How many school days can you miss in Washington state?

Washington State law, RCW 28A. 225.030, sometimes referred to as the Becca Bill, requires that school districts file truancy petitions with the Juvenile Court when students (up to the age of 17) have accumulated seven unexcused absences in one month or ten unexcused absences in an academic year.

How many absences are allowed in a school year 2021 Washington?

What will the school district do? It depends. A child can miss school for a valid reason, such as illness. But if your child has 5 or more unexcused absences in a month, or 10 unexcused absences in a school year, the district may consider your child “truant” and can bring a truancy action against you and your child.

At what age are children required to attend school in Washington state?

What Are Washington’s Compulsory Education Laws? Washington’s compulsory education laws require children between the ages of eight (8) and 18 to attend school, with some exceptions.

What is acceptable school attendance?

An attendance rate of 95% is generally considered good; this allows for children to miss 9.5 days across the school year. Persistent absence (PA) is defined as an attendance rate of 90% or below.

What is the Becca Law?

The Becca Bill: Truancy, At Risk Youth and Child in Need of Services Programs. The BECCA Bill was passed in 1996 when the parents of a 13 year-old girl went to the juvenile court for help with their daughter, Rebecca. In terms of truancy, the bill made it mandatory for schools to notify parents of unexcused absences.

Can a parent go to jail for truancy in Washington state?

The short answer: yes. But flexible rules from the state around how school districts take attendance — and a new law that kicks in next summer — could make truancy cases less likely or harsh. That law prohibits the incarceration of youth for noncriminal offenses such as truancy, a failure to attend school.