ATTENDANCE MATTERS

Attendance Policy and Expectations at Challenge Early College High School

At Challenge Early College High School, maintaining excellent attendance is crucial for academic success and fulfilling the requirements of our program. Our goal is to achieve a 98% attendance rate, and we need the support of both parents and students to make this happen. Here's an overview of our attendance policy and the implications of absences.

Attendance Requirements

• Maximum Absences: Students are allowed a maximum of three absences per class. Exceeding this limit can result in the loss of high school credit for that class.
• Make-Up Instruction: Students who miss instruction are required to make up the missed time through tutorials. This ensures that they catch up on the material covered during their absence.

Consequences of Excessive Absences

• High School Credit: If a student has four absences or more, they risk losing credit for the class, even if they pass the coursework. This may necessitate retaking the class to earn the credit.
• College Courses: For college-level classes, excessive absences can lead to more severe consequences. A student may be dropped from the course or receive a failing grade (50W), which will negatively impact both their high school and college transcripts. This failing grade will follow the student throughout their college career.

Attendance Monitoring

• Semester Absences: Students can miss no more than three days in one semester and three in another to stay within the allowable absences. Missing six or more days puts the student in a critical situation regarding credit and progression.
• Attendance Appeals: Students with attendance below expectations must complete attendance appeals to make up for their missed instructional time. This process involves attending additional tutorials and possibly other remedial actions to regain their standing.

Impact of Poor Attendance

• Academic Performance: Poor attendance often leads to failing grades, as students miss essential instruction and assessments. It can also result in students being disqualified from participating in the School of Choice program for the following school year.
• Long-Term Consequences: Beyond high school, poor attendance and resulting grades can affect college admissions and future opportunities. A college transcript marred by absences and withdrawals will be a permanent record that can impact a student's academic and professional future.

Maintaining regular attendance is essential not only for meeting the school's expectations but also for ensuring academic success and a smooth transition to college. We urge parents and students to prioritize attendance and work with us to support each student's educational journey. Together, we can achieve our goal of a 98% attendance rate and provide our students with the best possible foundation for their future.

Strong attendance has a proven impact on school success. Chronic absence — missing school days due to absence for any reason—excused, unexcused absences and suspensions, can translate into students unable to master their year goals, students failing subjects and dropping out of high school.

The faculty and staff of CHALLEGNE EARLY COLLEGE HS encourage parents to ensure that students attend school everyday in order to achieve academic success!

DID YOU KNOW?

• Too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school
• Missing 6 days or more can make it harder to learn.
• Students can still fall behind if they miss just a day or two every few weeks
• Being late to school may lead to poor attendance.
• Absences can affect the whole classroom if the teacher has to slow down learning to help students catch up.

Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school – and themselves. Start building this habit so they learn right away that going to school on time, every day is important. Good attendance will help children do well in high school, college, and at work.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

• Set a regular bedtime and morning routine.
• Lay out clothes and pack backpack the night before.
• Find out what day school starts and make sure your child has the required shots.
• Don’t let your child stay home unless she is truly sick. Keep in mind complaints of a stomachache or headache can be sign of anxiety and not a reason to stay home.
• If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to teacher’s school counselors, or other parents for advice on how to make the student feel comfortable and exited about learning.
• Develop a back-up plan for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, a neighbor, or another parent.
• Avoid medical appointments and extended trips when school is in session.

Appointments

One of the reasons for absences are for short term appointments, not for student illness.

Communication

Talk to your student about the importance of regular attendance and how they feel about school. Developing good habits at a young age will help them succeed later in life.

Independent Study

If you are going to be gone for consecutive days, we strongly recommend to sign you student up for after school tutorials, Saturday School.

Student missing instruction will need to make up for the missed instruction. Students will receive attendance credit when participating in after school tutorials and support .

Planning Vacation

If you are taking a family vacation, please take it on the designated holidays. See District calendar and consult with your school in regards spark camp, summer school and other opportunities for tutorials.

•Breakfast starts at 7:30 a.m.

•School starts daily at 8:00 a.m.

•Attend each class on time.

•If you are late, arrive with a parent note and hand it to Challenge personnel before receiving a tardy pass.

•If you have transportation issues, please see Ms. Del Rio for HISD bus alternatives

•Arriving late can result in missing crucial instructional time and being marked absent.

•Tardies can result in Truancy, discipline actions, and falling behind in class.

Excuse notes

Are to be submitted to the attendance office within 3 days of the last day of absence to be processed.

