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Attendance

SPS Attendance

A state law, called the “Becca Bill,” requires children between 8 and 18 to attend public school regularly, with few exceptions. The Becca Bill also requires schools and parents to make sure children attend school. When students have repeated unexcused absences, it is called “truancy.”

Regular school attendance is the key to student academic success.

Research shows that missing 10% of the school year for any reason negatively affects a student’s academic performance.

10% is equivalent to missing 2 days a month.

All children in Washington state have a constitutionally guaranteed right to an education. They are also legally required to attend school.

If your child was unenrolled or dropped due to non-attendance at the beginning September 4October 4, 2024-25 school year, families can re-enroll their student for in-person learning by calling your school’s front office or contacting the admissions office. Our district admissions office is currently receiving a high volume of calls. For a faster response, please visit the admissions center at the John Stanford Center for Educational Excellence or contact us via Let’s Talk.

Compulsory Attendance Letters

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

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.

Attendance Questions and Resources

Parents and guardians can check their student’s attendance on The Source.

General attendance questions should be directed to your student’s school or the SPS Attendance Office attendance@708212.com. You should also contact our SPS Attendance Rep if you have questions about truancy or an attendance letter you’ve received from the district or court.

Please contact your student’s school directly if:

  • Your student will be, is, or was absent, or
  • You have a question about an automated message you received

If you have any other questions or concerns about your student’s attendance, do not hesitate to contact your student’s school, or the SPS Attendance Office.

Other general questions may be directed to: attendance@708212.com or 206-252-0827, or to your school’s  Attendance Office Contact.

Resources for Families

Attendance Intervention for Schools

Five universal strategies for building a culture of high attendance expectations.

Tackling Chronic Absence: 5 Universal Strategies for Building a Culture of High Attendance Expectations (Adapted from attendanceworks.org)

  1. Recognize good and improved attendance
  2. Intentionally and proactively engage students and families
  3. Monitor attendance data and daily practices
  4. Facilitate personalized and early outreach to students with attendance concerns
  5. Identify programmatic responses to barriers to school attendance

Resources for School Staff

Additional resources can be found on the Attendance Works website.