• Missing the first 8 days of school (excused or not) means the student will not be enrolled unless a written agreement is made to start later. 
• Students must attend at least one day before October 1 to stay enrolled.

• Students absent for over 20 consecutive days will not be counted as enrolled unless:
• There is a written agreement with the school that the absence will not harm the student’s progress.
• The student receives home/hospital services and remains enrolled in the district.
• Students who are absent more than 20 days without an agreement may me subject to unenrollment for non-attendance.
• Students who are absent more than 20 days without an agreement may me subject to unenrollment for non-attendance.

• School or district-approved activities or programs. 
• Illness, medical appointments (doctor, dentist, optometrist). 
• 5 or more consecutive days require a doctor’s note. 
• Extended medical absences over 3 days or recurring appointments need a Preplanned Absence form. 
• Family emergencies or bereavements (more than 3 days need a Preplanned Absence form). 
• Court appearances or jury duty (official documents required). 
• Visits for post-secondary schools, apprenticeships, or scholarships (Preplanned Absence form needed). 
• State-recognized search and rescue activities (Preplanned Absence form needed). 
• Absences related to homelessness, deployment of a parent/guardian, or student safety concerns (like bullying or threats). 
• Disciplinary or corrective actions. 
• Migrant status related absences. 
• Absences for faith or conscience reasons, up to 2 days per year (Preplanned Absence form needed). Including religious or cultural holidays or instruction. 
• Approved activities that support learning, community, or skills (Preplanned Absence form needed). 
• Unsafe weather conditions affecting school transport.

• Early Dismissal need to be excused in advance, send an e-mail to chiefsealthhs.attendance@seattleschools.org,send a note with your student by the morning of the day of the Early Dismissal, or call the Attendance office at least 2 hours prior to dismissal. 
• Early dismissal due to illness (while at school) requires a release from the school nurse. The school nurse will contact and receive release authorization. Student must sign out at the Attendance office is mandatory before leaving school. 
• Students need an “Early Dismissal Pass” to leave school during a class period. Student can pick up their pass at the Attendance Office before school, at break or during lunch.  
• Students with “Early Dismissal Passes” can leave class at the time on their pass. The parent/guardian picking up the student does not need to come in to the Attendance Office to check out the student.  
• If you need to pick up a student during class time without advance (2 hours) notice, please come into the Attendance Office with your ID to sign your student out. Without advance notice, you will be asked to wait while we deliver the pass, as we do not call nor email during class time. To excuse the absence please provide note from Provider.   

If someone else picks up the student, they must be listed in the student record and show ID for safety.  

• Any absence not matching the excused reasons above is unexcused.
• Absences without a valid reason or proper parent notification are unexcused (e.g., family trips, oversleeping, missing the bus, babysitting).
• Leaving early without signing out is unexcused.
• Missing most of the school day counts as an unexcused (truant) day.

• Students MUST sign in at the attendance office EACH time they arrive at school late.  There is always a sign in sheet on the counter.  Record student name, the time of arrival and the reason for the late arrival. 
• Students who arrive to school after the bell rings will be marked tardy unless the late arrival is a SPS approved excusal reason. 
• Parent/guardian must notify the school within 2 days to excuse a tardy with a SPS approved excusal reason. 
• Schools may use tardies and early departures as part of attendance interventions 

• Submit a Preplanned Absence form at least 2 days before the absence. 
• It is not guaranteed to be excused just because it was planned. 

• Parent/guardian must notify the school within 2 school days after the student returns. 
• If absent 5 days in a row, a doctor’s note is required within 3 days of return. 

erages out to about two missed days per month. The following key details apply to this policy:

• All Absences Count: The 10% threshold includes all absences, regardless of the reason. This factors in excused absences, unexcused absences, and even out-of school suspensions.
• Partial Days Matter: Missing class time (such as late arrivals or early dismissals) can also accumulate and be converted into full-day absences.
• Truancy is Different: Truancy refers specifically to unexcused absences. By Washington state and district guidelines, a student may be considered truant if they have 7 unexcused absences in a month or 15 unexcused absences in a school year.
• State & District Tracking: Both the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and SPS monitor chronic absenteeism as a leading indicator of student equity, academic struggles, and drop-out risk.

How many absences in a month are considered chronic?

Missing just 2 days per month is widely considered the threshold for chronic absenteeism. In both educational and professional settings, this averages out to missing 10% or more of your total scheduled time for any reason (excused or unexcused)

The Impact of Chronic Absenteeism:

Chronic absenteeism creates a cascading negative effect that impacts individual students, classroom environments, and long-term societal outcomes

Why Attendance and Chronic Absenteeism Matter:

Seattle Public Schools’ Commitment to Increasing Student Attendance and Reducing Chronic Absenteeism

Seattle Public Schools, along with the Puget Sound Educational Service District (PSESD) and neighboring districts, have committed to addressing chronic absenteeism.

