1818-S2 AMS HSC S2551

1818-S2 AMS HSC S2551.2

2SHB 1818 - S COMM AMD

By Committee on Human Services & Corrections

Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:

"Sec. 1. RCW 28A.225.020 and 1996 c 134 s 2 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) If a child required to attend school under RCW 28A.225.010 fails to attend school without valid justification, the public school in which the child is enrolled shall:

(a) Inform the child's custodial parent, parents, or guardian by a notice in writing or by telephone whenever the child has failed to attend school after one unexcused absence within any month during the current school year. School officials shall inform the parent of the potential consequences of additional unexcused absences;

(b) Schedule a conference or conferences with the custodial parent, parents, or guardian and child at a time reasonably convenient for all persons included for the purpose of analyzing the causes of the child's absences after two unexcused absences within any month during the current school year. If a regularly scheduled parent-teacher conference day is to take place within thirty days of the second unexcused absence, then the school district may schedule this conference on that day; and

(c) Take steps to eliminate or reduce the child's absences. These steps shall include, where appropriate, adjusting the child's school program or school or course assignment, providing more individualized or remedial instruction, providing appropriate vocational courses or work experience, referring the child to a community truancy board, if available, requiring the child to attend an alternative school or program, or assisting the parent or child to obtain supplementary services that might eliminate or ameliorate the cause or causes for the absence from school. If the child's parent does not attend the scheduled conference, the conference may be conducted with the student and school official. However, the parent shall be notified of the steps to be taken to eliminate or reduce the child's absence.

(2) For purposes of this chapter, an "unexcused absence" means that a child:

(a) Has failed to attend the majority of hours or periods in an average school day or has failed to comply with a more restrictive school district policy; and

(b) Has failed to meet the school district's policy for excused absences.

(3) If a child transfers from one school district to another, the receiving school or school district shall honor the attendance record including the unexcused absences accumulated at the previous school or from the previous school district.

Sec. 2. RCW 28A.225.030 and 1996 c 134 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) If a child is required to attend school under RCW 28A.225.010 and if the actions taken by a school district under RCW 28A.225.020 are not successful in substantially reducing an enrolled student's absences from public school, not later than the seventh unexcused absence by a child within any month during the current school year or not later than the tenth unexcused absence during the current school year the school district shall file a petition and supporting affidavit for a civil action with the juvenile court alleging a violation of RCW 28A.225.010: (a) By the parent; (b) by the child; or (c) by the parent and the child. Except as provided in this subsection, no additional documents need be filed with the petition.

(2) The district shall not later than the fifth unexcused absence in a month:

(a) Enter into an agreement with a student and parent that establishes school attendance requirements;

(b) Refer a student to a community truancy board, if available, as defined in RCW 28A.225.025. The community truancy board shall enter into an agreement with the student and parent that establishes school attendance requirements and take other appropriate actions to reduce the child's absences; or

(3) The petition may be filed by a school district employee who is not an attorney.

(4) If the school district fails to file a petition under this section, the parent of a child with five or more unexcused absences in any month during the current school year or upon the tenth unexcused absence during the current school year may file a petition with the juvenile court alleging a violation of RCW 28A.225.010.

(5) Petitions filed under this section may be served by certified mail, return receipt requested. If such service is unsuccessful, or the return receipt is not signed by the addressee, personal service is required.

Sec. 3. RCW 28A.225.035 and 1997 c 68 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) A petition for a civil action under RCW 28A.225.030 shall consist of a written notification to the court alleging that:

(a) The child has unexcused absences during the current school year;

(b) Actions taken by the school district have not been successful in substantially reducing the child's absences from school; and

(c) Court intervention and supervision are necessary to assist the school district or parent to reduce the child's absences from school.

(2) The petition shall set forth the name, age, school, and residence of the child and the names and residence of the child's parents.

(3) The petition shall set forth facts that support the allegations in this section and shall generally request relief available under this chapter and provide information about what the court might order under RCW 28A.225.090.

(4) When a petition is filed under RCW 28A.225.030, the juvenile court shall schedule a hearing at which the court shall consider the petition((~~. However~~)), or if the court determines that a referral to an available community truancy board would substantially reduce the child's unexcused absences, the court may, with agreement of all parties, refer the case to a community truancy board under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court.

