Welcome to the District Attorney’s
CLASS Program
Community Leadership in Achieving Student Success
Deputy District Attorney
David P. Chen
(805) 568 – 2427
School Attendance is the Law
• Education Code § 48200
– School attendance is a student responsibility
“Each person between the ages of 6 and 18 years…is
subject to compulsory full-time education.”
– …and a parent responsibility!
“…the parent or legal guardian…shall send the pupil to
the public full-time day school…for the full time
designated…”
What is “Truancy”?
• Education Code § 48260
A student must be classified and reported as truant if
the student is absent from school without a valid excuse
(1) for 3 full days, or
(2) tardy or absent for more than a
30-minute period on 3 occasions, or
(3) any combination thereof
within one school year.
What is “Truancy”?
• Education Code § 48261
A child who has been reported truant at least once and is
again absent or tardy from school, without valid excuse, on
1 or more days
shall again be reported as truant.
TRUANCY
Unexcused Tardies > 30 min
= Unexcused Absences
What Absences are Excused?
• Education Code § 48205
– Student’s illness
– Medical, dental, eye appointments
– Illness or medical appointment of student’s child
– Attendance of funeral of immediate family member
– Religious holiday or ceremony
– Prior written request and principal approval in
accordance with district regulation and policy
A student whose absence is excused must be
allowed to complete all assignments and tests
missed during the absence that can be reasonably
provided.
All other absences are UNEXCUSED
Examples of
Unexcused Absences
Under the law, a student’s absence will still be
considered unexcused for the following reasons:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Parents’ illnesses or appointments
Siblings’ illnesses or appointments
Car trouble
Taking care of siblings
Working
Fatigue or oversleeping
Running errands with parents
The Importance of
Regular School Attendance
• There is a direct connection between truancy and
– Test scores
– Dropout / graduation rates
– Delinquent behavior
– Using cigarettes, drugs, alcohol
– Being involved in gang activity, theft, destruction of property,
burglary, graffiti, and fighting
– Future unemployment
– Future income
– Being a victim or witness to a crime
The Importance of
Regular School Attendance
• Statistics show that:
– 67% of truants tested positive for drugs when detained
– 78% of prison inmates first entry in record was truancy
– 82% of prison inmates are school dropouts
Source: California District Attorney’s Association
• BUT…
A 10% increase in graduation rates reduces
– Violent crime by 20%
– Drug-related crime by 12%
– Property crime by 11%
Source: California Dropout Research Project
The Costs of Truancy
• Many school districts are funded based
on their attendance rates
–
$35
– $6,300
per student per day
per student per year
*Average based on Revenue Limit funding
The Legal Consequences of Truancy
Parents
1st conviction
2nd conviction
3rd conviction
$100 Fine
$250 Fine
$500 Fine
Attendance of parent
education and counseling
Failure to abide by court order
results in Contempt charges
and $1,000 Fine
For severe cases
$2,500 Fine
1 year county jail
Students
Each conviction
$50 Fine
Court orders to attend school
and counseling programs
Community service
20-40 hours
Suspension, revocation or
delay of issuance of driver’s
license
1 year
Probation
Up to 6 mos.
For severe cases
Contempt charges + $1,000 Fine
Juvenile Hall
Good Attendance = Good Grades
More than 80% of students who skip school once a week or more
do NOT think it affects their grades or their chances of graduating
Which is a better predictor of high school success?
8th grade test scores
Students with 70%
or lower attendance
<20% graduated
vs.
9th grade attendance
Students with 95%
or greater attendance
>80% graduated
Student Success Starts Early!
Students with low attendance in pre-K and K are more likely to
continue to have low attendance and be retained in the 3rd grade
Based on 6th grade attendance, behavior and course failure,
schools can identify 60% of future students who will NOT graduate
from high school
Source: www.AttendanceWorks.org
Good Attendance = Good Grades
Santa Maria Bonita
Grades 2-8
% of
Students
Number of Days
Absent
20.86%
0
337.99
368.34
13.19%
1
332.80
360.03
11.29%
2
332.28
354.49
9.13%
3
330.73
350.13
28.75%
4-9
327.19
343.17
13.85%
10-20
321.07
328.91
2.93%
21+
307.55
308.36
}
Median CST Score Median CST Score
(ELA)
(Math)
Potential Reasons for Truancy
Bullying
Problems at home
No interest in education
Lack of parental involvement and support
Feels alienated
Drug or alcohol use
Behind in school
No consequences for cutting school
The 5 Steps of CLASS
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Truancy Letter 1
3 days of
unexcused
absence
After School Meeting (ASM)
6 days of
unexcused
absence
Administrator Meeting (AM)
9 days of
unexcused
absence
Truancy Mediation Team (TMT)
12 days of
unexcused
absence
A letter informing parents of their child’s unexcused
absences and the relevant laws under California
Education Code.
A group meeting explaining the social and legal
consequences of truancy, while providing information on
available resources and programs.
A one-on-one meeting with a School Administrator to
address individual attendance issues and needs, resulting
in a school contract.
A one-on-one meeting with a School Administrator and
Deputy District Attorney to address issues and needs
beyond the school site, resulting in a TMT contract.
School Attendance Review Board (SARB)
Step 5
A hearing before a panel of county and community
representatives to determine the best solution for the
student’s academic success, which may result in a SARB
contract or referral to Probation or the District Attorney.
14 days of
unexcused
absence
Questions?
Thank You!