**only ONE option is needed to report an absence**

-Online Reporting Single/Full Day Absence

https://www.katyisd.org/domain/3881 

-Call/Leave voicemail message or Email (see below)

-Fax

281-644-1707 (9^th grade)

281-644-1704 (10^th – 12^th grade)

-Turn in Parent or Doctor Note to Attendance Office upon return

*To qualify for an excused absence, reason must be in accordance with District Policy for excused reasons*

 *If your student attends Miller Career Center, please contact the attendance clerk at Miller to report the absence.*

Miller Contact: MCTCattendance@katyisd.org 

Generally, please allow 10 minutes for us to pull your student from class.  Students cannot be checked out after 2:20

• You MUST present a picture ID when checking out your student.
• 9^th grade students need to be checked out from the 9^th grade Campus
• 10^th-12^th students need to be checked out from the Main Campus
• If someone other than the parent/guardian needs to check out your student, the Attendance Office MUST receive written permission for early dismissal (whether they are on the contact list or not).  Please include the student's name, grade, the legal name of the person picking up the student and their relationship to the student, the reason for leaving and the specific date and time the student is being picked up.  This note needs to be emailed to the attendance clerk and include the parent/guardian picture ID.

**STUDENT DRIVERS**

• Student drivers still need to sign out with attendance if they depart early from campus. ALL students must have parent permission (email or phone call) to leave campus. 
• Attendance will send an early dismissal pass to the students’ classroom. Please give us an hour (or more) notice.

All tardies are unexcused unless accompanied by:

1. A doctor's note for a healthcare appointment.
2. A parent's note and/or a phone call explaining the reason the student is tardy (reason must be in accordance with District Policy for excused reasons).
3. Tardies DO count towards exemptions.  10 tardies per class/per semester.
4. If a student misses more than 20-22 minutes of a class period the tardy becomes an absence

***NEW- Only 10 tardies per class/semester allowed to qualify for exemptions***

Juniors and Senior are allotted 2 days per school year for college visits. In order to be excused the college visit form must be completed and turned in to the attendance office. The absence will remain unexcused until all paperwork is completed. College Visit Forms are located at the attendance office, college/career office and below.

***COLLEGE VISITS DO COUNT TOWARDS EXEMPTIONS***

College form link

ALL Absences count towards exemptions

The ONLY exception is UIL competitions or School Sponsored Activities

 **NEW – The district is allowing 5 absences per class/semester to qualify for exemptions**

Exemption Policy.PDF

VOE for a Driver’s permit or license is completed upon request. Request by phone, email, front reception or attendance office. Please give 24 hours notice.

A VOE cannot be emailed or faxed

Compulsory Attendance Notifications (CAN letters):

• A CAN letter will be mailed/emailed when your student has one or more of the following, including full or partial days (which include individual class periods):

• 1. A student has three (3) or more unexcused absence in a four-week period.
  2. A student has ten (10) or more unexcused absences in a six-month period.

• If you receive a CAN letter you have only five (5) school days to resolve it with the school Attendance Clerk.

Failure to Attend School Notifications:

• A Failure to Attend School letter will be mailed/emailed when your student has excessive absences for personal illness for one or more of the following, including full or partial days:

• 1. A student exceeds five (5) consecutive personal illness days
  2. A student has eight (8) cumulative personal illness days in a six-month period

• All future absences will require a statement from a physician or health clinic to be excused.
• Send a doctor's note when possible to avoid having too many personal illness absences.  Also, if your student has scheduled appointments try not to make the appointment during the same class period each time.

Please contact the teacher as the first point of contact regarding a student's presence/absence/tardiness in class, especially if you have received an automated call from the District.  Contact the teacher the same day if possible.

For healthcare appointments and teacher corrections, please allow 24-48 hours to update the system.  Parents can access their student's attendance history on the Home Access Center to verify corrections.