(5) If a referral is made to a community truancy board, the truancy board must meet with the child, a parent, and the school representative, within thirty days of the referral. The truancy board and the child must enter into an agreement regarding expectations and any actions necessary to address the child's truancy within thirty days of the referral. The agreement shall be presented to the juvenile court for its approval.

(6) The court shall approve the agreement by order or schedule a hearing. The court may, if the school district and community truancy board agree, permit the truancy board to provide continued supervision over the student and report on compliance with the order.

(7) If the child fails to enter into an agreement with the truancy board, the truancy board shall return the case to the juvenile court for a hearing.

(8) Notwithstanding the provisions in subsection (4) of this section, a hearing shall not be required if other actions by the court would substantially reduce the child's unexcused absences. When a juvenile court hearing is held, the court shall:

(a) Separately notify the child, the parent of the child, and the school district of the hearing;

(b) Notify the parent and the child of their rights to present evidence at the hearing; and

((~~(5)~~)) (9) The court may require the attendance of ((~~both~~)) the child ((~~and~~)), the parents, and the school district at any hearing on a petition filed under RCW 28A.225.030.

((~~(6)~~)) (10) A school district is responsible for determining who shall represent the school district at hearings on a petition filed under RCW 28A.225.030.

(11) The court may permit the first hearing to be held without requiring that either party be represented by legal counsel, and to be held without a guardian ad litem for the child under RCW 4.08.050. At the request of the school district, the court ((~~may~~)) shall permit a school district representative who is not an attorney to represent the school district at any future hearings.

((~~(7)~~)) (12) If the allegations in the petition are established by a preponderance of the evidence, the court shall grant the petition and enter an order assuming jurisdiction to intervene for the period of time determined by the court, after considering the facts alleged in the petition and the circumstances of the juvenile, to most likely cause the juvenile to return to and remain in school while the juvenile is subject to this chapter. In no case may the order expire before the end of the school year in which it is entered.

((~~(8)~~)) (13) If the court assumes jurisdiction, the school district shall regularly report to the court any additional unexcused absences by the child.

((~~(9)~~)) (14) Community truancy boards and the courts shall coordinate, to the extent possible, proceedings and actions pertaining to children who are subject to truancy petitions and at-risk youth petitions in RCW 13.32A.191 or child in need of services petitions in RCW 13.32A.140.

(15) If after a juvenile court assumes jurisdiction in one county the child relocates to another county, the juvenile court in the receiving county shall, upon the request of a school district or parent, assume jurisdiction of the petition filed in the previous county.

Sec. 4. RCW 28A.225.090 and 1998 c 296 s 39 are each amended to read as follows:

(1) A court may order a child subject to a petition under RCW 28A.225.035 to:

(a) Attend the child's current school;

(b) If there is space available and the program can provide educational services appropriate for the child, order the child to attend another public school, an alternative education program, center, a skill center, dropout prevention program, or another public educational program;

(c) Attend a private nonsectarian school or program including an education center. Before ordering a child to attend an approved or certified private nonsectarian school or program, the court shall: (i) Consider the public and private programs available; (ii) find that placement is in the best interest of the child; and (iii) find that the private school or program is willing to accept the child and will not charge any fees in addition to those established by contract with the student's school district. If the court orders the child to enroll in a private school or program, the child's school district shall contract with the school or program to provide educational services for the child. The school district shall not be required to contract for a weekly rate that exceeds the state general apportionment dollars calculated on a weekly basis generated by the child and received by the district. A school district shall not be required to enter into a contract that is longer than the remainder of the school year. A school district shall not be required to enter into or continue a contract if the child is no longer enrolled in the district;

(d) Be referred to a community truancy board, if available; or

(e) Submit to testing for the use of controlled substances or alcohol based on a determination that such testing is appropriate to the circumstances and behavior of the child and will facilitate the child's compliance with the mandatory attendance law.

(2) If the child fails to comply with the court order, the court may order the child to be ((~~punished by~~)) subject to detention, as provided in RCW 7.21.030(2)(e), or may impose alternatives to detention such as community service. Failure by a child to comply with an order issued under this subsection shall not be ((~~punishable by~~)) subject to detention for a period greater than that permitted pursuant to a civil contempt proceeding against a child under chapter 13.32A RCW.

