Washington State Excessive Excused School District Policies
WASHINGTON STATE EXCESSIVE EXCUSED SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICIES
36/295 = 12.20%School Districts-36 /
Excessive Excused Policy /
Tardy/Early Departure Policy Other
Centralia School District /
The district may initiate court petition procedures beginning with a parent conference and resulting in a court petition in cases of excessive excused absences which adversely affect the student’s educational process. For the purpose of this policy, excessive excused absence may be defined as excused absences exceeding twenty percent (20%) of the total days in a school year (or) total days in a month.
(36 days = 20%) / Tardies/Early Departures:
ELEMENTARY: When elementary students have the accumulation of three (3) tardies over the course of a quarter, it will equal one (1) day of unexcused absence for the purposes associated with court reporting requirements.
▪ Elementary students who arrive at school after 10:00 a.m. or leave prior to 1:00 p.m. will be considered absent
for a half-day (.50).
SECONDARY: When secondary students are absent without excuse for one (1) or two (2) periods in a school day these periods may be accumulated so that three (3) periods of unexcused absence will count as one (1) day of unexcused absence for the purpose of filing a Becca petition with the courts.
▪ Secondary students who are late to class shall be considered tardy, their tardiness will be considered as an unexcused absence. (Non-specific time tardy)
▪Absences at secondary schools – Students who are absent with no excuse for three (3) or more periods in a day will be considered absent for a (1) day for purposes of filing a Becca petition with the courts.
Rochester Schools / If a student is absent 20 school days either excused or unexcused, the school may require a note from a medical professional before excusing any further absences, and may also file a truancy petition with juvenile court. / Tardies:
When the number of student tardies equals the periods within his/her school day, the tardiness will result in one unexcused absence. Due to the varying number of class periods at each school, please refer to the following information to determine the conversion.
Grades K-5: Six (6) tardies = one absence
Grades 6-12: Seven (7) tardies = one absence
Shelton / On the tenth (10) excused absence the school may request medical documentation of illness.
Student’s parent/guardian or school official must verify excused absences. / Tardies:
A student will be considered tardy when arriving to class up to ten (10) minutes after the scheduled start.
After ten minutes, it is considered an absence but truant (TA). / OTHER:
Students may NOT take pre -arranged absences during required state testing.
Seattle Public Schools
/ Students who exceed twenty (20) excused absences in a school year will be subject to school-based and central interventions for these absences, and may be subject to a truancy petition on the basis that excessive excused absences have a serious adverse effect on students' academic progress. / Tardies/Early Departures:
Elementary students who miss 15 or more minutes of core instructional time for ten (10) or more days in a school year will be subject to school-based and central interventions for these tardies and may be subject to a truancy petition. Elementary students who miss over half (.50) of their core instructional time will be marked as "absent" for the half day.
Secondary students who miss 10 or more minutes of instructional time in a class may be marked as "absent."
Federal Way
Public Schools
/ Conference After five (5) or more excused absences within any month, or ten (10) or more excused absences within the school year, the school may schedule a conference with the parent and student at a time reasonably convenient to all persons involved for the purposes of analyzing the causes of the student’s absences and identifying interventions which may be helpful in reducing such absences, as described above for unexcused absences. / Tardies:
After three (3) unexcused tardies, parents/guardians will be contacted in writing or by telephone.
Chehalis / The district may initiate court petition procedures beginning with a parent conference and resulting in a court petition in cases of excessive excused absences (exceeding 20% of a given quarter), which adversely affect the student’s educational process. Students may be retained in their present grade if a student is gone from school an excessive amount of time due to either excused or unexcused absences. / Tardies/Early Departures:
If a child arrives an (1) hour or more late, or leaves an (1) hour or more early, he/she will be counted as absent for 1/2 (.50) day. Three (3) tardies equal one (1) absence.
Olympia / Excessive Excused Absences
Excessive excused absences may result in a Dr. note being required to excuse all absences.
