Attendance & Absences

Regular attendance is essential for all students to gain the academic and social skills they need to thrive. Absences from class may result in serious disruption to the mastery of the knowledge and skills needed to progress to the next grade. When students are chronically absent (missing 10% or more of the school year), they are less likely to read proficiently by third grade, achieve in middle school, and graduate from high school.

In addition to learning losses, students also lose opportunities to develop socially and gain skills in problem-solving and self-regulation, all of which are needed to grow and learn.

Ensuring children get to school every day provides opportunities for students to progress academically, develop socially, and pursue their passion and purpose. Students and parents must make every effort to avoid unnecessary absences.

Student attendance is regulated by Texas law, the Texas Education Code, and CISD Board policies, including:

Students can be considered absent if they miss all or part of the school day, including late arrival and early pick-up.

Under Texas law, a student must be present for at least 90% of the time a class is offered. Students who don’t meet this requirement, regardless of the reason for the absence, will lose credit in the class. Completing a plan determined by the campus principal or attendance committee will be required to restore credit and avoid retention.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does attendance work in CISD?

The ins and outs of attendance in Texas can be confusing. Here are the three main ways attendance “counts.”

Attendance for funding
Attendance for truancy
Attendance for credit

Attendance for Funding
For official attendance accounting purposes, excused and unexcused absences do not exist. Students who are on campus at the official attendance-taking time are counted present for funding purposes. Students who are absent at the official attendance-taking time are counted absent for funding purposes, unless TEA considers it a fundable absence.

Attendance for Truancy
Students who miss school and do not provide documentation to excuse the absence will have those days/classes counted as unexcused absences which will count toward truancy. A child engages in truant conduct if the child is required to attend school under the TEC, §25.085, and fails to attend school on 10 or more days or parts of days within a six-month period in the same school year.

Attendance for Credit
Section 25.092 conditions credit or a final grade for a class on a student’s attendance for at least 90 percent of the days a class is offered. A student who is in attendance for at least 75 percent, but less than 90 percent, of the days a class is offered may be given credit or a final grade if the student completes a plan approved by the principal that provides for the student to meet the instructional requirements of the class.

How can I view my student’s attendance?

What is the district policy on excuse notes?

Commerce ISD allows parents to submit five notes per semester (in addition to doctor's notes) to excuse their child's absences.

Documentation after an Absence (All Grade Levels)

CISD policy states parents submit an excuse note to the school attendance office within five days of returning to school. Excuse notes, which can be an email, handwritten, or a ParentSquare Attendance Notification response, must include:

Student name
School name
A written statement giving the date and reason for the absence
Parent or guardian signature for handwritten notes only
Parent phone number

Starting 24-25 calendar year, phone calls can no longer be accepted for absences.

A note signed by the student will not be accepted unless the student is age 18 or older or is an emancipated minor under state law. The campus will document in its attendance records whether the absence is excused or unexcused.

Note: The district is not required to excuse any absence, even if the parent provides a note explaining the absence, unless the absence is an exemption under compulsory attendance laws.

How do I submit an excuse note through ParentSquare?

Commerce ISD utilizes the Attendance Notices feature in ParentSquare. This feature streamlines the process of notifying the school about your student's absence.

How It Works:
ParentSquare pulls attendance data from Skyward and sends you a notification if your student is marked absent. This notification allows you to quickly and conveniently submit an attendance note.

How to Submit an Attendance Note:
Via the ParentSquare Website or Mobile App:

Parents and Guardians can view Attendance Notices on their app or website and can submit notes back to the school.
Click Send Note to School.
Enter the reason for the absence and click Submit.

Important Information:

Per district policy, attendance notes must be submitted in writing within 5 days of the absence.
Phone calls are no longer accepted for reporting absences.
Per the Student Handbook, the following information is required for the absence note: Student name, date of absence, and reason for absence.

What You’ll Need:

The ParentSquare app downloaded on your mobile device, or access to a web browser.
Log in using the email address or mobile number where you received the notification. If needed, click “Forgot Password” to reset your login information.

What if my child’s absence is incorrect?

Who should I contact if I have questions about attendance and absences?

Does compulsory attendance apply to my child?

Texas Education Code requires a child who is at least 6 years of age, or younger than 6 years of age and has previously been enrolled in first grade, and has yet to reach their 19th birthday to attend school unless exempt by law. Students enrolled in prekindergarten or kindergarten shall attend school.

The state compulsory attendance law also requires that a child between the ages of 6 and 18 must attend school and district-required tutorial sessions unless the student is otherwise legally exempted or excused. A student who voluntarily attends or enrolls after their 19th birthday is required to attend each school day until the end of the school year. However, if a student 19 or older has more than five unexcused absences in a semester, the District may revoke the student’s enrollment. The student’s presence on school property is then unauthorized and may be considered trespass.

School employees must investigate and report violations of the state compulsory attendance law. A student absent from school without permission will be considered in violation of the law and subject to disciplinary action. A school-aged student deliberately not attending school may also result in a court of law assessing penalties against the student and their parents.

