HB 1818: Truancy

Summary

• $ If a 6- or 7-year-old enrolls full-time in public school, the child is required to attend school regularly and the truancy provisions apply if the child does not attend regularly. If a 6- or 7-year old becomes truant, any petitions are to be filed against the parent, not the student.
• $ When a truancy petition is filed, the court requires a truancy board to work out an agreement and if this fails, the court uses civil contempt and detention to get the truant child back in school.
• $ When a child transfers from one school district to another, attendance records follow; when a child moves from one county to another, the truancy petition can be transferred to the new county.
• $ If funds are available, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) studies truancy issues and also provides grants for alternative education programs and services.
• $ The juvenile court is to establish community truancy boards and may delegate that responsibility to a school district if the district agrees to operate a truancy board.

From the Second Substitute House Bill Report (2SHB 1818), written by the Legislature's nonpartisan staff. Read the full report ↗