March 1 2024- Krissy Johnson, the assistant director of attendance and engagement at the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), has raised concerns about school districts dropping students from rolls after 20 consecutive missed days, coinciding with the point where these students can no longer be counted for state funding. According to a 2022 OSPI report, districts often withdraw students without following the necessary steps outlined in state truancy laws, including referrals to community engagement boards and juvenile court. Johnson advocates for districts to keep students enrolled until all safety measures are completed, stressing that there is no state regulation mandating withdrawal for funding purposes. Since fall 2020, over 14,650 students in Washington have been involuntarily withdrawn due to non-attendance, highlighting potential gaps in the truancy process. The report features the case of Kit Nelson-Mora, a nonbinary Indigenous teen who was withdrawn from the Omak School District without the required referrals and has been missing for nearly two years.
