Attendance, Absenteeism and Truancy

The Mercer Island School District is committed to promoting positive schools and learning environments so that students want to attend school. We know that students who do not regularly attend school are more at risk to fall behind academically, experience increased pressure, and may jeopardize on-time graduation. Counselors, teachers, support staff, and administrators are ready to help when students struggle to attend school regularly or even stop coming to school altogether.

A student is considered chronically absent when the student misses 10% or more of the total school days. This may seem like a large number and not too easy to reach during the year. However, 10% of the school year is really just 18 days. A student who misses school, excused or not, two times each month will be considered chronically absent by the end of the year. We encourage all families and students to take school attendance seriously and only stay home due to illness or extenuating circumstances.

Students who stop attending school entirely or begin to frequently miss school may be communicating something about school or their personal life:

If your child is struggling to come to school or consistently wants to miss certain parts of the day, please reach out to one of our school administrators, teachers, or counselors. Along with Mercer Island Youth and Family Services, we want to partner with families and help all students come to school healthy and happy each day.

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Academic struggle in one or more content areas
• Physical illness
• Concern for safety
• Lack of connection