SARB

Students who have excessive absences caused by the student's and/or parent's/guardian's actions, which have not improved through school and community efforts.

The SARB actions may include:

• Directing the student to attend school regularly without unexcused absences or tardies.
• Requesting doctor's notes for excessive absences.
• Referring the student for review by a school Student Study Team (SST).
• Referring the student to their school guidance counselor or Wellness Center.
• Recommending necessary changes in a student's program.
• Recommending student and/or family to a counseling agency.
• Recommending parenting classes for parents.
• Facilitating a student's transfer to an alternative school or program, when necessary.
• Requesting assistance from other Contra Costa County agencies and programs when needed.
• Helping students and parents understand why they must attend school (California Education Code Section 48200) and that there are consequences for failure to comply.
• Sending a referral to the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office.
• Filing a court petition with the Contra Costa County Juvenile Court.

• Students are absent more on Mondays and Fridays.
• Students stay home more often on rainy days and the day after a school holiday.
• Students who ride the bus are absent more often than students who walk.
• Students who do not eat breakfast are absent more often than students who do.
• Students who are truant commit the majority of daytime burglaries.
• Absence patterns of students are established as early as kindergartners.
• Older siblings of students frequently set the attendance patterns of the family.
• Students who are excessively absent suffer losses in educational achievement and perform poorly on test, giving them a lower self-esteem.
• Students who are excessively absent are at the highest risk of dropping out and becoming involved in delinquent behavior.

Compulsory Attendance Education Code

Schools are required to enforce compulsory attendance law.  Pursuant to Education Code § 48200:

Each person between the ages of 6 and 18 years not exempted under the provision of this chapter or Chapter 3 (commencing with § 48400) is subject to compulsory full-time education.  Each person subject to compulsory full-time education and each person subject to compulsory continuation education not exempted under the provisions of Chapter 3 shall attend the public full-time day school or continuation school or classes and for the full time designated as the length of the schoolday by the governing board of the school district in which the residency of either the parent or legal guardian is located and each parent, guardian, or other person having control or charge of the pupil shall send the pupil to the public full-time day school or continuation school or classes and for the full time designated as the length of the schoolday by the governing board of the school district in which the residence of either the parent or legal guardian is located.

Unless otherwise provided for in this code, a pupil shall not be enrolled for less than the minimum schoolday established by law.

Truancy

Pursuant to California Education Code § 48260 (a):  “A pupil subject to compulsory full-time education or to compulsory continuation education who is absent from school without a valid excuse three full days in one school year or tardy or absent for more than a 30-minute period during the schoolday without a valid excuse on three occasions in one school year, or any combination thereof, shall be classified as a truant and shall be reported to the attendance supervisor or to the superintendent of the school district.”

First Notification Mandate (Ed. Code § 48260.5)

Upon a pupil’s initial classification as a truant, the school district shall notify the pupil’s parent or guardian using the most cost-effective method possible, which may include electronic mail or a telephone call:

1. That the pupil is truant.
2. That the parent or guardian is obligated to compel to attendance of the pupil at school.
3. That parents or guardians who fail to meet this obligation may be guilty of an infraction and subject to prosecution pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 48290) of Chapter 2 Part 27.
4. That alternative educational programs are available in the district.
5. That the parent or guardian has the right to meet with appropriate school personnel to discuss solutions to the pupil’s truancy.
6. That the pupil may be subject to prosecution under Section 48264.
7. That it is recommended that the parent or guardian accompany the pupil to school and attend classes with the pupil for one day.

Habitual Truant (Ed. Code § 48262)

Any pupil is deemed an habitual truant who has been reported as a truant three or more times per school year, provided that no pupil shall be deemed an habitual truant unless an appropriate district officer or employee has made a conscientious effort to hold at least one conference with a parent or guardian of the pupil and the pupil himself, after the filing of either of the reports required by Section 48260 or Section 48261.  For purposes of this section, a conscientious effort means attempting to communicate with the parents of the pupil at least once using the most cost-effective method possible, which may include electronic mail or a telephone call.

Irregular Attendance, Habitually Insubordinate or Disorderly During School Attendance (Ed. Code § 48263)

If any minor pupil in any district of a county is an habitual truant, or is irregular in attendance at school, as defined in this article, or is habitually insubordinate or disorderly during attendance at school, the pupil may be referred to a school attendance review board or to the probation department for services if the probation department has elected to receive these referrals.  The supervisor of attendance, or any other persons the governing board of the school district or county may designate, making the referral shall notify the minor and parents or guardians of the minor, in writing, of the name and address of the board or probation department to which the matter has been referred and of the reason for the referral.  The notice shall indicate that the pupil and parents or guardians of the pupil will be required, along with the referring person, to meet with the school attendance review board or probation officer to consider a proper disposition of the referral.

If the school attendance review board or probation officer determines that available community services can resolve the problem of the truant or insubordinate pupil, then the board or probation officer shall direct the pupil or the pupil’s parents or guardians, or both, to make use of those community services.  The school attendance review board or probation officer may require, at any time that it determines proper, the pupil or parents or guardians of the pupil, or both, to furnish satisfactory evidence of participation in the available community services.

Acalanes Union High School District Governing Board Policy (BP) 5113

Absences and Excuses

The Governing Board believes that regular attendance plays a key role in student achievement.  The Board recognizes its responsibility under the law to ensure that students attend school regularly.  Parents/guardians of children aged six to 18 are obligated to send their children to school unless otherwise provided by law.  The Board shall abide by all state attendance laws and may use appropriate legal means to correct the problems of excessive absence or truancy.

Excused Absences

Absence from school shall be excused only for health reasons, family emergencies and justifiable personal reasons, as permitted by law, Board policy and administration regulations (Education Code 46010, 46010.5, 48205).

Student absence for religious instruction or participation in religious exercises away from school property may be considered excused subject to administrative regulations and law (Education Code 46014).

Insofar as class participation is an integral part of students’ learning experiences, parents/guardians and students shall be encouraged to schedule medical appointments during non-school hours.

Parent Notification

At the beginning of each academic year, notifications shall be sent to the parents/guardians of all students and to all students in grades 9 through 12, informing them that school authorities may excuse any student from school to obtain confidential medical services without the consent of the student’s parent/guardian (Education Code 46010.1).

Students should not be absent from school without their parents/guardians’ knowledge or consent except in cases of medical emergency or confidential medical appointment.

For purposes of the CalWORKS program, a student shall be determined to be “regularly attending school” until he/she has been referred by the school attendance review board to the county District Attorney.

Effects of Absence on Grades/Credits

If a student’s absence is excused under Education Code 48205, he/she shall be allowed to complete any missed assignment or test that can be reasonably given.  The student shall be given full credit for the assignment or test if he/she satisfactorily completes the assignment or test within a reasonable period of time (Education Code 48205).

A student’s grades may be affected by excessive unexcused absences in accordance with Board Policy.