Attend Today, Achieve Tomorrow
CVSD is making every possible effort to ensure that all students fully benefit from their education by attending school regularly. Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school—and themselves. Your student can start building this habit at home so they learn right away that going to school on time, every day, is important. Consistent attendance will help children do well in high school, college and at work.
Did You Know?
- Starting in kindergarten, too many absences (excused and unexcused) can cause children to fall behind in school.
- Missing 10 percent (or about 18 days) increases the chance that your student will not read or master math at the same level as their peers.
- Students can still fall behind if they miss just a day or two days every few weeks.
- By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school.
- By being present at school, your child learns valuable social skills and has the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships with other students and school staff.
- By 9th grade, regular and high attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th grade test scores.
What We Need from You
We miss your student when they are gone and we value their contributions to our school. We would like you to help ensure that your student attends regularly and is successful in school. If your student is going to be absent, please call the school attendance line.
Our Promise to You
We know there are many reasons students are absent from school, from health concerns to transportation challenges. There are many people in our building prepared to help you if you or your student face challenges in getting to school regularly or on time. Please contact our school office or counselor any time. We’re here to help!
School District Policies & State Laws
It is important that you understand our school policies and procedures, as well as Washington state law, to ensure your child is successful in school.
State law for mandatory attendance, called the Becca Bill (RCW 28A.225), requires children age 8-17 to attend a public school, private school or a district-approved home school program.
Children that are under 8-years-old are not required to be enrolled in school. However, if parents enroll their 5, 6 or 7-year-old, the student must attend full-time.
Every school is required to take daily attendance and notify you when your student has an unexcused absence.
If your student has three unexcused absences in one month, state law (RCW 28A.225.020) requires we schedule a conference with you and your student to identify the barriers and supports available to ensure regular attendance. The district is obligated to develop a plan that may require an assessment to determine how to best meet the needs of your student and reduce absenteeism.
In elementary school, after five excused absences in any month, or ten or more excused absences in the school year, the school district is required to contact you to schedule a conference at a mutually agreeable, reasonable time with at least one district employee, to identify the barriers and supports available to you and your student. A conference is not required if your student has provided a doctor's note, or pre-arranged the absence in writing, and the parent, student and school have made plans so that your student does not fall behind academically. If your student has an Individualized Education Plan or a 504 Plan, the team that created the plan needs to reconvene.
If unexcused absences continue, the district will invite student and family to a “CARES" community engagement board to identify barriers to school attendance (RCW 28A.225.025).
If your student has seven unexcused absences in any month or fifteen unexcused absences within the school year, we are required to file a petition with the Juvenile court, alleging a violation of RCW 28A.225.010, the mandatory attendance laws. If your student continues to have unexcused absences, you may need to go to court.
