Improving attendance by decreasing truancy and reconnecting students who have
excessive absences continues to be a goal of Tacoma Public Schools. The
District’s truancy prevention program is an attendance accountability program,
which helps to retrieve and reconnect truant students, reduce juvenile crime,
identify resources for truant youth and reaffirm for families the importance of
education in the progress and success of young adults.
The District will continue its collaboration with Safe Streets, City of Tacoma,
Tacoma Police Department and the Pierce County Juvenile Court to help truant
students stay in school. There are proven results that (1) students who attend
school on a regular basis are more successful both during their formal school
involvement and after they graduate and move onto higher education and/or
careers and (2) juvenile crimes in the community are reduced when fewer students
are truant.
School Attendance is mandated by law. Students who are found off school property
during school hours are subject to state truancy laws. The following procedures
will be implemented when a student is found in violation of the truancy laws:
- Truant students contacted by the Truancy Services Facilitator, Tacoma
Police Officers or school district security officers who lack adequate written
permission to be off school property will be transported back to school and
released to administrator
- The Truancy Services Facilitator, a Police Officer or district School
security officers will initiate a Truancy Violation Report
- Building administrator(s) will be given copies of the violation report,
which contains personal information about the student, time and location of
where the student was contacted.
- The school administrator will indicate on the violation report the
disciplinary action taken for truancy and fax or send a copy to Korinna Barth,
Truancy Services Facilitator, within two (2) school days.
- The Truancy Services Facilitator will notify parents/guardians of students
truancy by telephone and/or letter.
- A copy of the violation report will be forwarded to parents/guardians for
signature and returned to students school.
- Chronic absences may warrant both parent/guardian and students to attend
the Attendance Accountability Class as a violation sanction for truancy.
- Students will be referred/recommended for counseling and/or mentoring upon
assessment of truancy with parental consent.
Please remind your child/children that Tacoma Schools has a district-wide
Closed Campus Policy with the exception of the School of the Arts (SOTA).
This means:
- Students should be in school on time. If your child/children leaves home
late, please provide him/her with a note that can be verified by telephone.
- Students who need to leave school grounds during the school day are required
to check out through the main office. This includes students going home sick
or having medical appointments during the school day.
- Students must have a pass, note or special program card to be off campus
during school hours.
- Students who regularly have late arrival, early dismissal or participate in
diversified occupations should have a special program card to carry and
produce with their school identification, that verifies their altered
schedule.
For more information about the Tacoma Truancy Prevention Program, please call
253.571.1012.
