What is an unexcused absence?
a. Any absence that the district doesn’t receive funding for is considered an unexcused absence.
b. Excused absences include a doctor’s appointment or extended absences cleared by a doctor’s note, a court appointment, a state approved religious holiday, testing, early dismissals, In-school-suspension, military appointments (situational), INS appointments, or a district approved school activity. A funeral is technically an unexcused absence, but it will not be used against seat time or truancy. Juniors and seniors are allowed 2 excused college visits per year. For college visits, excuses must be on the college letterhead. Keller ISD does not accept email confirmations or itineraries. Additional Junior/Senior college visits are technically unexcused but will not be used against seat time or truancy. Travel time for college visits is NOT excused and will be coded as a parent's note. DOCUMENTATION IS REQUIRED FOR ALL EXCUSABLE ABSENCES.
c. When parents call/email to notify us that their student will not be in school for any reason other than what is listed as an excused absence, we will code the student out with a “Parent's Note”. A parent note let us know that the parent is aware that the student is not present at school, but it is an unexcused absence, and it will count against seat time, but it will not
be used toward truancy. This is why doctor notes and other excusable absence documentation is so important.
d. Technically, all unexcused absences can lead to truancy. Students who have 10+ unexcused absences in 1st & 8th or 6+ unexcused absences in 2nd – 7th are truant. Funerals and parent notes will not be used toward truancy unless they are habitually used. Truancies are handled by the Assistant Principal’s office.
