1. (a) Each massage school shall develop and implement a written policy relating to attendance for students enrolled in a massage therapy educational program or any portion of the course of instruction.
2. (b) The policy shall include requirements and fees for make-up work.
3. (c) An absence shall be charged for a full day when a student attends none of the scheduled classes on that day. A partial day of absence shall be charged for any period of absence during the day.
4. (d) School holidays shall not be considered as days of absence.

5. (e) The attendance policy shall require the termination of students who accumulate absences of:

   1. (1) more than ten (10) consecutive school days; or
   2. (2) more than 15% of the total clock hours in a program, or 15% of a portion of the program if a student enrolls in less than the total minimum 500 hours.
6. (f) Refunds shall be made in accordance with massage school's refund policy. The effective date of termination for purposes of refunds shall be the last date of absence under subsection (e). A student whose enrollment is terminated for violation of the attendance policy may not reenter before the start of the next grading period.
7. (g) A massage school may not start students after 10% of the program has been taught except in those cases where appropriate credit for previous education has been given by the department.
8. (h) Make-up work shall not be authorized for the purpose of removing an absence under subsection (e).

9. (i) A leave of absence for reasonable purposes acceptable to the massage therapy educational program shall not exceed the lesser of thirty (30) school days or sixty (60) calendar days.

   1. (1) A student shall be granted only one leave of absence for each 12-month period.
   2. (2) Attendance records shall clearly show the dates for which the leave of absence was granted. A written statement as to why the leave of absence was granted, signed by both the student and the director of the massage therapy educational program indicating approval, shall be placed in the student's file.
   3. (3) If the student fails to return from leave, the student will be automatically terminated and a refund made in accordance with the massage school's refund policy. The effective date of termination shall be the last day of the leave of absence.
10. (j) Each massage therapy educational program must maintain a master record of attendance which clearly indicates the number of scheduled hours each day and the hours of absence for each student. Entries to the attendance log must indicate whether or not a student was in attendance and must be permanent.

Source Note:The provisions of this §117.68 adopted to be effective November 1, 2017, 42 TexReg 4991.