Frequently Asked Questions
What do I need to do if my child is absent?
Parents/guardians of students who have been absent may complete the online absence form for their respective campus or turn in a note to the attendance office within two (2) days of the students returning to school.
- Doctor's notes are accepted as documentation in the School Absence Form for the date indicated. A separate School Absence Form will be required for any days not covered by the medical note.
- If the absence is three (3) consecutive days or more a doctor's note must be provided to excuse the absences.
Fill out the form for your child's campus.
What do I need to do if my child has a doctor's appointment?
Please bring a doctor’s note when returning from the office visit, not just a handwritten parent note. Try to schedule doctor and dentist appointments outside of school hours or in the afternoon to avoid full-day absences. The learner will be responsible for making up work when he/she returns.
What if my student was home and did not have a doctor/dentist note?
Please fill out the student absence form for their respective campus. This will count as a handwritten parent note.
Southwest ISD allows up to three (3) handwritten notes or online absence submission forms per semester, for a maximum of six (6) total notes per school year. Each note may excuse multiple consecutive days if related to the same reason. After the third note in a semester or the sixth note for the year, any additional absences will only be excused if accompanied by a health care provider’s note or administrator-approved documentation.
Please note: A handwritten note or online form is still required for all absences-even if the note limit has been reached.
Parent notes are to be submitted two days after the student returns to school. If a note is not submitted to the campus, the absence will be deemed unexcused by an administrator. Students may be subject to disciplinary action.
The district is not required to excuse any absence, even if the parent provides a note explaining the absence, unless the absence is an exemption under compulsory attendance laws.
How can I monitor my child’s attendance?
Parents and legal guardians may log in to our district’s Parent Self-Serve portal to monitor a child’s attendance. This portal can be accessed through our district website or at https://southwestisd.teams.hosting/selfserve/EntryPointHomeAction.do?parent=true.
A note was submitted documenting my child's absence. Why is it still marked as "unexcused"?
There are different ways to answer this question depending on the circumstances.
- The note was not submitted within 2 days of the student returning to school.
- The note submission may be in the queue for processing by the campus attendance clerical staff.
- The student's absence was due to a reason not considered excused by State guidelines and/or District policy. It is important to note that vacations and trips are not excused absences.
What is the difference between an exempt absence and an excused absence?
Counted Present to the state - all class periods and/or official attendance reporting time code if not there at that time
- Arrives at 10:55 am after dentist appointment, turns in dentist note - Exempt
- Gets checked out at 11 am for a doctor check up, turns in note next day - Exempt
- Attends part of a period 1, gets checked out in middle of a period 1, returns with note for physical therapy at 3 pm - Exempt
- Arrives at 2:45 pm after doctor visit in time for last period of the day, turns in note form doctor - Exempt
- Gets checked out at 9:30 am but returns the next day with the medical note - Exempt
Counted Absent to the state - all class periods and/or official attendance reporting
- Is absent all day and brings in a note the following day - Excused
- Does not attend any classes, even if for a part of the period or part of the day and brings in a doctor note - Excused
- If absent for 3 days in a row, all day, has a doctor note- Excused
What are the steps to the Truancy Process?
- Teachers are the first point of contact
- Warning Letters: Issued after 3 unexcused absences, Students/parents will receive a warning letter and school will proceed with Truancy Prevention measures.
- Truancy Prevention Conference (TPC): Administrators must oversee truancy prevention conferences with parents, and students may be provided with an attendance tracker for 45 days or longer. An attendance contract or other interventions may be assigned, or attendance make up dates.
- Mediation: Students whose attendance does not improve with previous truancy prevention measures may be referred to the San Antonio Municipal Court (SAMC) for additional truancy consequences.
- Filing: If a student's attendance does not improve despite all truancy prevention measures, the student's parent(s) may face a fine if a truancy case is filed.