MISD TRUANCY PREVENTION:
The Montgomery ISD Police Department works closely with Montgomery ISD in an effort to curtail student absenteeism.
When a student misses school Montgomery ISD requires the student to bring a parent note back to school documenting the absence.
It should be noted that campus administration will determine if the absence note is excused or unexcused.
Recent legislative changes such as HB 2398 now require districts to hold truancy prevention meetings with students and parents after students have three undocumented absences.
If students are absent from school on 10 or more days or parts of days within a six-month period in the same school year, the student’s parent is subject to prosecution and the student is subject to a referral to truancy court for truant conduct.
Parent should ENSURE schools receive PARENT NOTES when students are not in school to avoid the start of truancy prevention measures.
WARNING LETTER:
A warning notice must be issued at the beginning of each school year. In the letter district must explain that if a student is absent from school on 10 or more days or parts of days within a six-month period, the student is subject to referral to truancy court. Parents remain subject to criminal prosecution.
PARENT CONTRIBUTING TO NONATTENDANCE:
If school district is able to provide evidence of parent’s criminal negligence, the district may file a complaint against the parent for “parent contributing to nonattendance”.
Fine Range
$100 max for first offense and may go up from there
FAILURE ATTEND SCHOOL:
TRUANT CONDUCT - The failure to attend school on 10 or more days or parts of days within a 6-month period in the same school year by a child who is required to attend school.
Truancy is now a civil matter handled in truancy court under Title 3A (Chapter 65) of the Family Code.
TRUANT CHILD - A person who is 12 years of age or older and younger than 19 years of age who is required to attend school.
At VOLUNTARY ENROLLMENT OF STUDENTS 19 AND OVER, a student who voluntarily attends or enrolls after his or her 19th (rather than 18th) birthday is required to attend school for the entire period the program of instruction is offered. HB 2398 adds a requirement for the district to send the student notice after the student’s third unexcused absence stating that the student’s enrollment can be revoked.
