Texas Policies

State Policy Evaluation Framework

We used 11 criteria to assess state policies across three categories:

Data and Accountability

For states to make progress toward addressing chronic absenteeism, all stakeholders must have access to useful, accurate, and timely attendance data. As stewards of state data systems, state education agencies (SEAs) are best positioned to establish common definitions and collect and share this data, which should be publicly available and easily accessible so stakeholders can make targeted, strategic workforce decisions at the school, district, and state level.

Investments in Strategies to Reduce Chronic Absenteeism

To improve chronic absenteeism rates, state leaders must prioritize sustained investments and implement evidence-based strategies that address the root causes especially for students of color, students from low-income backgrounds, and students with disabilities. SEAs, in partnership with districts and communities, are uniquely positioned to allocate resources toward high-impact interventions such as wraparound services, policy agenda, improved transportation, and family engagement. These investments should be driven by data and equity, aligned with state-level goals, and monitored for effectiveness.

Eliminating Harmful Practices and Adopting Evidence-based Policies and Practices

To improve school climate, schools should eliminate discipline practices such as suspensions for disrespect, minor disruptions, dress-code violations, and other non-violent behaviors that harm the relationship between students and school. Success means removing these policies and replacing them with supportive, restorative approaches that keep students connected to leaning and contribute to their social-emotional development.

LEGEND:
  • Most supportive
  • Partially supportive
  • Least supportive

  • Data and Accountability

    • Does the state require taking daily attendance, and does it set a definition of daily attendance?

      The state requires daily attendance to be taken. According to the Texas Education Code, students must attend school each day for the entire period that instruction is provided.

    • Does the state disaggregate and cross-tabulate chronic absenteeism and attendance data?

      The state disaggregates data by race/ethnicity, gender, economically disadvantaged students, students with disabilities, and English learners. Data can be cross-tabulated. Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR) reports the percentage of chronically absent students at the campus and district level.

    • Does the state have attendance monitoring systems in place?

      The state uses the Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR) to generate reports every 18 months. There no evidence of a system that monitors more regularly.

    • How often does the state collect chronic absenteeism data from school districts?

      Beginning in school year 2025-26, the state will collect student-level attendance data from districts every six weeks via the Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) and generate chronic absenteeism reports through the Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR).

    • Is chronic absenteeism data publicly available and accessible?

      Texas Education Agency includes attendance and chronic absenteeism data on its accountability website as part of the district/campus profile.

    • Does the state use early warning indicators?

      Texas does not have an early warning indicator system. However, state policy requires districts to implement truancy prevention measures when students meet a certain threshold of unexcused absences.

  • Investments in Strategies to Reduce Chronic Absenteeism

    • Has the state invested in strategies to increase engagement and lower rates of chronic absenteeism?

      Texas Senate Bill 991 (passed during the 2025 session) takes the important step of adding chronic absenteeism and truancy as indicators of students “at risk” of dropping out and, therefore, eligible for support through funds generated by the Compensatory Education weight within the school finance formula.

    • Does the state have a clear policy agenda that prioritizes the reduction of chronic absenteeism?

      Texas Senate Bill 991 enshrines the definition and reporting of chronic absenteeism in state statute.

    • Are the state's investments to reduce chronic absenteeism financially sustainable?

      The state has mandated districts to prioritize the reduction of chronic absenteeism with their own funding.

  • Harmful Practices

    • Has the state adopted evidence-based discipline guidance and policies?

      No evidence.

    • Has the state eliminated harmful discipline practices that contribute to chronic absenteeism?

      House Bill 2398, passed in 2015, decriminalized truancy and shifted the state’s focus to supportive interventions. However, House Bill 6 (passed during the 2025 session) allows removal from class for a single disruptive incident and restores out-of-school suspension for students in Pre-K through 2nd grade.

Texas Chronic Absenteeism Numbers

Understanding state policy conditions to address chronic absenteeism is one part of the story. It’s also important to review actual – timely – data on chronic absenteeism to understand attendance patterns, engage in early intervention and prevention, identify trends, allocate resources where they are needed most, and implement targeted interventions in a way that addresses root causes and meets the needs of students and their families. Timely and transparent data can also help advocates understand where to ask educators in their communities to focus efforts.

The data below presents information about chronic absenteeism rates in 2022-23, and projects how those rates would need to change to reduce chronic absenteeism by 50% over five years — overall and for individual student groups, because averages hide important details about how specific groups of students are faring. And since we can’t accept different standards for different groups, the goal displayed is for each student group to achieve the same chronic absenteeism rate as other groups.

Do you want to see the data for another state?