Attendance Matters!
On April 3, 2024 the Cultural and Family Partnerships team and the Assistant Director of Compliance hosted an "Attendance Matters!" event. Research has shown that if usually takes students 3 days to catch up with school work for every day they have missed.
Some of the topics covered include attendance laws, how to report an absence, responses to schools for unexcused absences, steps of the truancy process, how parents can partner with schools and interventions offered by schools.
Presentation Transcripts
English
Attendance Matters!
Click here for link to PPT
(Go to SLIDE #23 to begin the "Attendance" section of this presentation)
Presented by – Equity and Family Partnership Department and Compliance Department
Attendance Matters:
- Research has shown that it usually takes students three days to catch up with school work for every day they’ve missed.
- Develop social and emotional skills including self-regulation and problem solving.
- Establish an environment that promotes a sense of safety and belonging.
- Prioritizi•ng respect and creating a space where students feel connected to adults in the building and the school culture.
- When students feel connected to and supported by their teachers, they are more motivated to attend and have better academic outcomes.
attendance laws
- Why does the law exist?
- State Law requires children from the age of 8 to 17 to attend a public school, private school, or homeschooling.
- Children who are 6 or 7 years old are not required to be enrolled in school.
- However, if parents enroll their 6- or 7-year-old, the student must attend full-time.
The law requires many things of schools, but only requires one thing from students: ATTEND SCHOOL.
Reporting Absences
- Call the school attendance office using the email or phone number listed above to excuse the absence each day.
- Provide student name, grade level, date of absence and reason for absence
- You can call at night and leave a message as well if you forget to call during the day.
- Any absence is marked unexcused if the office is not notified.
- A student arriving 2 or more hours after the start of the day is considered absent for the morning. (Elementary)
- A student who leaves 2 or more hours before dismissal is considered absent for the afternoon. (Elementary)
- If you take your child to the doctor for illness causing absences, please request a doctors note for the school.
Attendance information can be found at the bottom of ALL ISD SCHOOL WEBSITES! Please scroll to the bottom of the page for quick access. See the screenshot below.
School phone call (robo call) when student is absent
- School computer system that automatically makes the calls when the student is marked absent. Safety measure built in to keep students safe.
- If you receive a phone message that your child is absent and you believe your child to be at school, please email your child's teacher and the attendance office. (All students K-12)
- Email teacher in class period missed for secondary (grades 6-12) students to ensure it was not teacher or school error for call.
- Contact school ASAP to check and verify absence so that the attendance can be updated.
- Only the teacher can verify and change the attendance record using an attendance correction form (signed and turned in by teacher)
Pre-arranged Absences
- For Pre-Planned absences of 1-2 days, simply call or email the office in advance with the dates of absence and reason. Please also inform your child's teacher (for elementary school).
- For Pre-Planned absences of 3 or more days, complete Pre-Approved Absence form at least one week prior to absences.
- Elementary Form
- The student is responsible for completing missed work.
- Make-up assignments following the student’s return, along with a reasonable timeline for completion
- Secondary Form – Needs teacher signatures
- Student’s responsibility to make up all assigned work according to his/her teachers’ classroom guidelines
- Students should be checking Canvas for assignments and work.
- Elementary Form
- Teachers do not provide make up work in advance of the absences. Students get work when they return.
- The principal or designee may only grant permission for a student’s absence providing such absence does not adversely affect the student’s educational process
For Absences Greater Than 20 days
- Meeting/conversation designed to help school and family partner around the absence since it could adversely impact student learning.
- Your student's school will be contacting you to schedule a conference at a mutually agreeable, reasonable time with at least one District employee.
- Discussion to identify the barriers and supports available to you and your student related to this absence prior to your departure.
- Signed agreement between parent/guardian and school principal that the absence will not cause a serious adverse effect upon the student's educational progress.
- If you don't return that same school year, your child may be withdrawn.