Becca will be filed on a student when they have reached seven (7) unexcused absences in a month, ten (10) unexcused absences in a year, or twenty (20) excused absences in a year. / Tardies/Early Departures:
No specific language outside of typical protocols
Follows the minimum required Unexcused/Excused Absenteeism Protocols: RCW 28A.225.010/ RCW 28A.225.055/ WAC 392-400-325/ RCW 28A.225.030
School District / Excessive Excused Policy / Tardy/Early Dismissal Policy Other
Spokane Public Schools / If a student is absent in excess of 15% of the days of attendance, the principal may require a doctor's note for future absences or the absences would be considered unexcused. Parent notification of the additional stipulation must be made in writing. Spokane also details Teacher, Principal, and Parent responsibilities in this board policy. / Tardies/Early Departures:
No specific language outside of typical protocols
Follows the minimum required Unexcused/Excused Absenteeism Protocols: RCW 28A.225.010/ RCW 28A.225.055/ WAC 392-400-325/ RCW 28A.225.030
Aberdeen School District / Students who exceed twenty (20) excused absences in a school year may be subject to school-based interventions for these absences, and may be subject to a truancy petition on the basis that excessive excused absences have a serious adverse effect on students’ academic progress. / Tardies/Early Departures:
No specific language outside of typical protocols
Follows the minimum required Unexcused/Excused Absenteeism Protocols: RCW 28A.225.010/ RCW 28A.225.055/ WAC 392-400-325/ RCW 28A.225.030
Yakima School District /
No specific language re: Excessive Excused Absences/Tardies. Follows the minimum required Unexcused/Excused Absenteeism Protocols: RCW 28A.225.010/ RCW 28A.225.055/ WAC 392-400-325/ RCW 28A.225.030 / Tardies:
Tardiness extending a half hour (.50) or more, may be considered a loss of a half-day (.50) of instruction for BECCA reporting calculations because of the intensity of early morning content teaching. High schools: seven (7) tardies will be considered to equate to a day (1) of unexcused absence. / OTHER:
Transfer of Unexcused Absences: Unexcused absences accumulated in another school or school district shall be counted for all purposes in this procedure
Bellevue School District / If a student has excessive absences a note from a medical/mental health professional may be required. If a student reaches 20 absences in a year (excused and unexcused) a petition may be filed at the principal’s discretion if interventions to improve the student’s attendance have been attempted / Tardies/Early Departures:
Elementary students—every three (3) unexcused tardies will equal an unexcused absence. These unexcused absences will be treated like all other unexcused absences.
Elementary students — every three (3) unexcused early releases will equal an unexcused absence. These unexcused absences will be treated like all other unexcused absences
Tumwater School District /
On the tenth (10) high school excused absence within a semester, the fifth (5) middle school excused absence within a quarter, and the tenth (10) elementary excused absence within the school year, the school may request medical documentation of illness. Without this documentation the absence may be considered unexcused. / Tardies/Early Departures:
Tardiness is defined as not being in the classroom at the assigned start to the instructional day or secondary class period.
- When an elementary student arrives to school late by thirty (30) minutes or more, he/she will be charged with an absence for the morning.
- When a student arrives to school with two (2) hours or less remaining in the school day, he/she will be charged with an absence for the day.
- When a student departs thirty (30) minutes or more prior to the end of the official end of the school day, he/she will be charged with an absence for the afternoon.
- At the middle and high school level, a tardy becomes an absence if a student arrives more than ten (10) minutes late to any class. When a student’s tardiness becomes frequent or disruptive, the student may be subject to disciplinary action.
- When a student reaches five (5) tardies OR early departures, the principal may send a letter to the parent/guardian When a student reaches fifteen (15) tardies OR early departures, the principal may send a registered letter to the parent/guardian informing them of a meeting at the school with the administrator.
Clarkston School District / If a student is absent in excess of 15% of the days of attendance, the principal may require doctor’s notes for future absences OR the absences will be considered Unexcused / Tardies/Early Departures:
No specific language outside of typical protocols
Follows the minimum required Unexcused/Excused Absenteeism Protocols: RCW 28A.225.010/ RCW 28A.225.055/ WAC 392-400-325/ RCW 28A.225.030
Mercer Island School District / Class Absences (excused and/or unexcused)
1 to 8 class absences- Attendance Office Action: Notification via email
Administration: work with those students referred by teachers and consider/impose discipline for unexcused absences.
9 to 12 absences- Attendance Office Action: Notification via email and teacher notified. Administration: Support teacher to conduct conference, document outcomes, advise parent of possibility of long-term suspension/loss of credit if the Agreement is not adhered to.
More than 12 class absences: Administration: Letter sent from administrator informing parents/guardians of proposed loss of course credit and long-term suspension and the appeal process. If absences have a negative impact on grade/performance, then, initiate loss of credit and long-term suspension action and conduct appeals. / Tardies/Early Departures:
No specific language outside of typical protocols
Follows the minimum required Unexcused/Excused Absenteeism Protocols: RCW 28A.225.010/ RCW 28A.225.055/ WAC 392-400-325/ RCW 28A.225.030
WASHINGTON STATE EXCESSIVE EXCUSED SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICIES
North Thurston(Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook, pg. 20-26) / Elementary and Middle Schools (K-8)
Total Absences including Excessive Excused OR Unexcused /TARDIES
When a student is absent for more than three (3) consecutive days, the school nurse or other designated staff member may contact the home to verify the nature and anticipated duration of the illness or family emergency.
