Attendance > Maintenance > Letters > Update > Directory

Add a letter type to the directory:

If letters exist, they are displayed. If no letters exist, a blank row is displayed.

To add a letter type, click +Add or press ALT+1. A blank row is displayed in the grid.

Note:  When using ALT+1 to add a new row to the grid, you must use the 1 key on the keyboard, not the 1 key on the numeric keypad.

In the Ltr ID field, type a unique two-character code for the letter type.

In the Preq ID field, type an existing letter ID if the letter requires a prerequisite letter. The field is used if the letter type requires another letter to be printed for students before it can be printed for the same students.

Notes:

Prerequisite IDs can only be specified for School Year Absence and Semester Absence letter types.

If prerequisite letters are not used, only the letter for the greatest number of absences appropriate for the student's actual number of absences will print.

If prerequisites are used, the letter for the lowest number of absences in the prerequisite sequence is printed first. A subsequent letter is not printed (even if the student has the number of absences for which the letter is set up) until the student has at least one more absence than the number reported on the prerequisite letter.

A letter ID must already exist before it can be specified as a prerequisite ID.

A prerequisite letter must have the same letter type, absence type, and period type as the letter that requires it.

A letter cannot be its own prerequisite.

Two letters cannot have the same prerequisite.

The Nbr Abs Req field for a letter must be greater than the Nbr Abs Req field for its prerequisite.

In the Description field, type a description of the letter type. The field can be up to 72 characters.

In the Letter Type field, click to select the letter type. The field is required. The following letter types are available:

Annual Notification - Generates letters for all students once, including new students. You can set up more than one annual notification letter type using different letter IDs. No absence variables are allowed; therefore, the letter type can be used for nonattendance issues.

Four Week Truancy - Generates letters for students who have three or more unexcused absences in a four-week period in the current school year (Rule of Four Weeks warning letter as per SB1432 of the 77th Legislative Session).

Mail Out - Generates letters for all students. No absence variables are allowed; therefore, the letter type can be used for nonattendance issues. A letter control record is not created.

School Year Absence - Generates a report of cumulative absences for the entire school year.

Semester Absence - Generates a report of cumulative absences for the semester selected on the Letter Criteria tab on the Print Attendance Letters page.

Six Month Truancy - Generates letters for students who have ten or more unexcused absences in a six-month period in the current school year (Rule of Six Months warning letter as per SB1432 of the 77th Legislative Session).

In the Absence Type field, click to select the absence type or combination of absence types for which you want to generate the letter. The field is required.

In the Period Type field, click to select the period for which you want to report absences. The field is required.

The following options can be selected:

ADA - Reports absences and tardies that occur in the campus ADA period.

Any - Reports a day as an absence day if the student was absent for one or more periods in the day.

Same - Reports absence days in which the student had the most absences for a period during the reporting period (semester or year). Tardy equivalent days are not considered in this period type.

In the Nbr Abs Req (number of absences requested) field, type the number of days (not periods) the student is absent (or tardy) that cause the letter to be generated.

Note:  If prerequisite letters are not used, and another letter with the same Letter Type, Absence Type, and Period Type has a greater Nbr Abs Req, the letter that has the closest Nbr Abs Req, but is not over the number of absences accumulated by the student, is generated.

In the Nbr Tdy Equiv Req (number of tardies equivalent requested) field, type the number of tardies that equal one absence (day). Leave the field blank if tardies are not considered. The field is only applicable for School Year Absence and Semester Absence letters that have the Period Type field set to ADA or Any.

All tardies are reported in the count and are displayed in the list of absences on the letter.

Tardies that occur on a day that is reported as an absence are not included in the equivalence computation.

A value cannot be typed in the field if the Absence Type field is set to T (Tardy). An error message is displayed indicating that tardy equivalents are not computed when processing the tardy absence type.

Ltr Bdy (letter body) is selected if the form letter has been created. The field can only be updated when the letter body is saved.

Click Save to save the information.

Notes:

When absence letters, truancy letters, and annual notifications are printed, all fields except the Description field are disabled to indicate that the letters have been processed and have associated letter control records. Only the Description field can be changed.

Mail Out letters do not create letter control records; therefore, the fields are not disabled when the letters are printed.

To delete a letter type, click . The row is shaded red to indicate that it will be deleted when the record is saved.

You can select multiple rows to be deleted at the same time.

Click Save. A message is displayed asking you to confirm that you want to delete the rows.

Click OK to delete the letter types. The selected rows are deleted. Otherwise, click No not to delete the letter types.

Note:  You cannot delete a letter type if letters have been generated for the type. If you attempt to delete it, a message is displayed. Click OK to close the message.

To update the letter body, click Retrieve. The letter opens on the Letter tab allowing you to make changes.