WCPS staff outline withdrawal/transfer procedures and W50 code for students not accessing services
Summary
District staff explained student exit categories, Maryland’s student-record guidance and the W50 withdrawal code used for students with over 10 consecutive unlawful absences or unknown whereabouts, describing outreach, home visits, SRO well‑checks and state reporting practices.
Dr. Jacoby presented Washington County Public Schools’ procedures for student withdrawal and transfers, summarizing the Maryland Student Record System manual and the district’s use of withdrawal codes.
He said three exit categories exist under state guidance: completers (diploma/certificate), transfers (records-request driven) and withdrawals. The state provides 21 withdrawal codes; Dr. Jacoby focused on W50 — “students not accessing educational services” — which the manual directs be used for students with more than 10 consecutive unlawful absences or whose whereabouts are unknown.
"In the state manual ... for a student that has more than 10 consecutive unlawful absences, the student should be exited with a code W50," Dr. Jacoby explained. He said schools exhaust outreach (phone calls, texts, emails), make home visits (sometimes with school resource officers), use address-lookup tools and maintain W50 lists for follow-up and re‑engagement. W50s are reported to the state three times per year; if a receiving school later submits a records request, the district updates the record to a transfer (T) code.
Dr. Jacoby shared a snapshot: since July 1 the district entered 31 elementary W50 withdrawals; 16 of those students returned, eight families confirmed moves out of the country, five confirmed moves out of state, and two were out‑of‑county moves with a recent records request received for one of them. He stressed the list is fluid and staff continue outreach and re‑engagement efforts.
Board members pressed staff on responses when well-checks find no one at a residence. Dr. Jacoby said law enforcement may take actions and the district will coordinate with DSS and other partners to ensure documented, exhaustive outreach and clarify interagency responsibilities. A board member suggested the board could consider supporting legislation to clarify agency roles when students disappear from school rosters.
District staff did not propose any immediate changes to W50 practice at the work session but committed to further discussions with law enforcement and social services to tighten procedures and documentation.
