(1) to investigate each case of a violation of compulsory school attendance requirements referred to the peace officer;

(2) to enforce compulsory school attendance requirements by:

(A) applying truancy prevention measures adopted under Section 25.0915 to the student; and

(B) if the truancy prevention measures fail to meaningfully address the student's conduct:

(i) referring the student to a truancy court if the student has unexcused absences for the amount of time specified under Section 65.003(a), Family Code; or

(ii) filing a complaint in a county, justice, or municipal court against a parent who violates Section 25.093;

(3) to serve court-ordered legal process;

(4) to review school attendance records for compliance by each student investigated by the officer;

(5) to maintain an investigative record on each compulsory school attendance requirement violation and related court action and, at the request of a court, the board of trustees of a school district, or the commissioner, to provide a record to the individual or entity requesting the record; and

(6) to make a home visit or otherwise contact the parent of a student who is in violation of compulsory school attendance requirements, except that a peace officer may not enter a residence without the permission of the parent of a student required under this subchapter to attend school or of the tenant or owner of the residence except to lawfully serve court-ordered legal process on the parent.

(1) to investigate each case of a violation of the compulsory school attendance requirements referred to the attendance officer;

(2) to enforce compulsory school attendance requirements by:

(A) applying truancy prevention measures adopted under Section 25.0915 to the student; and

(B) if the truancy prevention measures fail to meaningfully address the student's conduct:

(i) referring the student to a truancy court if the student has unexcused absences for the amount of time specified under Section 65.003(a), Family Code; and

(ii) filing a complaint in a county, justice, or municipal court against a parent who violates Section 25.093;

(3) to monitor school attendance compliance by each student investigated by the officer;

(4) to maintain an investigative record on each compulsory school attendance requirement violation and related court action and, at the request of a court, the board of trustees of a school district, or the commissioner, to provide a record to the individual or entity requesting the record;

(5) to make a home visit or otherwise contact the parent of a student who is in violation of compulsory school attendance requirements, except that the attendance officer may not enter a residence without permission of the parent or of the owner or tenant of the residence; and

(6) at the request of a parent, to escort a student from any location to a school campus to ensure the student's compliance with compulsory school attendance requirements.

(1) "Parent" includes a person standing in parental relation.

(2) "Peace officer" has the meaning assigned by Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure.

(1) address student conduct related to truancy in the school setting before the student engages in conduct described by Section 65.003(a), Family Code; and

(2) minimize the need for referrals to truancy court for conduct described by Section 65.003(a), Family Code.

(1) impose:

(A) a behavior improvement plan on the student that must be signed by an employee of the school, that the school district has made a good faith effort to have signed by the student and the student's parent or guardian, and that includes:

(i) a specific description of the behavior that is required or prohibited for the student;

(ii) the period for which the plan will be effective, not to exceed 45 school days after the date the contract becomes effective; or

(iii) the penalties for additional absences, including additional disciplinary action or the referral of the student to a truancy court; or

(B) school-based community service; or

(2) refer the student to counseling, mediation, mentoring, a teen court program, community-based services, or other in-school or out-of-school services aimed at addressing the student's truancy.

(1) pregnancy;

(2) being in the state foster program;

(3) homelessness; or

(4) being the principal income earner for the student's family.

(1) be accompanied by a statement from the student's school certifying that:

(A) the school applied the truancy prevention measures adopted under Subsection (a) or (a-4) to the student; and

(B) the truancy prevention measures failed to meaningfully address the student's school attendance; and

(2) specify whether the student is eligible for or receives special education services under Subchapter A, Chapter 29.

(1) does not comply with Subsection (b);

(2) does not satisfy the elements required for truant conduct;

(3) is not timely filed, unless the school district delayed the referral under Section 25.0951(d); or

(4) is otherwise substantively defective.

(1) creating minimum standards for truancy prevention measures adopted by a school district under this section; and

(2) establishing a set of best practices for truancy prevention measures.

(1) the student's parent is subject to prosecution under Section 25.093; and

(2) the student is subject to referral to a truancy court for truant conduct under Section 65.003(a), Family Code.

(1) inform the parent that:

(A) it is the parent's duty to monitor the student's school attendance and require the student to attend school; and

(B) the student is subject to truancy prevention measures under Section 25.0915; and

(2) request a conference between school officials and the parent to discuss the absences.

(1) does not comply with this section;

(2) does not allege the elements required for the offense;

(3) is not timely filed, unless the school district delayed the referral under Subsection (d); or

(4) is otherwise substantively defective.

(1) is applying truancy prevention measures to the student under Section 25.0915; and

(2) determines that the truancy prevention measures are succeeding and it is in the best interest of the student that a referral be delayed or not be made.

(1) Students enrolled on a half-day basis may earn only one half day of attendance each school day. Attendance is determined for these pupils by recording absences in a period during the half day that they are scheduled to be present. Students enrolled on a full-day basis may earn one full day of attendance each school day.

(2) Students who are enrolled in and participating in an alternative attendance accounting program approved by the commissioner will earn attendance according to the statutory and rule provisions applicable to that program.

(3) The established period in which absences are recorded may not be changed during the school year.

(4) Students absent at the time the attendance roll is taken, during the daily period selected, are counted absent for the entire day, unless the students are enrolled in and participating in an alternative attendance accounting program approved by the commissioner. Students present at the time the attendance roll is taken, during the daily period selected, are counted present for the entire day, unless the students are enrolled in and participating in an alternative attendance accounting program approved by the commissioner.

(1) the number of children who are required to attend school under TEC, § 25.085, are not exempted under TEC, § 25.086, and fail to attend school without excuse for 10 or more days or parts of days within a 6-month period in the same school year;

(2) the number of students for whom the district initiates a truancy prevention measure under TEC, § 25.0915(a-4); and

(3) the number of parents of students against whom an attendance officer or other appropriate school official has filed a complaint under TEC, § 25.093.

(1) identifying the root cause of the student's unexcused absences and actions to address each cause;

(2) maintaining ongoing communication with students and parents on the actions to be taken to improve attendance;

(3) establishing reasonable timelines for completion of the truancy prevention measure; and

(4) establishing procedures to notify the admission, review, and dismissal committee or the Section 504 committee of attendance issues relating to a student with a disability and ensure that the committee considers whether the student's attendance issues warrant an evaluation, a reevaluation, and/or modifications to the student's individualized education program or Section 504 plan, as appropriate.

(1) Develop an attendance policy that clearly outlines requirements related to truancy in accordance with Texas Education Code (TEC), Chapter 25, Subchapter C, and communicate this information to parents at the beginning of the school year.

(2) Create a culture of attendance that includes training staff to talk meaningfully with students and parents about the attendance policy and the root causes of unexcused absences.

(3) Create incentives for perfect attendance and improved attendance.

(4) Educate students and their families on the positive impact of school attendance on performance.

(5) Provide opportunities for students and parents to address causes of absence and/or truancy with district staff and link families to relevant community programs and support.

(6) Develop collaborative partnerships, including planning, referral, and cross-training opportunities, between appropriate school staff, attendance officers, program-related liaisons, and external partners such as court representatives, community and faith-based organizations, state or locally funded community programs for truancy intervention or prevention, and law enforcement to assist students.

(7) Determine root causes of unexcused absences and review campus- and district-level data on unexcused absences to identify systemic issues that affect attendance.

(8) Use existing school programs such as Communities In Schools, 21st Century Community Learning Centers, Restorative Discipline, and Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) to provide students and their parents with services.

(9) At the beginning of each school year, conduct a needs assessment and identify and list, or map, services and programs available within the school district and the community that a school, a student, or a student's parent or guardian may access to address the student's barriers to attendance and make the information available to staff, students, and parents. The information must include, but is not limited to:

(A) services for pregnant and parenting students;

(B) services for students experiencing homelessness;

(C) services for students in foster care;

(D) federal programs including, but not limited to, Title 1, Part A, of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act;

(E) state programs including, but not limited to, State Compensatory Education programs;

(F) dropout prevention programs and programs for "at risk" youth;

(G) programs that occur outside of school time;

(H) counseling services;

(I) tutoring programs and services available at no or low cost;

(J) mental health services;

(K) alcohol and substance abuse prevention and treatment programs;

(L) mentoring programs and services;

(M) juvenile justice services and programs;

(N) child welfare services and programs;

(O) other state or locally funded programs for truancy prevention and intervention; and

(P) other supportive services that are locally available for students and families through faith-based organizations, local governments, and community-based organizations.

(10) After identifying and listing, or mapping, services available in the district and community, school districts should target any new resources, programs, or services to gaps in services identified during the needs assessment.

(11) School districts should ensure that personnel, including truancy prevention facilitators or juvenile case managers, attendance officers, McKinney-Vento liaisons, foster care liaisons, Title IX coordinators, 504 coordinators, pregnancy and parenting coordinators, dropout prevention coordinators, special education staff, and other appropriate student services personnel, meet to contribute to the needs assessment, discuss opportunities to work together, and identify strategies to coordinate both internally and externally to address students' attendance barriers.

(1) offering an optional flexible school day program and evening and online alternatives;

(2) working with businesses that employ students to help students coordinate job and school responsibilities; and

(3) offering before school, after school, and/or Saturday prevention or intervention programs or services that implement best and promising practices.