San Francisco Unified School District and County Office of Education
Board Policy 5113.12
District School Attendance Review Board
This Board Policy applies to the San Francisco Unified School District and the County Office of Education.
The Governing Board recognizes that poor school attendance and behavior problems negatively impact student achievement and put students at greater risk of dropping out of school. The Superintendent or designee shall establish a comprehensive and integrated system for the early identification of attendance problems and shall implement strategies to encourage students’ attendance. After other interventions have been exhausted, students with a pattern of unexcused absences may be referred to a local school attendance review board (SARB), in accordance with applicable law, in order to receive intensive guidance and assistance.
(cf. 5113 – Absences and Excuses)
(cf. 5113.1 – Chronic Absence and Truancy)
(cf. 5113.11 – Attendance Supervision)
(cf. 5147 – Dropout Prevention)
The SARB shall maintain a continuing inventory of community resources, including alternative educational programs.
The Superintendent or designee shall collaborate with the SARB and appropriate community agencies, including, but not limited to, law enforcement agencies, child welfare agencies, and health services, to provide school-based and/or community-based interventions tailored to the specific needs of the student.
(cf. 1020 – Youth Services)
(cf. 5030 – Student Wellness)
(cf. 5126 – Awards for Achievement)
(cf. 5131 – Conduct)
(cf. 5131.2 – Bullying)
(cf. 5137 – Positive School Climate)
(cf. 5141.6 – School Health Services)
(cf. 5145.3 – Nondiscrimination/Harassment)
(cf. 5146 – Married/Pregnant/Parenting Students)
(cf. 6158 – Independent Study)
(cf. 6164.2 – Guidance/Counseling Services)
(cf. 6164.5 – Student Success Teams)
(cf. 6173 – Education for Homeless Children)
(cf. 6173.1 – Education for Foster Youth)
(cf. 6173.2 – Education of Children of Military Families)
(cf. 6175 – Migrant Education Program)
(cf. 6179 – Supplemental Instruction)
(cf. 6181 – Alternative Schools/Programs of Choice)
(cf. 6183 – Home and Hospital Instruction)
(cf. 6184 – Continuation Education)
(cf. 6185 – Community Day School)
The Superintendent or designee shall appoint members to the District’s local SARB, who may include a parent/guardian as well as representatives of various agencies including, but not limited to, school Districts; the county probation department; the county welfare department; law enforcement agencies; community-based youth service centers; school guidance personnel; child welfare and attendance personnel; school or county health care personnel; school, county, or community mental health personnel; the county District attorney’s office; and the county public defender’s office. (Education Code 48321)
The District’s SARB shall provide support to improve student attendance and behavior through proactive efforts focused on building positive school environments and improved school connectedness, early identification and immediate intervention to re-engage students with poor attendance or behavior, and intensive intervention with students and families to address severe or persistent attendance or behavior issues.
The District’s SARB shall operate in accordance with Education Code 48320-48325, the Brown Act (Government Code 54950-54963), and the bylaws of the SARB.
The SARB shall collect data and annually report outcomes on SARB referrals to the Governing Board, Superintendent or designee, and County Superintendent of Schools. (Education Code 48273)
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
1740 Employment of personnel to supervise attendance (county superintendent)
1980-1986 County community school
46010-46014 Absences
48200-48208 Children ages 6-18 (compulsory full-time attendance)
48240-48246 Supervisors of attendance
48260-48273 Truants
48290-48297 Failure to comply; complaints against parents
48320-48325 School attendance review boards
48340-48341 Improvement of student attendance
48400-48403 Compulsory continuation education
48660-48666 Community day school
49067 Unexcused absences as cause of failing grade
CODE OF CIVIL PROCEDURE
1985-1997 Production of evidence; means of production
GOVERNMENT CODE
54950-54963 The Ralph M. Brown Act
PENAL CODE
270.1 Chronic truancy; parent/guardian misdemeanor
272 Parent/guardian duty to supervise and control minor child; criminal liability for truancy
830.1 Peace officers
VEHICLE CODE
13202.7 Driving privileges; minors; suspension or delay for habitual truancy
WELFARE AND INSTITUTIONS CODE
256-258 Juvenile hearing officer
601-601.4 Habitually truant minors
11253.5 Compulsory school attendance
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5
306 Explanation of absence
420-421 Record of verification of absence due to illness and other causes
COURT DECISIONS
L.A. v. Superior Court of San Diego County, (2012) 209 Cal.App.4th 976
Management Resources:
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS
School Attendance Review Board Handbook: A Road Map for Improved School Attendance and Behavior, 2015
School Attendance Improvement Handbook, 2000
WEB SITES
CSBA: http://www.csba.org
Attendance Works: http://www.attendanceworks.org
California Association of Supervisors of Child Welfare and Attendance: http://www.cascwa.org
California Department of Education: http://www.cde.ca.gov
Please note that compare references, or “cf”, refer to CSBA model policies and do not necessarily indicate that the San Francisco Unified School District has adopted the referenced policy.