Student Absences for Competition: What You Need to Know

Student participation in extracurricular activities has many benefits. Students who compete in sports, fine arts, academics, and vocational arenas show higher levels of engagement and academic achievement and learn valuable skills like teamwork, leadership, and time management. Districts can help these students succeed — and meet requirements in law — by setting limits on extracurricular absences that balance extracurriculars and academics. 

Setting Limits on Extracurricular Absences 

In 1999, the Texas Legislature allowed districts to establish locally the number of times an eligible student may be absent from class to participate in an extracurricular activity, whether sanctioned by the district, the University Interscholastic League (UIL), or an organization sanctioned by the board [see FM(LEGAL) at Attendance and Participation]. This must be done by the board, and most districts have adopted policy at FM(LOCAL) to address this limit. 

Districts are also required to maintain an accurate record of extracurricular absences for each student in the district each school year [see FM(LEGAL) at Record of Absences]. 

The UIL continues to strongly encourage school districts to adhere to the former 10/5/2 day absence policy for participation in UIL activities:  a maximum of 10 absences through district competition, five absences for post-district competition, and two additional absences for state competition. However, these limits may not serve students well, particularly in smaller districts where a student may participate in multiple UIL activities and other activities sanctioned by the board, such as 4H or of the Texas State Junior Classical League. 

TASB Policy Service encourages districts to review their policies at FM(LOCAL) and ask: 

• Is the policy consistent with our practice? 
• Have we set limits on absences for extracurricular activities that strike the right balance between encouraging students to compete and excel in extracurriculars while progressing academically? 
• Are we meeting the legal requirement to track absences for extracurricular activities? For example, if we distinguish between absences for district and post-district competition in policy, is our attendance tracking system also differentiating absences according to level of competition? 
• Are coaches, fine arts teachers, and other sponsors of extracurricular activities aware of district policy and practice? 

If your district’s FM(LOCAL) is not consistent with district practice, contact your policy consultant. We can draft policy changes for your board’s consideration. 

Extracurricular Activities, Compulsory Attendance, and Attendance for Credit 

If a student satisfactorily completes makeup work, excused absences are also counted as days of compulsory attendance [see FEA(LEGAL) at Make-Up Work and Other Excused Absences].  

Most districts have policy language at FEC(LOCAL) that states that when a student satisfactorily completes makeup work, the attendance committee shall consider extracurricular absences and other excused absences as days of attendance for award of credit or final grade [see Guidelines on Extenuating Circumstances]. If your policy at FEC(LOCAL) does not include this provision, contact your policy consultant, who can draft revisions for your board’s consideration. [For more information on attendance for credit, see TEKS Mastery, Not Seat Time, Required for Attendance for Credit.]