TRUANCY
TRUANCY -THE IMPORTANCE OF SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
The role of the Truancy department is charged with the oversight of student absenteeism within the district. Marysville School District Attendance Policy stipulates that daily attendance is require for all Marysville School District students. Regular attendance is the key to completing course work on time.
Parents are encouraged to make school the priority when scheduling appointments during the school day. If a student has a scheduled appointment during the school day, please provide the school with a written note from the person or clinic where the student was seen to verify the absence.
THE BECCA BILL
Annual Attendance Notification
Under state law (RCW 28A.225), students are required to attend school full-time without unexcused absences, skips, or tardiness. When a student accumulates seven (7) days of unexcused absences in any month(one day consists of more than half a school day) or fifteen (15) days of unexcused absences in a school year, they may be referred to a Community Engagement Board, which may result in a Truancy Petition being filed with the Snohomish County juvenile court, where sanctions can be imposed.
Communication: For each absence from school, a written note, email, or call to the school will be made to verify the absence. We will make it a priority to verify absences as soon as possible but no later than three (3) days of return to school. A school principal or designee has the authority to determine if a verified absence meets the criteria for an excused absence. Fifteen (15) days of excused absences in a year, documentation from a Licensed Health Care Practitioner (LHP) will be required to excuse future absences due to illness/medical condition. Without documentation, the absence will be considered unexcused.
If a student misses twenty (20) consecutive days of school, they will be withdrawn from their school of attendance.
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)].
Excused absence criteria
A. Absences due to physical or mental health conditions, family emergency, or religious purposes
B. Court, judicial proceeding, court-ordered activity, or jury service
C. Post-secondary, technical school or apprenticeship program visitation, or scholarship interview
D. State-recognized search and rescue activities consistent with RCW 28A.225.055
E. Absence directly related to the student's homeless or foster care/dependency status
F. Absences related to deployment activities of a parent or legal guardian who is an active duty member consistent with RCW 28A.705.010
G. Absences due to suspensions, expulsions, or emergency expulsions
H. Absences due to student safety concerns, including absences related to threats, assaults, or bullying
I. Absences due to a student's migrant status
J. An approved activity consistent with district policy and mutually agreed upon by the principal or designee and a parent, guardian, or emancipated youth. *Up to 5 days per school year.