Absence and Tardiness

LTS teachers provide accelerated curriculum and instruction, maximizing the effective use of every minute of instructional time.

Each student enrolled in school is expected to be in attendance each day the school is in session, except in the case of illness or an emergency. In the event that a student does not attend school, the parent must call and leave a message providing the reason for the absence on the school attendance voicemail or email the school attendance email account by 10 a.m. in order for an absence to be considered “excused.” Please note that an email to the classroom teacher will not suffice. Both the attendance voicemail and email accept messages 24 hours a day. Parents are welcome to call late in the evening or very early in the morning.

Phone calls and text messages will be sent at 9:30 a.m. each morning to notify parents of absent students who are still showing as unexcused. Any absent student who has not had a parent contact the attendance office by 10 a.m. will be coded as “unexcused.” An email will be sent at 10:15 a.m. confirming the child’s absence and subsequent attendance code.

Because excessive absences are considered truancy under state law, LTS reserves the right to take extreme absence cases to court.

LTS recognizes two kinds of absences: excused and unexcused. Students and parents should read this section carefully to understand the school’s expectations. Students and parents should also be aware of the school’s policy regarding homework, quizzes, and tests following an absence.

Excused Absences

State law allows exemptions to the compulsory attendance requirements for several types of absences if the student makes up all work. This includes absence for the following activities and events:

• An absence resulting from a serious or life-threatening illness or related treatment that makes the student’s attendance infeasible, if the student or the student’s parent provides a certification from a physician licensed to practice medicine in Texas specifying the student’s illness and the anticipated period of the student’s absence relating to the illness or related treatment
• Religious holy days
• Required court appearances
• Activities related to obtaining United States citizenship
• Documented health-care appointments for the student or a child of the student, including absences for recognized services for students diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, if the student comes to school or returns to school on the same day as the appointment. A note from the health-care provider must be submitted upon the student’s arrival or return to campus.
• For students in the conservatorship (custody) of the state who need to attend
• o an activity required under a court-ordered service plan; or
• o any other court-ordered activity, provided it is not practicable to schedule the student’s participation in the activity outside of school hours.

Unexcused Absences

Any absence not listed above or approved in advance by the campus principal or designee due to extenuating circumstances will be considered an unexcused absence.

Tardiness and Late Arrival

Nearly all tardiness is avoidable. If a student arrives late to school, a parent must report to the school office to complete a tardy slip. Students who are tardy must have a parent sign them in at the front office and must receive a tardy slip before going to class. Please check with the individual campus registrar for details. Students who arrive late to school without a parent signature will be given an unexcused tardy.

When a student is tardy, the following procedures must be followed:

• Students must sign in at the campus office and receive a tardy slip for admission to the classroom. This includes being tardy to class for any period of the day for grades 6–8.
• ○ The student’s parents should accompany the student to the attendance office to explain the reason for the child being tardy; or
• ○ the student should present a note to the attendance office from his/her parent explaining the reason for being tardy; or
• ○ the student’s parent should communicate with the school attendance office, either by phone or email, the reason the student was tardy.
• Students may be required to make up the time that is lost due to tardiness. A parent conference may be scheduled when a student has five tardies. Additional tardies may result in a court complaint at the Precinct Court. This may result in court action and/or loss of academic credit.

Make-Up Work

All students in grades 1–8* are provided one week to make up all assignments/assessments that are missed due to absences. The teacher will provide make-up work and communicate test make-up dates upon the child’s return. Make-up work not completed by the assigned due date is considered late and will not be accepted. This timeframe does not include long-term assignments. If a long-term assignment is due during a student's absence, the long-term assignment must be submitted at the beginning of class on the first day the student returns. Students who fail to submit missed assignments/assessments by the expected due date, or upon return for long-term assignments, will earn a zero. In extreme circumstances, teachers can provide an exemption with notification prior to the one-week due date.

*Make-up work is not required for kindergarten students.