Chronic Absenteeism

Washtenaw ISD Policy

Washtenaw Intermediate School District believes in the value of regular school attendance and the impact that it has on student achievement and the overall success of each child. We are shifting our mindset away from focusing on whether an absence is excused versus unexcused to focusing on being in school on a regular basis. It is our goal to help provide supports and resources so your child can be in school every day. If you are struggling to get your child to school on a daily basis, please let us know so we can start to collaborate and assist in any way possible. 

PDF DocumentWashtenaw County School, Court, & Community Absenteeism Protocol

To submit a referral online please click here: Education Project Referral

Increasing school attendance is a very complex social issue that requires a team effort and a systematic approach. The collaboration of the community, schools, courts, and other agencies is essential if we are to increase school attendance. Washtenaw County believes in the value of regular school attendance and the impact that it has on student achievement and the overall betterment of society. In order to systematically decrease chronic absenteeism in our schools, we are taking a tiered approach. We are shifting our mindset away from Truancy that focuses on unexcused absences and relies heavily on court involvement to Chronic Absenteeism which focuses on both excused and unexcused absences and the impact that has on academic performance by using a community-based, preventive approach.

Please visit Washtenaw ISD’s Education Project Webpage for a referral.

Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 380.1561 – Compulsory School Attendance Sec. 1561. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section, for a child who turned age 11 before December 1, 2009 or who entered grade 6

before 2009, the child's parent, guardian, or other person in this state having control and charge of the child shall send that child to a public school during the entire school year from the age of 6 to the child's sixteenth birthday. Except as otherwise provided in this section, for a child who turns age 11 on or after December 1, 2009 or a child who was age 11 before that date and enters grade 6 in 2009 or later, the child's parent, guardian, or other person in this state having control and charge of the child shall send the child to a public school during the entire school year from the age of 6 to the child's eighteenth birthday. The child's attendance shall be continuous and consecutive for the school year fixed by the school district in which the child is enrolled. In a school district that maintains school during the entire calendar year and in which the school year is divided into quarters, a child is not required to attend the public school more than 3 quarters in 1 calendar year, but a child shall not be absent for 2 or more consecutive quarters.

Juvenile Truancy Laws - MCL 712A.2(a)(4):

(4) The juvenile willfully and repeatedly absents himself or herself from school or other learning program intended to meet the juvenile's educational needs, or repeatedly violates rules and regulations of the school or other learning program, and the court finds on the record that the juvenile, the juvenile's parent, guardian, or custodian, and school officials or learning program personnel have met on the juvenile's educational problems and educational counseling and alternative agency help have been sought. As used in this sub-subdivision only, "learning program" means an organized educational program that is appropriate, given the age, intelligence, ability, and psychological limitations of a juvenile, in the subject areas of reading, spelling, mathematics, science, history, civics, writing, and English grammar.

Holly Heaviland, Ed.D.
Truancy Officer
(734) 994-8100 ext. 1250

Liz Alpert
Truancy & Transition Manager  
(734) 994-8100 ext. 1207



ADA & Accessibility

Our School Strives To Ensure Our Website Is Accessible To All Our Visitors 

Washtenaw ISD is committed to providing a website that is fully accessible and we are currently in the process of developing a new website to better meet the needs of our customers. Our new website will include improvements to ADA compliance and accessibility, and during this transition, we remain committed to maintaining our existing website's accessibility and usability. 

ADA Compliance

Non Discrimination

It is the policy and commitment of the Washtenaw Intermediate School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, age, height, weight, familial status, marital status, genetic information, sexual orientation or any legally protected characteristic, in its educational programs, activities, admissions, or employment policies in accordance with Title IX of the 1972 Educational Amendments, executive order 11246 as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and all other pertinent state and Federal regulations.

Non Discrimination Information

ADA and Title IX CoordinatorADA and Title IX Coordinator
Brian Marcel
Associate Superintendent
1819 S. Wagner Road 
Ann Arbor, MI  48103
(734) 994-8100 ext. 1402
Cassandra Harmon-Higgins
Executive Director, HR & Legal Services
1819 S. Wagner Road 
Ann Arbor, MI  48103
(734) 994-8100 ext. 1311