(3) Any parent violating any of the provisions of either RCW 28A.225.010 or 28A.225.080 shall be fined not more than twenty-five dollars for each day of unexcused absence from school. It shall be a defense for a parent charged with violating RCW 28A.225.010 to show that he or she exercised reasonable diligence in attempting to cause a child in his or her custody to attend school or that the child's school did not perform its duties as required in RCW 28A.225.020. The court may order the parent to provide community service instead of imposing a fine. Any fine imposed pursuant to this section may be suspended upon the condition that a parent charged with violating RCW 28A.225.010 shall participate with the school and the child in a supervised plan for the child's attendance at school or upon condition that the parent attend a conference or conferences scheduled by a school for the purpose of analyzing the causes of a child's absence.

(4) If a child continues to be truant after entering into a court-approved order with the truancy board under RCW 28A.225.035, the juvenile court shall find the child in contempt, and the court may order the child to be subject to detention, as provided in RCW 7.21.030(2)(e), or may impose alternatives to detention such as community service. Failure by a child to comply with an order issued under this subsection may not be subject to detention for a period greater than that permitted under a civil contempt proceeding against a child under chapter 13.32A RCW.

Sec. 5. RCW 28A.225.025 and 1996 c 134 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:

For purposes of this chapter, "community truancy board" means a board composed of members of the local community in which the child attends school. ((~~The local school district boards of directors~~)) Juvenile courts may establish and operate community truancy boards. If the juvenile court and the school district agree, a school district may establish and operate a community truancy board under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. Juvenile courts may create a community truancy board or may use other ((~~boards~~)) entities that exist or are created, such as diversion ((~~boards~~)) units. However, a diversion unit or other existing ((~~board~~)) entity must agree before it is used as a truancy board. ((~~Members of the board shall be selected from representatives of the community.~~)) Duties of a community truancy board shall include, but not be limited to, recommending methods for improving school attendance such as assisting the parent or the child to obtain supplementary services that might eliminate or ameliorate the causes for the absences or suggesting to the school district that the child enroll in another school, an alternative education program, an education center, a skill center, a dropout prevention program, or another public or private educational program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. A new section is added to chapter 28A.225 RCW to read as follows:

(1) If a parent enrolls a child who is six or seven years of age in the public school system and that child has unexcused absences, the public school in which the child is enrolled shall:

(b) Request a conference or conferences with the custodial parent, parents, or guardian and child at a time reasonably convenient for all persons included for the purpose of analyzing the causes of the child's absences after two unexcused absences within any month during the current school year. If a regularly scheduled parent-teacher conference day is to take place within thirty days of the second unexcused absence, then the school district may schedule this conference on that day; and

(c) Take steps to eliminate or reduce the child's absences. These steps shall include, where appropriate, adjusting the child's school program or school or course assignment, providing more individualized or remedial instruction, offering assistance in enrolling the child in available alternative schools or programs, or assisting the parent or child to obtain supplementary services that may help eliminate or ameliorate the cause or causes for the absence from school.

(2) A child whose parents formally remove the child from enrollment in public school shall not be subject to the provisions of subsection (1) of this section.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. A new section is added to chapter 28A.300 RCW to read as follows:

The superintendent of public instruction shall provide, to the extent funds are appropriated, start-up grants for alternative programs and services that provide instruction and learning for truant, at-risk, and expelled students. Each grant application shall contain proposed performance indicators and an evaluation plan to measure the success of the program and its impact on improved student learning. Applications shall contain the applicant's plan for maintaining the program and services after the grant period.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. If funds are appropriated by the legislature for this specific purpose the superintendent of public instruction shall contract with the institute of public policy or a similar agency to: Evaluate the effectiveness of the petition process and community truancy boards in chapter 28A.225 RCW in reducing truancy; determine whether students who do return to school after being subject to court action create disruptions for other students in the school, establish patterns of improved attendance, and successfully complete their education program; and determine the costs imposed on school districts by the petition process and other truancy-related procedural requirements required by the legislature in 1992 and thereafter.

The cost determination shall be submitted to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 15, 1999. The evaluation shall be submitted to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 15, 2000.

This section expires December 31, 2000."

2SHB 1818 - S COMM AMD

By Committee on Human Services & Corrections

On page 1, line 1 of the title, after "attendance;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "amending RCW 28A.225.020, 28A.225.030, 28A.225.035, 28A.225.090, and 28A.225.025; adding a new section to chapter 28A.225 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.300 RCW; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date."