Skip to main content
Main Menu Toggle
School Policies » Attendance

Attendance

Students between the ages of 6 and 18 are required to attend school unless otherwise exempted by law. School employees must investigate and report violations of the state compulsory attendance law. The following are regulations governing absence and tardiness at Canton Jr. High:

Class Credit
  1. To receive credit in a class, a student must attend at least 90% of the days the class is offered. The actual number of days a student must attend in order to receive credit will vary depending on whether the class is for a semester or a full year.
  2. Period attendance will be taken and the 90% rule will apply to all classes.
  3. A student who attends fewer than 90% of the days the class is offered cannot receive credit for the class unless the attendance committee finds that the absences are the result of extenuating circumstances.
a. For the purpose of granting class credit, the attendance committee may recognize the following as extenuating circumstances:
i.  Excused absence
ii.  Days of suspension
iii.  Participation in court proceedings or child abuse/neglect investigations
iv.  A migrant student’s late enrollment or early withdrawal
v.  Days missed as a runaway
vi.  Completion of a competency-based program for at-risk students
vii.  Late enrollment or early withdrawal of a student under Texas Youth Commission
viii.  Teen parent absences to care for his or her child
ix.    Participation in a substance abuse rehabilitation program
x.    Homelessness, as defined in a federal law
b.    If the attendance committee finds that there are not extenuating circumstances for the absence, the committee shall deny credit for the class. Students whose petitions for credit are denied may appeal the attendance committee’s decision to the Board by filing a written request with the Superintendent. Students must be passing to be considered.

Excused/Unexcused Absences
  1. When returning to school after an absence, a student must bring a note signed by the parent that describes the reason for the absence. Notes signed by the student, even with the parent’s permission will be considered as forgery and the student will be disciplined. If the students has a doctor’s note, that will need to be brought in as well.
  2. All absences caused by the following will be excused:
    1. Personal illness or illness in family necessitating the absence of the student
    2. Death of relatives or intimate friends
    3. Trips to doctor or dentist
    4. Any emergency conditions approved by the administration
    5. For the purpose of observing religious holy days, including traveling for that purpose, if before the absence the parent submits a written request for the excused absence.
  3.  Absences brought about by events which are chosen by the student and/or parents to replace the normal school day, such as working, visiting, vacation, etc. cannot be excused.
  4. A student will receive a waiver rather than an absence if they are in attendance for part of the school day and leave to go to the doctor, dentist, orthodontist, or court date provided that a note from the doctor or proof from a court of law is submitted upon their return.
Make-up Work
  1. 1. All work may be made up for excused absences. The responsibility for make-up work rests upon the individual student and must be made up according to the following guidelines:
    1. Make-up work will be due the day after the student’s return if they are absent for one day.
    2. If a student is absent for two or more days, the student will have 3 school days to complete the assignments.
  2. Make-up work for unexcused absences will be decided at the principal’s discretion depending upon the nature of the absence.
  3. All suspended students will have three days to finish all make-up work.