Many parents are surprised — and frustrated — when they receive school notices warning about excessive absences even though they’ve provided medical notes.
In Texas, this confusion usually comes from a two-track attendance system that works differently than most families expect.
The Two Attendance Rules in Texas
1. Compulsory Attendance (Truancy Protection)
Medical appointments with a valid healthcare note generally protect families from truancy or legal action.
2. Attendance for Credit (The “90% Rule”)
Students must attend at least 90% of school days to receive academic credit. Even excused absences can count toward this total.
The code that makes the difference
- H-Code (Healthcare Appointment – Partial Day): If your child attends school for any portion of the day, the school should code the absence as H, which often does not count against the 90% rule.
- E / EADN (Full-Day Medical): If your child misses the entire day, the absence is excused but usually does count toward attendance totals.
Why families are seeing “stunning” absence totals
If a partial-day appointment is accidentally coded as a full-day absence, the student’s attendance “bank” continues to drop, sometimes triggering automated warning letters or attendance committee reviews.
Our tip for parents
Whenever possible:
- Have your child attend at least one class on appointment days
- Submit your healthcare note promptly
- Check your parent portal within 48 hours
- If needed, politely ask the attendance clerk to confirm the absence was coded as H
At Mind Works, we’ve updated our school notes to help schools apply the correct code and reduce unnecessary attendance penalties.