Attendance has been proven to be one of the most powerful predictors of academic achievement and can have a dramatic impact on key milestones, including third grade reading, 9th grade achievement, high school graduation, and life success.

Chronic absenteeism is defined as a student missing 10 percent of school, regardless of the reason — that’s 18 days in a school year!

A focus on chronic absenteeism examines the link between loss of instructional time and academic achievement. An awareness of chronic absenteeism and its potential impact will empower students, families, and communities to make informed decisions regarding missing school.

We are dedicated to providing the best educational experience for our students and part of that is increasing attendance and reducing chronic absenteeism.

Truancy is when a student misses school without a valid excuse. Schools often treat excused and unexcused absences the same way when it comes to counting how often a student is absent. If a student misses a certain number of days, it can trigger a truancy process. This process involves the school documenting the absences and possibly reporting them to a state agency, local school district, or law enforcement. Chronic absenteeism, which includes both excused and unexcused absences, can affect a child’s success in school by reducing their learning time and opportunities for extra help.

When do I come by the attendance window? 
When you arrive late to school you MUST sign in each time. 

When you need to drop off forms and or notes from parents and or pick up forms from the attendance specialist. 

Do I sign in at the attendance when I’m late (any period)? 
Yes, sign in at the attendance window when arriving late so that we can accurately reflect attendance. 

What do I do if I was in class and marked absent? 
Stop by the attendance window for an Attendance Correction slip. Teacher permission is needed to remove an absence or tardy. Or speak to your teacher to clear the mistake; your parent cannot clear/excuse the absence for you. 

Which absences need a Preplanned Absence form versus email or note? 
Scroll up to see Definitions (Seattle School District) Valid Excuses 

What if I forget to hand in a Preplanned Absence form before an absence? 
Your absences will stay unexcused (don’t forget to hand in – day before ok – otherwise it’s too late). 

What if I have recurring medical appointments and want to leave the same time, same day, each week? 
Make sure to have your parent/guardian send an email or note to the attendance office providing all necessary information along with a medical note from your medical provider to help support the recurring appointment. 

When is it too late to excuse an absence? 
Important: You now have three (3) days to update attendance from the date of absence.  

What if I’m feeling sick at school and want to go home? 
You must see the nurse, or their backup, and they will determine if you can be released to leave. They will contact your parent/ guardian and then notify the attendance office that you left early excused illness.  If you leave without seeing the nurse the absence will be unexcused. 

Can my parent call so I can leave early when I feel sick? 
So long as it meets the early dismissal guidelines… must be in advance (at least an hour). 

What if my parents can’t pick me up; can someone else? 
So long as “someone else” is listed as a contact in your record; or a written authorization is sent with the early dismissal request (email and phone calls are not accepted). 

What if I walk out of class, or go to the bathroom and stay too long? 
Your teacher will mark you ‘left early unexcused’ or ‘absent.’

How is attendance updated for in-school participation/events (class meetings, PSAT, College/Career day, various individualized testing, etc.)? 
Attendance is taken at the event, verified by organizers, then submitted to attendance for entry. Do not anticipate attendance updates the same day (check your SOURCE account to verify completion). 

How is early dismissal for sports handled? 
The coach submits a student roster to the attendance office; the attendance office will update attendance accordingly.  Parents cannot excuse students for sports early dismissals. 

5 excused absences in a month

Schedule a family conference, convene 504/IEP and/or McKinney-Vento team if applicable.

10 excused absences in the school year

Schedule a family conference, convene 504/IEP and/or McKinney-Vento team if applicable.

1st unexcused absence

Inform parent/Guardian in home language.

3rd unexcused absences

Schedule a meeting/conference with the parent/legal guardian and student. Convene 504/IEP/McKinney-Vento if applicable.

Between the 2nd and 7th unexcused absence

The school is required to take data informed steps* to address barriers to attendance.

7th unexcused absences within 30 days

School must either enter into a written agreement with the family, refer to District Attendance Office, or file a truancy petition in juvenile court.

15th unexcused absences in a school year

School must enter into a written agreement, if not done so yet. District Attendance Office will file Truancy Petition.

1st Unexcused Absence

Must inform the parent/guardian there is an unexcused absence.

Between the 2nd and 7th Unexcused Absence

• Must apply the Attendance Student Assessment and take data informed steps* to address barriers to attendance.
• Attendance Student Assessment

3rd Unexcused Absence

• Must schedule a conference to identify barriers, provide supports and resources.
• Who should be at the conference?
  • At least one school district employee such as a nurse, counselor, social worker, teacher, or community human services provider
  • the parent/guardian/supportive adult
  • the student
  • If a student has a 504 or IEP and/or McKinney-Vento: The IEP team that created the program or plan is required.

Not later than the 7th Unexcused Absence

1. Enter into an attendance agreement between the school, parent, & student,
2. Refer to a Community Engagement Board (CEB), OR
3. File a Truancy Petition

7th Unexcused Absence

7th excused absence in a month and not later than fifteenth unexcused absence in a year: must file a truancy petition with Juvenile Court.