Clark and Cowlitz Truancy Projects
Contact Us
- Gail Spolar, Director
- 360-750-7500 x146
- Janet Webster, Secretary
- 360-750-7500 x290
- Dotty Gaut, Office Asst.
- 360-575-7889
Clark Truancy Specialists
- Claire Pearson-Walker
- 360-750-7500 x136
- Jennifer Locey
- 360-750-7500 x264
- Jennifer Beeks
- 360-750-7500 x298
Cowlitz Truancy Specialists
- Joe Monzingo
- 360-575-7889
- Jodi Fowler
- 360-575-7903
- Betsy Berndt
- 360-575-7902
The Truancy Project is collaboration between Clark County Juvenile Justice, Cowlitz County Juvenile Justice, the Courts, Clark and Cowlitz County school districts and Educational Service District 112 in response to Washington State’s Becca Law. The Becca Law deemed truancy a civil offense, punishable by fines, community service or jail time.
The Truancy Project seeks to intervene with truant youth and their families to provide them a positive way to return to school and increase student academic achievement.
Referral to the Truancy Project
The Becca Law, established in 1995, requires that a student has no more than 7 unexcused absences in a month or 10 during a school year. Originally, the law covered 8-18 year old youth but was expanded in July 1999 to include parents of 6 and 7 year olds as well.
If a student meets this criterion, the school district and/or the student's home school, depending on district policy, is mandated to file a truancy petition with the Juvenile Court. If the student fails to follow this order and does not return to school or has even one more unexcused absence, the district and/or building is required to refer the student to the Truancy Project as documented in the Truancy petition.
Partnerships
The Truancy Project relies on several partners for its success. The Clark County Juvenile Justice Center and the Cowlitz County Juvenile Justice Center play a major role through financial and judicial support. The Juvenile Justice Center staff understand that truancy can be a gateway to delinquency and if not stopped early may result in failure at school, failure at home and failure in society. The largest predictor of dropping out of high school is early truancy. As a result, the Juvenile Justice Center partnership and support is critical to keeping youth in school and out of trouble.
All school districts in Clark and Cowlitz Counties participate in the Truancy Project. Each of these schools offers support to the Truancy Project staff as they work to keep kids in school. Further, the school districts support the Truancy Boards with volunteers and referrals.