Attendance Policies

Research shows that students who attend school regularly achieve at higher levels than students who do not have regular attendance. The relationship between attendance and achievement may appear early in a child’s school career.

A missed school day is a lost opportunity for students to learn. In addition to instruction, class attendance provides collaborative opportunities for students to problem solve and create. Open dialog and discussion about a class topic could result in a new workshop or field trip for the students to expand their vision and reach. In addition, students are afforded the opportunity to hone critical skills in communication and conflict resolution with classroom interaction. Learning to work and grow together is vital in higher education, military, and any career field.

Parents and students are strongly encouraged to prioritize attendance at all times. Every effort should be employed to make off campus appointments on student holidays to avoid absences. The district will take official attendance every day at 10 am and 2 pm when applicable.

Legally, the Texas Education Code section 25.092 requires that a student in grades kindergarten through grade 12 be in attendance for at least 90 percent of the days a class is offered in order to receive credit for the class or a final grade. The Texas Association of School Boards published a listing of frequently asked questions about the 2022 attendance laws on their web page.

The DeSoto ISD student handbook outlines attendance requirements and exemptions in Section Two: Other Important Information for Parents and Students. This student handbook is available on the district website under the STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES department page in the documents folder.

Policies on Attendance

Parents and students should carefully review the attendance requirements and monitor their recorded attendance to avoid end of the year concerns about course credit and added expenses related to course recovery.