Attendance

If your student has missed their teacher-led instruction, you may receive an automated phone call, text, or email from their school. These notifications go out to ensure that parents are aware of absences during live instruction and serve as a reminder to report absences to the school.

These messages will be sent via ParentSquare, the district's primary communication tool. 

Each school has a team who meets regularly to review students who are struggling with attendance or may be struggling to connect. The purpose is to work with students and families to help address concerns and work together to resolve challenges that are impacting the student's learning. If your student needs support from your school's attendance team, please reach out to your student's counselor. 

Sometimes when a student is really struggling, they may be invited to attend a Community Engagement Board meeting. The Community Engagement Board seeks to address the problem of truancy through the collaboration of school, court, and community resource providers. The Engagement Board makes recommendations to students, parents, and the school district with the goal of improving a student’s attendance record. Students who are on a Becca petition may be referred to a Community Engagement Board.

Absences due to the following reasons will be excused:

• Illness, health condition or medical appointment (including, but not limited to, medical, counseling, dental, optometry, pregnancy, and in-patient or out-patient treatment for chemical dependency or mental health) for the student or person for whom the student is legally responsible
• Family emergencies including, but not limited to, a death or illness in the family
• Religious or cultural purpose including observance of a religious or cultural holiday or participation in religious or cultural instruction
• Court, a judicial proceeding, court-ordered activity, or jury service
• Post-secondary, technical school or apprenticeship program visitation, or scholarship interview
• State-recognized search and rescue activities consistent with RCW 28A.225.055
• Absence directly related to the student's homeless or foster care/dependency status
• Absences related to deployment activities of a parent or legal guardian who is an active duty member consistent with RCW 28A.705.010
• Absences due to suspensions, expulsions, or emergency expulsions imposed pursuant to chapter 392-400 WAC if the student is not receiving educational services and is not enrolled in qualifying "course of study" activities as defined in WAC 392-121-107
• Absences due to student safety concerns, including absences related to threats, assaults, or bullying
• Absences due to a student's migrant status; and
• An approved activity that is consistent with district policy and is mutually agreed upon by the principal or designee and a parent, guardian, or emancipated youth.

Please Note: Other family obligations include when a student must care for younger siblings. See emergency rule Chapter 392-401A WAC for the complete list of excused reasons.

A school principal or designee has the authority to determine if an absence meets the above criteria for an excused absence. Districts may define additional categories or criteria for excused absences.

District policies and procedures:

• District Compulsory Attendance Policy No. 3121 
• District Excused and Unexcused Absences Policy No. 3122 
• District Excused and Unexcused Absences Procedure No. 3122

State resources from the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI):

• Attendance, Chronic Absenteeism, and Truancy

King County Superior Court information:

• Becca Programs: Truancy/At Risk Youth/Child in Need of Services
• Truancy Information

The law states the following:
 

• After 3 unexcused absences in a 30-day period a conference will be scheduled with you and your student to identify the barriers and supports available to ensure regular attendance.
• After 7 unexcused absences in a 30-day period or 10 unexcused absences within the school year, we are required to file a petition with juvenile court, alleging a violation of RCW 28A.225.010.  The petition will automatically be stayed in order to continue to try and improve attendance. 
• If above actions are not successful, the district will file a truancy petition with the juvenile court alleging a violation of RCW 28A.225.010 by the parent, student or parent and student. The parent and student will be required to appear in the King County Juvenile Court.

State law requires children from ages 8 to 17 to attend a public school, private school, or district-approved home school program. Children who are 6 or 7 years old are not required to be enrolled in school. However, if parents enroll their 6 or 7-year-old, the student must attend full-time. Youth who are 16 or older may be excused from attending public school if they meet certain requirements.