Responses to schools for Unexcused absences
Letters, call homes and meetings are all legal steps required by state law. School document these steps and present them at truancy court if attendance continues to be a concern (15+ unexcused absences)
- 3-7 unexcused absences in a month – school will send letter home and may ask to have a parent meeting
- Respond to the school when they call or email.
- Student and parent share the barriers preventing attendance
- Student and parent partner with school to create an attendance agreement.
- For students with an IEP or 504 plan, school team will meet at this time.
- 11 unexcused absences in a year
- Attendance Office sends 11 unexcused absence warning letter.
- School (principal, AP or Dean) meets with family to review/modify attendance success plan.
- Work with school to update the attendance agreement
- 15 unexcused absences in a year
- Attendance Office sends 15 unexcused absence letter
- Student and parents should continue talking and working with school on plans to address attendance concerns
- Assistant Principal files BECCA petition
- If a petition is filed, you will receive additional letters outlining the next steps.
Steps of the Truancy Process
Screenshot of the Issaquah School District Truancy Process
How can parent's partner with schools?
- Communicate with school – attendance secretary or school administrator. School's goal is to keep students safe.
- Respond to the school’s outreach
- Be an active part in the conversations around barriers to attendance
- Problem solve with the team to identify interventions to try
- Help create routines at home to reduce stress in the morning
- Establish an expectation at home around the use of technology at night
- Talk about alternate ways to get to school if the bus is missed
- We would prefer students arrive late rather than not attending at all
Interventions offered by schools
- Create an attendance plan with goals
- Create an incentive/recognition of meeting goals
- Offer to adjust student schedule
- Provide structured break time in an alternate location
- Discuss concerns or alternative if transportation is concern
- Offer an automatic wake-up call each morning
- Offer an alarm clock for family
- Offer academic support/tutoring, VOICE mentor, etc
- Conduct home visits/well-child checks
- Offer to arrange counseling with Swedish Mental Health counselor at school
- Many other options – based on unique need of child and family
*School team meets to discuss next steps and concerns to support child and family.
Chronic Absenteeism vs Truancy
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Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% of class, which is equal to 18 days over the academic year. (Excused or unexcused)
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Truancy is defined as when students miss school without a valid excuse.
- Washington State Law – school must respond when students are truant.
- The school district may file truancy petitions with the juvenile court after seven unexcused absences in a month, or fifteen unexcused absences in an academic year.
- Truancy Board at ISD is called the Community Engagement Board (CEB)
- Board meets with student and families after a petition has been filed.
- Goal is to support student and family prevent unexcused absences.
- Washington State Law – school must respond when students are truant.
Excessive Excused Absences
- A meeting may be called if students have more than 15 excused absences in a year and there is an academic concern
- Under state law, elementary schools are required to conference with parents/guardians when an elementary student has five absences for any reason in a month or ten absences over the course of the year.
- The meeting is an opportunity to address barriers and concerns regarding absences between the school administrator and family.
- A discussion with the principal (school administrator) will occur about what will be excused or unexcused moving forward.
- A doctor's note may be required to excused future absences with the hope that a professional can address the medical concern if any.
- Suggestion to schedule family vacations and trips during school scheduled breaks.
Questions?
Please contact a Family Partnership Liaison if you have additional questions!
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Liliana Medina, 📞: 425-837-7141, 🗨️: 425-331-9555
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Wenli Mithal, 📞: 425-837-7106 🗨️: 978-252-3686
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Ina Ghangurde, 📞: 425-837-7008 🗨️: 252-563-3498
Student handbook - Student Conduct - Issaquah School District 411 (isd411.org)
Stacy Cho – Assistant Director of Compliance (HIB and Attendance) - ChoS@issaquah.wednet.edu
Lorna Gilmour – Family Partnership Specialist – gilmourl@issaquah.wednet.edu
Espanol
Click below for presentation in Espanol
Asistencia y Reporte de Conflictos Estudiantiles
(Go to SLIDE #23 to begin the "Attendance" section of this presentation)
中文
Click below for presentation in Chinese
報告學生衝突和出勤
(Go to SLIDE #22 to begin the "Attendance" section of this presentation)