Yelm Community Schools

2014-15 ATTENDANCE REGULATIONS (BECCA BILL STATE LAW REGULATIONS FOR UNEXCUSED ABSENCES)

Dear Parent and Student:

The Washington Compulsory Attendance law requires..."that parents of any child eight years of age (six or seven years of age if child is enrolled) or under eighteen years of age shall cause such a child to attend school full time when school is in session unless the child is enrolled in an approved private school, an educational center, or is receiving home-based instruction." The Becca Bill requires strict enforcement of this Compulsory Attendance law.

Exceptions may be granted by the superintendent for students sixteen years of age or older if the student has:

A. met graduation requirements; or *B. received a certificate of educational competence; or **C. become regularly employed and parent agrees the student should not be required to attend.

The following Attendance Regulations shall apply for the 2014-15 school year.

PROCEDURES FOR "EXCUSED ABSENCES"

Students are expected to attend all assigned classes each day unless excused by parent or guardian for valid reasons. Teachers shall keep a record of absences and tardiness and submit them to the Attendance Office.

EXCUSING ABSENCES. ***WHEN POSSIBLE, THE PARENT/GUARDIAN IS EXPECTED TO NOTIFY THE SCHOOL THAT THE ABSENCE IS EXCUSED, BY TELEPHONE OR IN WRITING, ON THE DAY OF THE ABSENCE AND NO LATER THAN THE DAY THE STUDENT RETURNS TO SCHOOL. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL BE RECORDED AS AN UNEXCUSED ABSENCE. TELEPHONE NOTIFICATION SHOULD BE MADE DIRECTLY TO THE ATTENDANCE OFFICE VOICE MAIL PHONES (24 HOURS A DAY) AT 360-458-8198. Please contact Fort Stevens Elementary School at (360) 458-8198

The following are valid excuses for absences and tardiness.

A. Participation in school-approved activity . This absence must be authorized by a staff member and prior notification must be given to the staff member unless it is clearly impossible to do so. B. Illness, health condition, family emergency, or religious purposes. School officials may require a health professional's written note when a student has more than 3 consecutive absences. When a student has 10 or more absences per semester without a doctor’s note, the school may require the student to be placed on an Attendance Agreement limiting the number of excused absences per month without a health professional’s note. Parents are encouraged to acquire a doctor’s note whenever possible and submit a copy to the Attendance Office. You may call anytime to request an Attendance Record. C. Parental-approved activities. This absence may be counted as excused for purpose agreed upon in advance by the principal and the parent/guardian. Such an absence may not be excused if it causes an adverse effect on the student's educational progress. Parents must notify the Attendance Office for vacations and/or other parental approved activities even if they have informed the teachers. D. Absence resulting from disciplinary actions or suspension. However, once a student has been filed under the Becca Bill, out-of-school suspensions are in violation of a Truancy Court Order to attend school.

Thank you for your cooperation in calling or sending in notes for your child's absences in a timely manner.

*Students under 18 years of age who are released to obtain a G.E.D. must attend G.E.D. classes until they pass the test. **A written letter to the Superintendent is required (stating place of employment/hours working/reasons for need to work). *** Failure to do so shall result in an unexcused absence and accumulates for the remainder of the year under the Becca Bill. TARDINESS

Students are expected to be in class on time. When a student's tardiness becomes frequent, the student shall be referred for disciplinary action. In addition, excessive tardiness may result in the school requiring an Attendance Agreement for the remainder of the school year. At YHS, YMS, and RMS, students who are late to class 10 or more minutes are marked as an unexcused absence for that period.

PROCEDURES FOR “UNEXCUSED ABSENCES”

Unexcused absences fall into two categories:

A. A signed excuse which does not constitute an excused absence as defined previously (i.e. sleeping in, traffic, missing the bus, baby sitting, getting assignments done for a class, ride not showing up, lack of available transportation, etc.), or B. Failure on the part of the parent/guardian to notify the school in a timely manner (within a week).

PROCEDURES. The school shall use the following procedure when a student is absent:

A. Each unexcused absence shall be followed by telephone call or a letter sent home to the parent. B. When a student has two or more unexcused **absences within any month, a conference shall be requested by a school official to discuss reasons for the unexcused absences, possible measures to alleviate the cause of absences, and corrective actions. C. Not later than the student's fifth unexcused absence in a month, the district shall attempt to enter into an Attendance Agreement with the student and parent(s) that establishes attendance requirements. D. No later than the seventh unexcused absence within any month, or ten for the school year, the district must file a truancy petition and affidavit with the Juvenile Court alleging a violation of RCW 28A.225.010 by the student, or the parent, or parent and student. ______**1/2 day or more, OR the accumulation of hours/periods equivalent to one day shall constitute a day for the purposes of enforcing Becca Bill Regulations in the Yelm Community Schools District.

TRUANCY PETITION HEARINGS

1. When a truancy petition is filed, the juvenile court shall schedule a hearing to consider the petition, and also shall notify the child, parent/guardian and school district of such hearing. 2. If the Truancy petition is accepted by the juvenile court, the student's school attendance shall be placed under the jurisdiction of the court for the remainder of the school year, or "...for a period time determined by the court but in no case will the order expire before the end of the school year in which it is entered. " 3. A court may order a child subject to a petition under RCW 28A.225.030 to"...submit to testing for the use of controlled substances or alcohol based on the determination that such testing is appropriate to the circumstances and behavior of the child and will facilitate the child's compliance with the mandatory attendance law." 4. At such time as the court assumes jurisdiction, the school district shall report to the juvenile court in the form of a Motion of Contempt of Court Order, any unexcused absence, repeated unexcused tardiness, or any violation of school rules which results in the removal of the child from the school. 5. If the court finds the student and/or parent not in compliance with the Court Order, the Court may order the student to be punished by detention, impose alternatives to detention (i.e., community service, day detention school, drug treatment program), fine the parent not more than twenty-five dollars for each day of unexcused absence, or other consequences as assigned by the court.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

If you have any questions regarding Becca Bill regulations or Truancy Petitions filed, please call Scot Embrey, Principal, at (360) 458-4800. To obtain specific information on District Policy, call the Superintendent at the District Office at (360) 458-1900.