It is important that you contact your child’s school if your child is absent from school. 

On the day of your student’s absence, you will receive a notification via phone call, text, or email even if the absence has been reported via our district system. Contacting parents and guardians of students who are not in class is an important measure undertaken by the District to ensure the safety of all of our students.

The following are valid excuses for absences and tardiness. Assignments and/or activities not completed because of an excused absence or tardiness may be made up in the manner provided by the teacher.

WAC 392-401-020 Excused absences – Absences due to the following reasons must be excused:

1. Physical health or mental health symptoms, illness, health condition or medical appointment for the student or person for whom the student is legally responsible. Examples of symptoms, illness, health conditions, or medical appointments include, but are not limited to, medical, counseling, mental health wellness, dental, optometry, pregnancy, and behavioral health treatment (which can include in-patient or out-patient treatment for chemical dependency or mental health);
2. Family emergency including, but not limited to, a death or illness in the family,
3. Religious or cultural purpose including observance of a religious or cultural holiday or participation in religious or cultural instruction;
4. Court, judicial proceeding, court-ordered activity, or jury service;
5. Post-secondary, technical school or apprenticeship program visitation, or scholarship interview;
6. State recognized search and rescue activities consistent with RCW 28A.225.055;
7. Absence directly related to the student's homeless or foster care/dependency status;
8. Absence related to deployment activities of a parent or legal guardian who is an active duty member consistent with RCW 28A.705.010;
9. Absences due to suspensions, expulsions or emergency expulsions imposed pursuant to WAC 392-400 if the student is not receiving educational services and is not enrolled in qualifying "course of study" activities as defined in WAC 392-121-197;
10. Absences due to student safety concerns, including absences related to threats, assaults, or bullying;
11. Absences due to the student's migrant status and;
12. 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.

Vacations or travels should not be scheduled while school is in session. If a family vacation must happen while school is in session, it must be prearranged prior to the absence and approved by the principal (or designee). The principal (or designee) may excuse up to five (5) school days for a prearranged absence per student each school year if requested at least one week prior the first absence. An absence may not be approved if it causes a serious adverse effect on the student's educational progress. The student may not be able to achieve the objectives of the unit of instruction as a result of the absence from class. In such a case, a parent/guardian-approved absence would have an adverse effect on the student's educational progress, including the grade for the course.

Any absence from school is unexcused unless it meets one of the criteria provided in WAC 392-401-020 (listed above). A school principal or designee has the authority to determine if an absence meets the above criteria for an excused absence.

A written or oral communication from the parent/guardian or eligible student for an excused absence must be received within two (2) school days following a return to school, unless other arrangements have been made in accordance with building procedures, or the absence will be unexcused.

An "unexcused absence" means that a student has failed to attend the majority of hours or periods in an average school day, has failed to comply with a more restrictive School District policy on absences, or has failed to comply with alternative learning experience program attendance requirements. 

WAC 392-401-030 Unexcused absences - Any absence from school is unexcused unless it meets one of the criteria provided in WAC 392-401-020 (listed above).

Unexcused absences occur when:

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

Washington state's attendance law, known as the Becca Bill, requires the school/district and the juvenile court to take specific actions when youth are truant, as well as in the elementary when students begin accumulating excused absences.

What is Truancy? A student is considered truant if they miss 5 or more unexcused days in a month or 10 or more unexcused days in a school year.

Every absence, excused or unexcused, is a learning opportunity lost and can have significant impacts on a student’s success in school and life. A student who misses 10% or more of their school days, which can mean just two days a month, for any reason, is considered chronically absent. Chronically absent students are more likely to fall behind academically and less likely to graduate from high school. Addressing chronic absenteeism and developing good attendance habits is a solvable problem for which we all share responsibility.

More about attendance, chronic absenteeism, and truancy...