Community Impact spoke with Sandy Scott, LHISD truancy and dropout prevention coordinator, about what parents should know about raising attendance and avoiding truancy with their students.
“[Attendance] is the No. 1 correlation with students succeeding in academics as well as students graduating from high school,” Scott said.
Current situation
The district’s average daily attendance rate, which was 94% last school year, rose to 96% during the first six weeks of the 2024-25 school year, Chief Financial Officer Rosanna Guerrero said.
LHISD has now returned to its attendance rate prior to the coronavirus pandemic, during and after which it saw an “extreme increase” in truancy, Scott said. The district hired Scott last summer to create interventions to improve attendance, she said.
This school year, the district is providing positive incentives for students who have improved attendance by sending them postcards, verbally encouraging them or calling their parents. In September, Scott hosted an event to inform parents about truancy and school avoidance.
The district is seeking to maintain its attendance rate of 96% for the remainder of the school year, Guerrero said.
Why it matters
Attendance is a key indicator of a student’s ability to succeed in the classroom, Scott said. Poor attendance negatively impacts students’ academics, behavior, mental health, social and emotional growth as well as their problem solving abilities, Scott said.
Texas school districts are funded based on their average daily attendance instead of enrollment. LHISD loses about $40 for every student who does not attend school each day, Guerrero said.
The district is seeking to raise its tax rate through a voter-approval tax rate election Nov. 5. The election comes as the district is projecting to face a $7.5 million budget shortfall in fiscal year 2024-25 and deplete its fund balance by 2026.
“We do get less funding if students are not in school, which then, in turn, causes us to have less money to provide the resources within school,” Scott said.
Explained
School avoidance occurs when a student refuses to attend school for various underlying reasons, including illness, mental health issues, recent trauma, bullying or relationship issues, Scott said. This avoidance can eventually lead to truancy, in which a student misses more than 10 part- or full-time days in a six-month period.
Additionally, state law requires students who miss more than 10% of a class per semester to make up hours to receive course credit. Hours can be completed through Saturday school, before- and after-school tutorials or volunteering at a nonprofit with assistant principal approval, Scott said.
The approach
LHISD looks to intervene before a student is considered truant by removing any barriers that might be impacting their attendance, and providing the resources and support needed for them to return to school, Scott said.
Parents will receive a letter if their student has three or more unexcused absences in a four-week period. If the absences continue, assistant principals meet with the student and their parents to address the issue at the campus level.
Once a student is considered truant, Scott and additional staff will meet with the student and their parents to create a plan to improve attendance.
District officials may help students adjust their course schedule, receive transportation services, access counseling services or conduct home visits before school to assist families with their morning routines, Scott said.
Keep in mind
Parents of children whose attendance is struggling should do the following, Scott said:
- Talk with them to determine what the underlying reason might be
- Be compassionate and listen
- Be firm and set boundaries through expectations and consequences