A complaint may be filed in the appropriate court if the student:
Is absent from school 10 or more days, or parts of days, without excuse within a six-month period in the same school year.

How do absences affect a student’s credits?

According to state law, a student must attend at least 90% of the days the class is offered to receive credit in a class. A student who is in attendance for at least 75 percent, but less than 90 percent, of the days a class is offered may be given credit or a final grade if the student completes a plan approved by the principal that provides for the student to meet the instructional requirements of the class.

How does attendance work in middle school and high school when there are multiple periods?

Attendance is taken during each class period. Students must be in their classroom at the bell to be considered on time.

ParentSquare will send an absence notification when a student is absent for any class period.

For school funding, a student must be present at the official attendance taking time. For truancy purposes, unexcused absences are counted for either a full day or any period during the day when an unexcused absence occurs. For attendance for credit, both excused and unexcused absences are counted for each class period. For example, a student could be below 90% attendance for 4th period for missing that particular class period more often than others where they are above 90% attendance. The student could then be denied credit for the 4th period class if they do not complete the principal plan.

What time is my child considered present for the day?

Students must be on campus at their official attendance time to be counted present for the day. Students who arrive after this time will be counted absent unless a doctor’s note is provided for an appointment on that day. All notes must be submitted within 5 days of the child’s return to school.

Secondary students have attendance taken the first 5 minutes of every period. Even if the student is present for the official attendance time, there will still be an absence recorded for the periods they missed.

What is the difference between excused and unexcused absences?

Absences are coded as excused when the absence is an exemption allowed by state law. Examples of exemptions to compulsory attendance are:

Religious holy days (determined by the district);
Required court appearances;
Activities related to obtaining United States citizenship;
Service as an election clerk; and
Documented healthcare appointments

Absences that do not fall under these exemptions or for which a parent or medical note is not received are coded as unexcused. Parent notes and medical notes must be submitted within five days of the child’s return to school.

If a parent has already submitted five parent notes for the semester, non-exempt absences may be counted as unexcused.

The district is not required to excuse any absence, even if the parent provides a note explaining the absence, unless the absence is an exemption under compulsory attendance laws.

For more information on exemptions to compulsory attendance, please see the student handbook.

Do excused absences count toward a student’s attendance?

How many notes and absences are allowed per school year?

For a student to be considered truant, they must fail to attend school (an unexcused absence) on 10 or more days or parts of days within a six-month period in the same school year. Commerce ISD allows parents to submit five notes per semester (in addition to doctor’s notes) to excuse their child’s absence. Excused absences do not count toward truancy, but they do count toward 90% attendance for credit.

If I don’t submit five parent notes in the first semester, may I submit more than five notes the second semester?

How does a student picked up for a doctor’s appointment affect their attendance?

If the absence is for a medical appointment and a doctor’s note is provided within five days of the student returning to school, the absence does not count as an absence for the student. The key is the student being present either before or after the appointment and not missing the whole day of school. If a student is absent the full school day and provides a doctor’s note within five days of returning to school, the absence will be an excused absence. Excused absences do not count toward truancy, but they do count toward 90% attendance for credit.

What if my child has recurring doctor’s appointments throughout the year?

What happens when a child is late to school or class?

Can my child leave school early?

Yes, all students must be signed in and out through the front office.

For student drivers, the student’s parent must authorize the student to leave campus unaccompanied by submitting a note to the main office at least two hours before the student needs to leave campus. Student drivers must sign out through the office and sign in upon return if the student returns the same day.

Missing any part of the day can count against the student for 90% attendance for credit and truancy.

Are there exemptions to attendance requirements?

State law allows exemptions to the compulsory attendance requirements for several types of absences. These include but are not limited to the following activities and events:

Religious holy days (determined by the district);
Required court appearances;
Activities related to obtaining United States citizenship;
Service as an election clerk; and
Documented health care appointments

The student handbook includes several additional exemptions that apply to students such as college visits.

A person required to attend school may be excused for temporary absence if a note is provided to the campus within five days. Absences for which a note is not provided within five days will be considered unexcused.

Texas Education Code prohibits a student from being withdrawn by CISD after 10 consecutive absences if the whereabouts of the student are known. The student shall remain enrolled in CISD, and truancy may be filed based upon standard truancy procedures.

What if my child needs to miss school due to a religious holy day?

To be considered a religious holy day, the day should be generally recognized by the student’s religious denomination as a holy day that is required to be observed by all denomination members. Church retreats, camps, mission trips, and individual religious rites such as baptisms, christenings, bar mitzvahs, etc. are not considered holy days. Commerce ISD is responsible for determining what constitutes a religious holy day for purposes of excusing absences. Parent notes will be accepted to excuse an absence for the purpose of observing a religious holy day, as determined by the district.

Texas Education Code allows for three days of absence — one day for the religious holy day and one day of travel to and from the location where the celebration is taking place.

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