OSPI, courts and ESDs outline strategies to curb chronic absenteeism in Washington schools

OSPI Assistant Director of Attendance and Engagement Chrissy Johnson and OSPI Senior Policy Analyst Mitra Tranisky told the Early Learning & K‑12 Education Committee that attendance is foundational to learning and that early, supportive interventions should precede court involvement.

OSPI described chronic absence — missing 10% or more of school days, about 18 days in a typical year, counting excused and unexcused absences — as an “early warning indicator” and said Washington had about 73% of students attending 90% or more of days last year (the inverse implies roughly 27% of students were chronically absent). The office also said truancy, defined in the state by thresholds of seven unexcused absences in a month and 15 in a year, triggers required district interventions and — only after those interventions — a petition to juvenile court.

OSPI outlined recent work to build capacity in districts and ESDs, including an ESSER attendance and reengagement project that worked with more than 80 districts, every Educational Service District (ESD), and several state schools. The effort funded regional coordinators, coaching on MTSS (multi‑tiered systems of support) practices and one‑to‑one outreach for students who had disengaged. “Attendance is foundational to student learning,” Johnson said, adding that relationships with trusted adults and a safe, supportive school environment are critical for…