Truancy Supports and Resources

Attendance Videos

Watch our collection of Attendance & Truancy videos on our YouTube playlist.

Upcoming Learning Opportunities 

Contact Information

This page provides tools for understanding data, planning and assessment, attendance screeners, and various resources for effectively communicating about attendance. Chapter 28A.225 requires schools and districts to take preventative and early intervention steps to support youth to remain engaged, before filing a truancy petition. The following resources are intended to support schools and districts to implement these required steps in a proactive, strengths-based manner. 

Truancy 101: An Overview of Washington Truancy Processes, Laws and Guidance

OSPI Attendance Guiding Principles
  • Attendance and engagement are foundational to student learning
  • Absences tell us when a student has not accessed instruction. Absences are a critical early warning indicator that:
    • can reflect inequities that are caused by or perpetuated by our systems or
    • when a student and family might need more support
  • We have an opportunity to get curious about why students aren’t attending
  • Students and families are our best partners in understanding the barriers to attendance
  • Schools and districts have lots of opportunities for prevention and intervention before involving the court
Truancy Starter Kit

This kit is intended to support Attendance and Truancy professionals (District Truancy Liaisons, attendance clerks, and specialists) in setting themselves up for success at the start of the school year. This kit includes an overview of Washington Laws and Policies, key resources, and ideas for where you can start and how to get organized.

The Start of the Year Attendance PowerPoint Template is a tool designed to assist school districts in developing comprehensive back-to-school training sessions for staff. School districts can create customized presentations that address specific attendance goals, highlight best practices, and foster a collaborative approach to improving student engagement and success.

Beginning of the Year Letter: Letter to Parents/Families

At the beginning of the school year, school districts are required to provide an information letter to all students and parents enrolled in the school about the benefits of regular school attendance, the potential effects of excessive absenteeism, parents' expectations regarding attendance, and the school's role and responsibilities (RCW.28A.225.005). 

 After 1 Unexcused Absence: Notify Parents

Schools are to inform a child’s parent by a notice in writing or by telephone whenever a student has missed one unexcused absence. (RCW.28A.225.020(a)) 

Notify Parents when students are absent 

5 Days Excused (Elementary): Parent conference

For elementary school students, after 5 excused absences in a month or 10 excused absences in a year, the school must schedule a conference with the parent of an elementary student and the child to identify barriers to attendance and supports/resources available to assist the family, with some exceptions (RCW 28A.225.018). If the student has an individualized education program (IEP) or 504 Plan, the IEP or 504 team must convene.

After 3 Unexcused Absences in a Month; Parent Conference

Schools are to schedule a conference with parents/guardians and students to identify attendance barriers. The school and family work together to create an attendance plan (RCW.28A.225.020(b)). 

Parent Conference

Between 2 and 7 Unexcused Absences in a Year: Data-based Interventions

At some point after the second and before the seventh unexcused absence, schools are to take data-informed steps to eliminate or reduce student absences (RCW.28A.225.020(c)) 

Take data-informed steps

Research shows that chronic absenteeism is a symptom of other barriers that prevent students from attending school. We have identified data-informed resources for some of the more common root causes of student absences. Visit OSPI’s Attendance Root Causes page for tools to support barrier removal.  

Administer an assessment to identify barriers 

The OSPI Guidance on Attendance & Truancy Assessments/Screeners provides information on validated attendance & truancy assessments/screeners that school districts can use to help identify barriers to attendance for students in middle and high school. This guidance supports schools and districts to meet the requirement to administer an assessment between the 2nd and 7th unexcused absence in RCW 28A.225.020.  

For students with an Individualized Education Program (IEP), the family and IEP team should be working on identifying reasons behind any prolonged absences or school refusal.

After 7 Unexcused in a Month and No Later than 15 Unexcused Absences in a Year: Petition and/or CEB

Refer student to a Community Engagement Board (CEB) or file a truancy petition (RCW 28A.225.030).

Community Engagement Board (CEB):

Truancy Petition

Before filing a truancy petition, all required steps must have been attempted before filing a truancy petition. See the required steps for elementary and secondary schools. Truancy petitions in Washington are a civil action; Once a district files a truancy petition with the juvenile court, petitions are stayed (put on hold) to allow for more time and interventions before seeing a judge. The majority of students with a petition filed never set foot in a court room. (See OSPI Truancy data here). Connect with your local court to learn more about their process. 

Sample Letter to Notify Parents that a Truancy Petition will be filed and the student will be referred to a Community Engagement Board.

Truancy Workshops

A truancy workshop is an excellent group intervention and support that can prevent students and families from moving further along the truancy process. A truancy workshop provides information regarding truancy laws, attendance expectations, and resources to multiple families at one time. A workshop is a good place to conference with families to identify barriers to attendance and build a plan for increased attendance.

*Juvenile courts are no longer allowed to place students in juvenile detention for status offenses (truancy or running away). See Engrossed Second Substitute Senate Bill 5290 (2019).

Identification of District Truancy Liaison

All school districts are required to designate and identify a person(s) to coordinate school districts' efforts to address excessive absenteeism and truancy to OSPI (RCW 28A. 225.026). You can verify and update your district’s liaison information on OSPI’s District Truancy Liaison Website.