• Departments
• Superintendent's Office
• Public Information Office
• Business and Support Services
• Human Resources
• Office of Teaching and Learning
• Attendance Office
• Facilities Department
• San Marcos Family Learning Center
• Child Development Center

The Law:
The State of Texas requires you to be in class at least 90% of school days.
The City of San Marcos has a curfew at night and during school hours.
If you are not going to school, you can’t have a driver’s license until you are at least 18.

Beyond The Law:
Not going to school results in lower grades- maybe even failure or not getting credit for a course, behavior problems, not setting goals for yourself, lack of self-discipline, lack of a diploma. If you aren’t in school, you are missing out on the chance for success…
and everyone likes to succeed!

Truancy is:

• Not showing up Showing up late all the timeSkipping school Cutting class
• Missing too many classes without a valid excuse

Here’s what your parents or guardians need to do:

• Make sure you get to bed at a reasonable time each night so you can get to school on time. Make sure you get up on time and get to school ready to learn. If you do get sick or need to miss school for some other valid reason call the school office as soon as possible each day to let the school know you won’t be there.
• Send a note to school about why you were out within three days of your return to class.

Here’s what you need to do:

• Make every effort to go to school all day, every day.When your parents give you a note regarding an absence, make sure it gets to the office.
• Check with your teachers and find out what you missed. Make up your work.

Consequences:

Both the parent and student share in the responsibility to be in class.Here’s what can happen if you are not there on a regular basis:

If you are absent without a valid excuse for three or more days or parts of the day within a four week period – or – are absent without a valid excuse for ten or more days or parts of days within a six month period, both you and your parents will receive a WARNING in writing regarding attendance.

Parents and students will have charges filed in one of the Justice of the Peace courts and/or the Juvenile Court in Hays County. If convicted of truancy, a $500 fine plus court costs will be imposed. Students 17 and over who are found in contempt of an order to attend school face three to five days in jail and can lose their driver’s license. Parents of minors (children under age 17) can end up in jail, too.

If you are caught on the streets in violation of the City of San Marcos day time curfew, a municipal court summons may be issued on the first offense. On the second offense, your parents/guardians may also be summoned to court. If found guilty, you must pay a fine. When you turn 18, if you have not taken care of the summons or fines, a warrant for your arrest will be issued.

Truancy—it’s not worth it.

If your child is absent, please send a note to the child’s school within three days listing:

• Student’s nameDate(s) of absenceReason for absenceParent or guardian signature
• Doctor’s excuse(if applicable)

Note: A student’s absence will be considered unexcused if the parent/guardian fails to provide the school with a note. Excessive absences will be reviewed for legal action.

Students will not be considered absent for the following exceptions, when written documentation is provided to the attendance office.

• The student is participating in a Board-approved extracurricular activity or public performance, which is under the direction of a member of the District’s professional staff or an adjunct staff member who has a bachelor’s degree and is eligible for participation in TRS.The student is participating in a mentorship approved by district personnel to serve as one or more of the advanced measures needed to complete the Distinguished Achievement Program outlined in 19 TAC 74.13(a)(3).The student is Medicaid-eligible and participating in the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment Program. Such students may be excused for up to one day at any time without loss of ADA.The student is observing holy days, including days of travel to or from a site where the student will observe holy days. Excused days for travel shall be limited to not more than one day for travel to and one day for travel from the site where the student will observe the religious holy days. A student whose absence is excused for the purpose of observing religious holy days shall not be penalized for the absence and shall be counted as having attended for purposes of calculating the average daily attendance in the District.
• The student has a documented appointment with a health care professional during regular school hours, if that student commences classes or returns to school on the same day of the appointment. The appointment should be supported by a document such as a note from the health professional. Students excused under this provision shall be allowed a reasonable time to make up school work missed on those days. If the student satisfactorily completes the work, the days of absence shall be counted as days of compulsory attendance. A student whose absence is excused for an appointment with a health care professional shall not be penalized for the the absence and shall be counted as having attended for purposes of calculating the average daily attendance in the district.

• Temporary absence resulting from any cause acceptable to the principal, or Superintendent. (Including being sent home by the school nurse.)Juvenile court proceeding documented by a probation officer.Absence required by state or local welfare authorities.
• Family emergency or unforeseen or unavoidable instance requiring immediate attention.