Edmonds School District No. 15
Lynnwood, WA 98036-5789
8125-R1 - PROCEDURES AND STANDARDS GOVERNING STUDENT ATTENDANCE
Adopted
5/22/78
Revised
7/12/94
2/2/96
10/1/96
Parents or legal guardians who reside within the Edmonds School District with any child eight (8) years of age and under eighteen (18) years of age shall cause such child to attend a public school, an approved private school, an extension program, an education center or to receive home-based instruction. Each child shall have the responsibility to attend full-time when such school is in session.
EXCEPTIONS
Exceptions shall be granted by the superintendent or designee for children who are sixteen (16) years of age or older if the child has:
1. a) Become regularly and lawfully employed and
b) either the parent agrees that the child should not be required to attend school or the child has been emancipated.2. Met graduation requirements; or
3. Received a certificate of educational competence.
The superintendent shall excuse a child's attendance if the child:
1. Is physically or mentally unable to attend school;
2. Is attending residential schools operated by D.S.H.S.; or
3. Has been temporarily excused upon the request of the child's parent/guardian for purposes agreed upon by the school authorities and the parent/guardian:
PROVIDED, that such excused absences shall not be permitted if deemed to cause a serious adverse effect upon the student's educational progress.
FAILURE TO ATTEND SCHOOL
If a child required to attend school fails to do so, the school shall:
1. Inform the parents or guardian by a notice in writing or by telephone whenever the child has failed to attend school after one unexcused absence within any month during the current school year. School officials shall inform the parent of the potential consequences of additional unexcused absences.
2. Schedule conferences at a reasonably convenient time with appropriate personnel, the parent or guardian and the child for the purpose of analyzing the causes of the child's absences after two unexcused absences within any month during the current school year.
a. If the child's parent does not attend the scheduled conference, the conference may be conducted with the student and school official. However, the parent shall be notified of the steps to be taken to eliminate or reduce the child's absence.
b. If a regularly scheduled parent/teacher conference is to take place within thirty days of the second unexcused absence, then the district may schedule this conference on that day.
3. Take steps to eliminate or reduce truancy (e.g., adjustments to course, school or program assignments, individualized or remedial instruction, vocational or work experiences, requiring the child to attend an alternative school or program or assisting the parent or guardian to obtain supplementary services).
4. Enter into an agreement with student and parent or guardian that establishes school attendance requirements no later than the fifth unexcused absence in a month.
5. Petition the juvenile court for assistance in accordance with the law not later than the seventh unexcused absence within any month or not later than the tenth unexcused absence during the current school year.