement Program outlined in 19 TAC 74.13. [See EIF]
Medicaid Students
3. The student is Medicaid-eligible and participating in the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment Program. Such students may be excused for up to one day at any time without loss of ADA.
Education Code 25.087; 19 TAC 129.21
4. The student is absent for one of the purposes listed at EXCUSED ABSENCES FOR COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE DETERMINATIONS in Policy FEA.
Parental Consent to Leave Campus
The Board delegates to the Superintendent authority to establish procedures regarding parental consent for a student to leave campus. A student absent from School shall provide a note that describes the reason for absence. The note shall be signed by the student’s parent or guardian. If the student is 18 or older or has been declared by a court to be an emancipated minor, the student may sign in place of a parent or guardian. 19 TAC 129.21(l) [See Parent Student Handbook]
DISASTERS
The commissioner may adjust the average daily attendance of a school all or part of which is located in an area declared a disaster area by the governor under Government Code Chapter 418 if the school experiences a decline in average daily attendance that is reasonably attributable to the impact of the disaster.
The commissioner may make the adjustment under this section for the two-year period following the date of the governor’s initial proclamation or executive order declaring the state of disaster. Education Code 48.006(a), (c)
Adopted: 4/1/05
Amended: 8/9/18, 5/28/20
Reviewed: