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Door 3 · Truancy

Texas truancy letters, decoded

The Texas attendance ladder in plain words — the triggers, who acts next, and what a parent should put in writing at each step.

Texas's ladder

Compulsory attendance: ages 6 to 18 (Educ. Code §§25.0915, 25.095; Fam. Code §65.003(a)).

The triggers: Prevention measures at 3 unexcused days/parts in 4 weeks; truant conduct at 10 unexcused days/parts in 6 months.

Step by step

  1. Start of year: the district must warn you in writing what happens at 10 unexcused days in 6 months (§25.095(a)).
  2. 3 unexcused days in 4 weeks: the district must notify you and request a conference (§25.095(b)) — this is the letter most Texas parents are holding.
  3. Then truancy prevention measures: a behavior improvement plan (max 45 school days) or community service, or referrals (§25.0915). The district may not refer to truancy court when the truancy comes from pregnancy, foster care, homelessness, or severe illness.
  4. 10 unexcused days in 6 months: referral to truancy court (civil) — and a possible parent complaint if the district has evidence of criminal negligence (§25.0951).

Mental-health absences: Appointments with health care professionals — including mental health professionals — are excused if your child starts or returns to class the same day (§25.087(b)(2)). Texas has no 'mental health days' bank.

Parent exposure, honestly: Parent offense (§25.093) is fine-only: $100, then $200, $300, $400, up to $500 — and it requires criminal negligence plus the start-of-year warning. Students have NOT been criminally prosecuted for truancy in Texas since 2015 (HB 2398) — it is a civil truancy-court process.

Run the truancy decoder

Rules checked October 2026 — every rule on this page is cited to its source. Verify day counts against your district's official calendar.

The Truancy Letter Kit — $39, one time

Every letter, checklist, and worksheet for this fight, filled with your state's rules — yours to keep, no subscription.

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See what's in the Truancy Letter Kit