Attendance, Chronic Absenteeism, and Truancy

Attendance is a critical building block for student learning. If students are not present, they cannot engage in learning. Attendance is a powerful signal and leading indicator of equity. It can signal when students might need additional support and areas for system and school improvement. Chronic absenteeism impacts all students—no matter their age. Students that miss just two days a month for any reason are more likely to not read at grade level, and more likely to not graduate.

Tenino Community Truancy Board

The Tenino Community Truancy Board or CTB was established in January of 2016.

Duties of a community truancy board shall include, but not be limited to:

Identifying barriers to school attendance, recommending methods for improving attendance such as connecting students and their families with community services, culturally appropriate promising practices, and evidence-based services such as functional family therapy, multi-systemic therapy, and aggression replacement training, 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, or recommending to the juvenile court that a juvenile be referred to a HOPE center or crisis residential center.” RCW 28A.225.025

The Tenino CTB meets monthly and has representatives from the Tenino community, Thurston County Juvenile Court, community non-profit organization(s), and Tenino School District staff members. The CTB is facilitated by the student and family support liaison for the Tenino School District.