Attendance Topic Categories
For discrepancies (errors) in your student's attendance, we ask THE STUDENT to contact his/her teacher for correction. The Attendance Specialist is not able to make any corrections without teacher approval. The teacher accounts for whether or not the student is present or absent in class.
If a substitute teacher marks students absent in class, the attendance can not be changed unless their presence can be verified by a teacher.
NOTE: It is important for the student to pay attention and be accounted for when there is a substitute.
Please complete absence documentation at https://www.austinisd.org/attendance/report-absence.
Per district policy, parent excuse notes will only be accepted within 72 hours of the absence.
NOTE: Phone calls are not required to report an absence in advance, per policy we can’t address absences in advance.
You will receive an automatic phone call out from AISD that your student was absent.
We DO NOT accept phone calls or voicemail messages as documentation for a student's absence.
Please attach documentation when you fill out the AISD School Absence Note form at https://www.austinisd.org/attendance/report-absence.
Notes from healthcare professionals will be accepted at any time and can be sent to Anderson in the following ways:
● For doctor's notes: a note from the doctor's office confirming attendance to the appointment is required to excuse the absence as a medical appointment. A note from the parent stating the student had an appointment will be recorded as a parent note.
● An appointment confirmation cannot be accepted as a medical note; the attendance office requires documentation confirming the student went to the appointment.
● If the student is told to stay home by the doctor, please ensure the doctor writes that the student must be kept home until 24 hours fever free, until a specific date, etc.; a doctor's note without stating the above will just be treated as an appointment note, and the illness for multiple days will not be able to be excused.
A student may be excused for one day during the period of time the student is enrolled in high school to obtain a driver's license or learner license.
We can not excuse a driving test.
The student who is 15 years or older is excused from school for no more than one day while the student is enrolled in high school to obtain a driver’s license or learner license.
*A copy of DPS Driver’s License Visit Documentation is needed to excuse absence.
Students who miss school for the purpose of observing religious holy days. Travel is limited to no more than one day of travel to and one day of travel from the observation site. To be considered a religious holy day, the holy day activity must be a tenet of the student’s faith.
Church retreats, camps, and missions’ trips, and individual religious rites (Baptisms, Christenings, Barmitzvahs, etc.) are not holy days. Please submit at https://www.austinisd.org/attendance/report-absence
All Juniors and Seniors are given 2 excused absence days per school year to visit a college campus. In order for your absence to be approved you must complete this process:
Students!!
● Talk with your teachers of periods missed PRIOR to the college visit and ask about any missed assignments.
● (Required) Request a letter from the college/university stating that you were there on a specific date(s) and a school official's signature. This cannot be a brochure, flyer, or an email. It MUST be a letter on school letterhead with your name and student ID written on it. Travel days cannot be excused.
● Submit a scanned copy of your letter to https://www.austinisd.org/attendance/report-absence within 2 days of returning. Be sure to write your student ID# at the top of your letter.
Only Juniors and Seniors are allowed 2 full days per year for college visits. Excused absences will only be honored if the student follows all directions for the college visit.
Verification of Enrollment and Attendance (VOE)
IMPORTANT: VOEs are available for pickup on Thursdays ONLY.
The Verification of Enrollment and Attendance (VOE) form is required by the Texas Department of Public Safety (TxDPS) when applying for a learner’s permit or driver license. This form provides official proof of a student's current enrollment and attendance status. Please note: the DPS requires VOEs with original signatures
If you lost credit last semester, please start working on recovering your attendance now.
ATTENDANCE OFFICE
Attendance Specialist: Meliza Watkins
Attendance direct phone number: 512-414-2538 x73008
Attendance Email address: anderson@austinisd.org
At Anderson High School, we believe that consistent attendance is a cornerstone of academic success. Every day in the classroom provides valuable learning opportunities that cannot be replaced. We are committed to partnering with you to ensure your student thrives, and that begins with being present.
This message contains important information regarding state attendance laws, school procedures, and opportunities for attendance recovery. We encourage you to review it carefully.
Understanding Attendance Requirements for Course Credit
To ensure students receive academic credit for their courses, the state of Texas has two requirements that must be met each semester:
- Academic Performance: The student must achieve a semester average of 70 or higher.
- Attendance: The student must be physically present in class for at least 90% of the instructional days.
Falling below the 90% attendance threshold, which typically equates to more than three to four unexcused (UNX) absences in a semester-long class, will result in the loss of credit for that course, regardless of the student's grade.
Attendance Recovery
We understand that circumstances can sometimes lead to absences. To support our students, we offer several opportunities for them to recover lost attendance hours and restore their eligibility for course credit.
Opportunities to Recover Hours:
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Expectations for Recovery Sessions
To receive credit for attending a recovery session, students must:
- Arrive on time and stay for the entire session.
- Bring schoolwork, a book to read, or other academic materials.
- Adhere to campus rules: no eating, sleeping, phone use, or disruptive talking.
It is the student's responsibility to monitor their attendance and arrange for recovery hours as needed. Students who lost credit in a previous semester should begin the recovery process immediately.
A Note for Seniors: Compliance with attendance requirements is mandatory for participation in senior activities, including Prom and the graduation ceremony.
For any questions regarding your student's attendance status, please contact the following; Mrs. Dorothy Salas, Leslie Limon, Meliza Watkins, assistant principal, or counselor.
General Attendance Procedures
Planning Ahead: Every Day Counts! Please refer to the official school calendar and bell schedule when making appointments. We ask that you try to schedule appointments and travel outside of instructional hours to minimize disruption to your student's learning. Absences for personal reasons are not excused.
Reporting an Absence: All parent notes and medical documentation for student absences should be submitted using the official School Absence Form on the AISD website.
- We cannot accept phone calls or voicemails as official documentation for an absence.
- Medical offices can submit documentation directly to anderson@austinisd.org.
- Set up notifications for your student’s attendance and grades via Parent Self Serve.
- Click here to learn more about attendance descriptions and codes.
A Note on Attendance Processing: Please understand that all attendance entries—including doctor's notes, teacher corrections, and field trip rosters—are processed manually. While we strive to update records within 3-5 business days, high volumes of submissions can cause delays. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
Attendance Reminder: Please avoid sending duplicated emails. Once we receive your message, it's in progress-extra emails can slow things down. Thank you for helping us work efficiently!
Student Check-Out Procedure
To ensure a safe and orderly dismissal, students will not be released after 4:00 PM. Please follow these steps to check a student out early:
- Email in Advance: For planned appointments, please email anderson@austinisd.org by 2:00 PM on the day of the early release. Include:
Date
Student's Name
Student's ID#
Time to leave class
Reason for leaving class
Parent name
Parent contact
- In-Person Pick-Up: If you cannot email by the 2:00 PM deadline, you must come into the main office to sign out your student. Please bring a valid photo ID (e.g., driver's license, passport). Our staff will call your student from class. Please plan for this process to take some time.
Regretfully, last minute requests cannot be honored. Please plan accordingly. *For emergency pick-up please come to the front office
Student Check-In Procedure:
Students arriving late to campus or returning from an appointment must check in at the main office before proceeding to class. Please use School Absence Form to submit all parent/doctor documents.