For Texas families of children with disabilities or chronic health needs, frequent school absences are often unavoidable. However, Texas law has strict rules about attendance, including the 90% attendance rule and truancy laws that may impact class credit and graduation. This guide explains those rules in depth and offers practical strategies for staying in compliance, protecting your child’s rights, and building strong partnerships with your child’s school.

Truancy laws in Texas have evolved significantly over the past decade. Once criminalized, student absences are now handled through civil procedures and school-based interventions. But that doesn’t mean the consequences are light—or the system easy to navigate. If your child is struggling with school attendance due to anxiety, disability, or external stressors, it’s critical to understand how truancy laws in Texas operate, what schools are allowed to do, and how to respond before things escalate to court. This guide offers a thorough, family-centered explanation of Texas’s truancy process and how to avoid common pitfalls.

Florida’s truancy law can turn school absences into legal battles, even for children who are missing school due to anxiety, medical needs, or disability. If your child has five or more unexcused absences in a calendar month—or 15 in a 90-day period—you could face court, fines, or mandated programs. But enforcement isn’t black-and-white. This article breaks down the legal process, the role of truancy officers, how Florida law defines noncompliance, and what families can do to advocate for support—not punishment.