Policy No.	3121
	Adoption Date:	July 11, 1984
	Revised:	September 22, 1999

STUDENTS COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE

Parents of any child eight years of age and under eighteen years of age shall cause such child to attend school and such child shall have the responsibility to and therefore shall attend for the full time when such school may be in session unless the child is enrolled in an approved private school, an educational center as provided in chapter 28A.205 RCW or is receiving home-based instruction. Parents of any child six or seven years old, who have enrolled the child in school, shall cause the child to attend school for the full time when such school may be in session, unless the child is formally withdrawn from enrollment by the parents.

Exception may be granted by the superintendent in the following circumstances:

1. The student is physically or mentally unable to attend school;
2. The student is attending a residential school operated by the Department of Social and Health Services;
3. The student's parents have requested a temporary absence for purposes agreed to by the district and which will not cause a serious adverse effect on the student's educational process;
4. The student is sixteen years of age, regularly and lawfully employed and either has parent permission or is emancipated pursuant to chapter 13.64 RCW;
5. The student has met graduation requirements;
6. The student has received a certificate of educational competence (GED).

Any law enforcement officer authorized to make arrests can take a truant child into custody without a warrant and must then deliver the child to the parent or to the school.

The district shall not require enrollment for either (a) a minimum number of semesters or trimesters or (b) a minimum number of courses in a semester or trimester which exceeds the enrollment time or courses necessary for a student to meet established course, credit, and test requirements for high school graduation.

Cross References:

Board Policy	3114	Part-time, Home-based, or Off-campus Students
	3122	Excused and Unexcused Absences

Legal References:

AGO	1980 No. 6	Truancy--Enforcement of compulsory attendance law
RCW	28A.225.010	Attendance mandatory--Age--Persons having custody shall cause child to attend public school -- When excused
	28A.225.080	Employment permits
	28A.225.090	Penalties in general--Defense--Suspension of fine--Complaints to court
WAC	180-51-020	Additional local standards