As parents, you have the very difficult job of trying to not only live your life the best way you know how, but also to manage the lives of your children. There exists no greater challenge than addressing the many difficulties that will confront your children as they grow. However, one issue in particular has the potential to affect them for many years after they live in your home - their education. This section is not only designed to help you navigate through the "Becca Bill" and the truancy court process, but also to give you suggestions on how to help your children achieve their educational goals. It is important to be involved with your child's education. 

King County School Districts

The Becca Petition Process*

Read the Becca Bill: RCW 28A.225.010, 28A.225.020 and 28A.225.030, 28A.225.035 and 28A.225.090 (external links)

Links to Great Brochures

• Stopping Truancy Before it Starts*
• A Parent's Guide to the Becca Bill*
• Reasons to Stay in School*

Ways You Can Help Your Child Stay in School

Children whose parents are actively involved with their school and teachers are less likely to experience attendance problems and are more likely to graduate. Parents need to demonstrate to their children that they are concerned about their child's education and take an active interest in the educational process. The following is a list of different ways parents can help their child stay in school:

• Make education a family priority
• Build the child's self-confidence as a student by recognizing when he or she does well in school
• Help the child develop good study and work habits
• Develop a system of praise and rewards for good study habits, good grades, and other good school-related behaviors
• Schedule a daily period of home study time
• Help with homework when needed
• Meet the child's teachers and other school personnel. They can provide important insights into the child's school performance and suggest ways for improvement.
• Get to know the child's friends and classmates. They can influence the child's school performance. Lack of friends or problems with classmates can also affect school performance.
• Identify and seek treatment for any drug or alcohol issues that may prevent your child from focusing his/her attention on school
• Find ways to discuss issues, subjects and course materials being covered at school
• Help the child develop an interest in extra-curricular school activities such as sports, band, clubs, etc.
• Get the child tutorial help with subjects that pose learning difficulties
• Help the child develop and achieve academic goals
• Emphasize the important role education plays throughout life
• Get involved with the P.T.A., P.T.O., or school board in order to better understand and help change the problems related to school attendance
• Develop a phone-in policy with the school to check on the child's daily attendance, or have the person in charge of school attendance alert you about non-attendance
• Explain how dropouts have more trouble getting and keeping jobs and make half as much money than graduates

The Becca Bill
Washington's truancy law, often termed the "Becca Bill", is intended to curb school truancy before it becomes habitual. The law requires many things of schools, but only requires one thing of students: attend school. If a student does not attend school the law requires the school district to take action.

One or Two Unexcused Absences
After a single unexcused absence, the school is required to contact parents, which is generally done by phone or letter. After a second unexcused absence, the school is required to schedule a conference with the parent and student to discuss solutions to the truancy.

Five Unexcused Absences
If a student accumulates five unexcused absences in a month, the school may take more intense absences to end the truancy. The school may file a petition with the King County Superior Court, enter ihnto a written truancy agreement with the family, reference the family to a "community truancy board" if one exists, or take other reasonable action. A community truancy board is comprised of citizen volunteers who help to resolve individual truancy cases.

Seven and Ten Unexcused Absences
Court action is required when a student accumulates seven absences in a month or ten in a year. The truancy law requires that school districts file a petition in Superior Court against the student, parent, or both. After a petition is filed, several things may happen with a student case. Depending on the circumstances of each individual case, a student's petition may not be immediately heard in juvenile court.

Truancy Class
A case may first be sent to a Truancy Class. A truancy class is an opportunity for students and parents to avoid going to court for the preliminary hearing by allowing the parties to enter into a written agreement that the student will attend school. At the class, the Deputy Prosecuting Attorney will discuss the Becca Bill and the legal and social consequences of future truancy. In addition, trained facilitators will speak separately with the students and parents on what may be causing the truancy, effective communication, and what the school district can do to help remedy the truancy. At the end of the class the parent and student will work with the facilitators to draft an agreement about specific things each person can do to help get the student back in school full time. 

Court Action
The first hearing in any truancy action is the "preliminary hearing." At the preliminary hearing, the court will hear the evidence from the school district, the parents and student to determine whether the truancy allegation is more likely than not true. If true, the court will enter a written order directing the student to go to school. The court may also enter other orders to compel compliance with the truancy law, such as obtaining a substance abuse evaluation.

If the student successfully obeys the court order and goes to school without any unexcused absences, most likely they will not be called back to court for any additional hearings.

However, students and parents who willfully violate the court order and continue to have unexcused absences will be summoned back to court for a "contempt hearing." When a student or parent is held in contempt, the court may impose coercive sanctions to correct the student's attendance issues. The court may order a student to write a report, do community service, or spend time in juvenile detention. The court may require a parent to do community service or even be issued fines for $25 for each day of their child's truancy. Children are entitled to legal counsel once they face the threat of confinement.

Depending on the student's attendance after the contempt hearing, future review hearings may be necessary to review the student's progress towards his/her attendance goals.

At-Risk Youth - Child in Need of Services

Seattle Court: 206-205-9713 
The Regional Justice Center (Kent): 206-205-2527

For assistance in locating necessary legal forms, visit our Forms page. Please check with King County Superior Court to verify the form you have is the most up-to-date copy of the At-Risk Youth Petitions and Child in Need of Services Petitions.