Attendance
Student attendance is an essential component of student success!
Why Attendance Matters
Showing up, on time and ready to learn, is one of the strongest predictors of a child’s success in school. Consistent attendance helps children build friendships, keep pace with instruction, and develop habits that carry them through their education. Even in TK and Kindergarten, the routine of being present every day matters. We are your partners in this, and our first response to attendance concerns is always to understand what is going on and to help.
Showing up, on time and ready to learn, is one of the strongest predictors of a child’s success in school. Consistent attendance helps children build friendships, keep pace with instruction, and develop habits that carry them through their education. Even in TK and Kindergarten, the routine of being present every day matters. We are your partners in this, and our first response to attendance concerns is always to understand what is going on and to help.
Reporting an Absence
If your child will be absent, please call the office the same day or complete the digital absence form on our school website. When your child returns, send a note or, when applicable, a doctor’s note. Please include your child’s name, grade, room number, teacher, the reason for the absence, and the dates. This lets us record the absence correctly and, where it qualifies, mark it excused.
If your child will be absent, please call the office the same day or complete the digital absence form on our school website. When your child returns, send a note or, when applicable, a doctor’s note. Please include your child’s name, grade, room number, teacher, the reason for the absence, and the dates. This lets us record the absence correctly and, where it qualifies, mark it excused.
Excused and Unexcused Absences
California law (Education Code 48205) lists the reasons an absence is excused. These include illness or quarantine, medical, dental, optometric, or mental health appointments, attendance at the funeral of an immediate family member (limited to one day in state and three days out of state), jury duty, the illness or medical appointment of a child of whom the student is the custodial parent, and justifiable personal reasons approved in advance, such as a court appearance or a religious observance. A full list appears in the district’s Annual Notification to Parents.
California law (Education Code 48205) lists the reasons an absence is excused. These include illness or quarantine, medical, dental, optometric, or mental health appointments, attendance at the funeral of an immediate family member (limited to one day in state and three days out of state), jury duty, the illness or medical appointment of a child of whom the student is the custodial parent, and justifiable personal reasons approved in advance, such as a court appearance or a religious observance. A full list appears in the district’s Annual Notification to Parents.
An absence for a reason not on that list is unexcused. Please note that family travel and vacations during the school year are generally unexcused. If you have a planned absence, contact the office in advance about Independent Study, described below, which can let your child keep learning and protect their attendance record.
Our Early Support Approach
Our goal is to catch attendance concerns early and support your family, not to penalize you. At Washington, we consider more than five absences or more than five tardies in a school year a signal to reach out. When that happens, here is what you can expect, in order:
Our goal is to catch attendance concerns early and support your family, not to penalize you. At Washington, we consider more than five absences or more than five tardies in a school year a signal to reach out. When that happens, here is what you can expect, in order:
First, a letter from the principal letting you know we have noticed and offering to help. Next, if absences continue, an invitation to a Student Attendance Review Team (SART) meeting, where we sit down together to understand the barriers and build a plan. The State of California encourages this conversation even when absences are excused, because our aim is to remove whatever is getting in the way. Finally, if concerns persist after that support, the matter may be referred to the district and the School Attendance Review Board (SARB), a support process that brings in additional resources to help your child get back on track.
We know children get sick and life happens. Please keep us informed, send documentation when you have it, and talk to us early. That is what makes the difference.
Understanding the Terms
Two terms are easy to confuse, so here is the plain version. A student is considered truant after three or more unexcused absences, or unexcused tardies of more than thirty minutes, in a school year. A student is considered a chronic truant when unexcused absences reach ten percent or more of the school year. Truancy counts only unexcused absences.
Two terms are easy to confuse, so here is the plain version. A student is considered truant after three or more unexcused absences, or unexcused tardies of more than thirty minutes, in a school year. A student is considered a chronic truant when unexcused absences reach ten percent or more of the school year. Truancy counts only unexcused absences.
Chronic absenteeism is different. It counts every absence, excused and unexcused, once a student misses ten percent or more of the days they were enrolled. A child home sick with a doctor’s note is not truant, but those days still count toward chronic absenteeism, which is why we care about total days missed and why early support matters.
Parents are no longer subject to criminal fines or penalties related to a child’s attendance. Our focus, and the purpose of every step above, is support.