Step 1: Five days (5) (year to date): Identify student(s) – review and monitor.
Step 2: Nine days (9) (year to date): Letter #1 – reminder of impact on learning.
Step 3: Twelve days (12) (year to date): Letter #2 – Parent/ guardian(s) are asked to come in for a conference.
A Letter of Verification from a Health Care Provider may be requested. Parent/guardian(s) are informed about the truancy law in this letter.
Step 3a: If within five (5) days of sending Letter #2, the parent or guardian has not scheduled a conference,
a second request for a conference will be sent by certified mail. This letter will state the time and
location for the conference and invite the parent or guardian to attend. At the conference, which is to be
conducted by the building administrator/designee, solutions to the attendance problem will be explored.
Step 4: Twenty (20) days (year to date): Letter #3 - If parent does not make contact and/or provide Health Care Provider verification or attend scheduled conference, a truancy petition may be initiated with juvenile court. / Tardies/Early Departures:
No specific language outside of typical protocols
Follows the minimum required Unexcused/Excused Absenteeism Protocols: RCW 28A.225.010/ RCW 28A.225.055/ WAC 392-400-325/ RCW 28A.225.030
“When a student's tardiness or early dismissals becomes frequent or disruptive, the student's teacher shall notify the principal or designee. If counseling, parent conferencing or administrative/staff intervention is ineffective in changing the student's attendance behavior, disciplinary action may follow.”
HIGH SCHOOL (9-12):
When a student accumulates
1. A total of five (5) excused and unexcused absences in a class, parents/guardians will be notified by telephone of the number of absences in the class or classes.
2. A total of nine (9) excused and unexcused absences in a class, an administrator/ designee will conference with the student and parents/guardians will be notified. At this time, the administrator/designee may choose to review the student’s attendance record and as a result of the review, amend the record to more accurately reflect attendance patterns and circumstances. Parents or guardians will be urged to contact their students’ teachers and review their status.
3. A total of twelve (12) absences in a class with five (5) or more unexcused absences*, a letter will be sent to the student’s parents/guardian notifying them that the student may lose credit in the class(es) in which this number of absences has occurred. (5 UE + 7EA = 12 total) The following process will occur:
STEP 1: The Dean of Students or other designee at each high school will meet with the student to ensure that attendance information is correct and that the student has been given the opportunity to know about the attendance procedure and possible credit loss.
STEP 2: An Attendance Review will be completed by an administrative team at each high school. After consideration of the additional information received, the administrative team will make a final decision about returning the student to the class, credit loss and/or other educational options that might be provided, and notify student and parent or guardian about the decision by telephone and by letter.
STEP 3: If credit loss is recommended by the high school administrative team, students and parents/guardians will have three school business days upon receipt of the letter to indicate that they want to appeal the decision. The principal will be responsible for the outcome of the appeal which may result in full reinstatement of credit, partial credit or loss of credit. / OTHER:
*NOTE: Because the district’s alternative high school has a different schedule than the three comprehensive high schools, these guidelines will be adapted accordingly. Students who miss a total of seven (7) absences in a class with three (3) or more unexcused absences may lose credit in the class (es) in which the number of absences has occurred. The same procedure for possible credit loss will be followed.
School Districts- 21 / Excessive Excused Policy AND Tardy Policy/Early Dismissal
Edmonds School District /
No specific language
Excessive Excused Absences/Tardies.
They simply follow the minimum required
Unexcused/Excused Absenteeism Protocols:
RCW 28A.225.010
RCW 28A.225.055
WAC 392-400-325
RCW 28A.225.030
Franklin Pierce Schools
Kelso School District
Longview School District
Mossyrock School District
Tacoma School District
West Valley School District (Spokane)
Clover Park School District
Tukwila School District
Vancouver Public Schools
Yelm Community Schools
Tenino School District
University Place School District
Enumclaw School District
Columbia School District
Kent School District
Wenatchee School District
North Shore School District
Issaquah School District
Lake Chelan School District
Lakewood School District
WASHINGTON STATE EXCESSIVE EXCUSED SCHOOL DISTRICT POLICIES