A note must include:

• Student’s full name and ID # and homeroom teacher
• Date of note and date of absence
• Reason for the absence
• Parent/Guardian signature
• Phone number(s) where the parent/guardian can be reached for verification
• Absence of 5 or more consecutive days must be excused with a doctor’s note
• Time stamp, you can stamp it on your own

• If a parent is picking up a student, they must have a valid ID or passport. Pick up time stops at 3:00 p.m. every day, please arrive on time.
• Student will not be released if the person who is picking up a student is not listed or does not have a photo identification.
• A student may bring in a leaving early note from the parent to the attendance personnel before 10:00 a.m. to be released without the parent having to come to the main office. Notes turned in after 10am will not be accepted; parent will have to come in person to check student out.
• The Leaving early note must state that the student has permission to leave early (state the reason), time that student should be able to leave campus, parent signature and contact information.
• Parent will be notified for verbal approval if parent is unable to be contacted the student will not be allowed leave early on their own.
• When leaving early, student needs to pick-up leaving early pass and sign out in the main office to be excused.
• If the student leaves without sign-out pass and signing out, their absence will be considered unexcused.

• If you have an HCC class on your schedule, you need to scan in by the desk by the door to HCC.
• If you miss scanning in, email or see Ms. Guerrero before the end of the day.
• If an HCC professor cancels class at the last minute, report to the MOCA unless advised otherwise.
• Room relocations will be posted on the monitors
• Check your HCC Eagle account and HISD email regularly.

• HISD Connect Parent Portal allows parents and students to view information for all their children with one account.
• Parents will receive the parent portal instruction letter in the mail in August.
• Parents can view students’ contact, enrollment, and demographic information as well as grades and online resources.
• Parents will need access to the Parent Portal to fill out HISD first day forms that were previously sent home at the beginning of each school year.

In Texas, truancy laws are designed to ensure students attend school regularly and address issues when students have excessive tardies or absences. Here's an overview of the key points regarding truancy in Texas:

Definition of Truancy

Truancy occurs when a student has unexcused absences. In Texas, a student is considered truant if they have ten or more unexcused absences within a six-month period during the school year or three or more unexcused absences within a four-week period.

Excused vs. Unexcused Absences

Excused absences include those due to illness and other reasons accepted by the school district.

Unexcused absences are those not approved by the school district or not meeting the criteria for an excused absence.

Tardies

Excessive tardies can contribute to a truancy issue. While being tardy means arriving late to class, repeated tardies can be considered partial-day absences and may be factored into truancy calculations.

Parental Responsibility

Parents are legally responsible for ensuring their children attend school regularly. When a student accrues excessive unexcused absences, parents can face legal consequences.

Intervention and Consequences

School Interventions:

Challenge Early College HS implement interventions to address attendance issues before pursuing legal action. These can include:

• Calling parents.
• Parent-teacher conferences.
• Attendance Contracts/ Attendance improvement plans.
• School-based truancy prevention programs.

Warning Notices:

Schools are required to notify parents in writing when a student has unexcused absences. This notice must inform parents of the potential legal consequences of continued truancy.

• Parents are responsible for checking their students report cards to verify attendance.

Court Involvement:

If truancy persists, the school will proceed with file a complaint against the student, parent, or both in truancy court. Legal consequences can include:

• Fines for parents.
• Mandated attendance at parenting classes.
• Community service.

Pulling Students Out of Class

When a parent frequently pulls a student out of class, these absences may be counted as unexcused unless they meet the criteria for excused absences. This can contribute to truancy if the absences are excessive.

Addressing Truancy

Challenge Early College HS will work collaboratively with families to address the root causes of truancy. This can involve counseling, mentoring programs, and support services to help improve attendance.

Legal Framework

Truancy laws are governed by the Texas Education Code (TEC), particularly under Sections 25.085 and 25.0915, which outline compulsory attendance requirements and truancy prevention measures.

Importance of Regular Attendance

Regular attendance is crucial for academic success. Missing too many classes can hinder a student's educational progress, disrupt the learning environment, and negatively impact their future opportunities.

By understanding and adhering to these guidelines, parents and students can avoid the legal and educational repercussions associated with truancy in Texas.

• To participate in decisions related to the education of their children;
• To adhere to school rules and procedures;
• To ensure that their children attend school everyday;
• To send students to school on time and prepared to learn;
• To read, acknowledge, and understand the rules applicable to their children’s conduct while they are at school;
• To emphasize the value of education;
• To remain involved with their children from preschool through high school.
• To read all communications from the school;
• To supply accurate, updated information (including current address and when available, current telephone numbers) to the school promptly;
• To monitor children’s progress and communicate with the school;
• To become informed about the school’s policies and programs; and
• To confer with their child’s teacher.

• Attending all classes each day and being on time in conformity with the compulsory attendance laws of the State of Texas.
• Knowing and obeying all school rules in the Code of Student Conduct and the School-Based Discipline Management System.
• Regular attendance and punctuality shall be required of every student.
• Students have the responsibility to take advantage of their educational opportunity by attending all classes daily and on time unless circumstances prevent them from doing so.