Background Information

The Juvenile Justice Act of 1977 decriminalized running away from home and established residential centers to care for runaways. There hasn’t been room in all the facilities to care for the children, leaving many out-of-control youths living on the streets at risk of victimization and criminal involvement.

To address this problem, the Becca Bill was created by former Governor Mike Lowry and former Attorney General Christine Gregoire. The Becca Bill is named for Rebecca Hedman, a young Tacoma girl who was murdered while living on the streets.

According to former Governor Lowry’s office, the purpose of the bill is to “empower parents to help their children when they have run away or when their child’s substance abuse or mental health problems place them in serious danger of harming themselves or others.” One aspect of the bill requires that all school districts track the number of student absences and notify parents when their children have violated attendance procedures.

What can parents/guardians do?

If you are concerned about your child’s attitude toward school and their attendance record, contact your child’s teacher, counselor, and/or school principal. With the combined insights into your child’s needs and interests, we can work together to design an individualized plan to help your child stay in school.

Basic Guidelines for Marysville School District #25:

Parent Contact: After one unexcused absence, the parent or guardian must be notified. An unexcused absence means that a student has failed to attend the majority of classes in an average school day and that the parent has not verified the absence by calling or emailing the school or sending a note.
Parent Contact: After three unexcused absences, the school must contact the parent or guardian, usually by letter or email through Skyward.
Conference: The parent and student are invited to a conference by the fifth unexcused absence in a month.
Filing: By the seventh unexcused absence in a month or the fifteenth unexcused absence in a school year.
Contempt: If a student has additional unexcused absences following a court order, they may be required to appear, found in contempt of court, and sentenced to community service or a detention alternative. Parents who fail to get their children to school may also be fined or ordered to volunteer at the child’s school per RCW 28A.225.090 (3). Accrued fines shall be used exclusively to enforce this law.
Documentation: If a court assumes jurisdiction, the school district shall regularly report to the court any additional unexcused absences by the child [RCW 28A.225.035 (13)].

Marysville School District 25