Attendance Policy and Procedure

Absences & Truancy - POLICY 3122 AND PROCEDURE 3122AP

Students are expected to attend all assigned classes each day and be in their assigned areas at assigned times. Teachers and school staff will keep a record of absence and tardiness, including a call log and/or record of excuse statements submitted by a parent, or in certain cases, students, to document a student’s excused absences. Refer to WAC 392-401 for any new updates.

Homework, Student Grade/Credit

A student's grade or credit in a particular class may be adversely affected by reason of absence or tardiness only to the extent that the student's attendance and/or participation is related to the instructional objectives of the course, and has been identified by the teacher as a basis for grading in the course.

Assignments/activities not completed due to an excused absence may be made up in the manner provided by the teacher.

It is the student's responsibility on the day the student returns to school from an absence to contact the teacher for their makeup work. Such makeup work must be completed in a reasonable time.

Notifying the school of the absence.

When possible, the parent is expected to notify the school office on the morning of the absence by phone, email or written note and provide the excuse for the absence. If no excuse is provided with the notification, or no notification is provided, the parent will submit an excuse via phone, email or written note upon the student’s return to school. Adult students (those over 18) and emancipated students (those over 16 who have been emancipated by court action) will notify the school office of their absence with a note of explanation. Students 14 years and older who are absent from school due to testing or treatment for a sexually transmitted disease will notify the school with a doctor’s note of explanation, which will be kept confidential. Students 13 years and older may do the same for mental health, drug/alcohol treatment; and all students have the same right for family planning and abortion.

EXCUSED ABSENCES

Absences due to the following reasons are excused.

Extended illness or health condition. 

If a student is confined to home or hospital for an extended period, the school will arrange for the accomplish- ment of assignments at the place of confinement whenever practical. If the student is unable to do his/her schoolwork, or if there are major requirements of a particular course that cannot be accomplished outside of class the student may be required to take an incomplete or withdraw from the class without penalty.

Chronic health condition.

Students with a chronic health condition which interrupts regular attendance may qualify for placement in a limited attendance and participation program. The student and his/her parent will apply to the principal or counselor and a limited program will be written following the advice and recommendations of the student's medical advisor. The recommended limited program will be approved by the principal. Staff will be informed of the student's needs through the confidentiality of the medical information will be respected at the parent's request.

b) Family emergency, including but not limited to a death/illness in the family;

c) Religious or cultural purpose, A parent may request that a student be excused from attending school in observance of a religious/cultural In addition, a student, upon the request of his/her parent, may be excused for a portion of a school day to participate in religious instruction provided such is not conducted on school property or otherwise involves the school to any degree.

d) Court, judicial proceeding, court- ordered activities, or serving on a jury;

e) Post-secondary, technical school or apprenticeship program visitation, or scholarship interview;

f) State-recognized search and rescue activities consistent with RCW 28A.225.055;

g) Absence directly related to the student's homeless status, or foster care/dependency status;

h) Absences related to an active duty parent’s deployment activities consistent with RCW 705.010;

i) Absence due to suspensions, expulsions or emergency expulsions. As required by law, students who are removed from a class as a disciplinary measure or students who have been placed on suspension will have the right to make up assignments or exams missed during the time they were denied entry to the classroom if the effect of the missed assignments will be a substantial lowering of the course grade. WAC 392-400 & WAC 392-121-107;

j) Absences due to student safety concerns, including threats, assaults, or bullying;

k) Absence due to a student’s migrant status;

l) An approved activity that is consistent with district policy and is mutually agreed upon by the principal/designee and parent, or emancipated youth. This category of absence will be counted as excused for purposes agreed to by the principal and parent. An absence may not be approved if it causes serious adverse effect on the student's educational progress; and

m) Absences due to a student’s lack of necessary instructional tools, including internet access or

The school principal/designee has the authority to determine if an absence meets the criteria of an excused absence.

Required conference for elementary school students

If an elementary school student has five or more excused absences in a single month or ten or more excused absences in the current school year, the district will schedule a conference with the student and their parent(s) at a reasonably convenient time.

The conference is intended to identify barriers to the student's regular attendance and to identify supports and resources, so the student may regularly attend school.

The conference must include at least one district employee (preferably a nurse, counselor, social worker, teacher or community human service provider) and may occur on the same day as the scheduled parent-teacher conference, provided it takes place within thirty days of the absences.

If the student has an Individualized Education Program or a Section 504 Plan, the team that created that program must reconvene. A conference is not required if prior notice of the excused absences was provided to the district or if a doctor's note has been provided and a plan is in place to ensure the student will not fall behind in their coursework.

UNEXCUSED ABSENCES

Unexcused absences occur when:

1. The parent or adult student submits an excuse that does not meet the definition of an excused absence as defined above; or
2. The parent or adult student fails to submit any type of excuse statement, whether by phone, e-mail, or in writing, for an absence.

• A statement that student has unexcused absences in the current school year;
• An attestation that actions taken by the district have not been successful in substantially reducing the student's absences from school;
• A statement that court intervention and supervision are necessary to assist the district to reduce the student's absences from school;
• A statement that RCW 28A.225.010 has been violated by the parent, student or parent and student;
• The student's name, date of birth, school, address, gender, race and ethnicity; and the names and addresses of the student's parents, whether the student and parent are fluent in English, whether there is an existing individualized education program (IEP) and the student's current academic status in school;
• A list of all interventions that have been attempted, a copy of any previous truancy assessment completed by the student's current district, the history of approved best practices intervention or research-based intervention(s) previously provided to the student by the district, and a copy of the most recent truancy information document signed by the parent and student;
• Facts that support the above