School Attendance Review Boards - Attendance Improvement (CA Dept of Education) (2024)

California compulsory education law requires everyone between the ages of six and eighteen years of age to attend school, except students who have graduated from high school or passed the California High School Proficiency Exam and obtained parental permission. Some students,however, violate compulsory education laws and have a patternof unexcused absences. Although truancy and excessive absenteeismare not new problems, they cause costly, long-term problems forthe students, school, and the community.

In 1974, the Legislature enacted California Education Code (EC) Section48320 to enhance the enforcement of compulsory education lawsand to divert students with school attendance or behavior problemsfrom the juvenile justice system until all available resourceshave been exhausted. EC Section 48321 providesseveral organizational structures for School Attendance ReviewBoards (SARBs) at the local and county level to create a safetynet for students with persistent attendance or behavior problems.Although the goal of SARBs is to keep students in school and providethem with a meaningful educational experience, SARBs do have thepower, when necessary, to refer students and their parents orguardians to court.

County or Local SARBs

SARBs, composed of representativesfrom various youth-serving agencies, help truant or recalcitrantstudents and their parents or guardians solve school attendanceand behavior problems through the use of available school andcommunity resources. County SARBs are convened by the county superintendentat the beginning of each school year. In any county where no countySARB exists, a school district governing board may elect to establisha local SARB, which shall operate in the same manner and havethe same authority as a county SARB. In many counties, the countySARB provides consultant services to the local SARBs.

State SARB

In addition to county and local SARBs authorized by EC Section 48321, EC Section 48325established a State SARB for statewide policy coordination andpersonnel training to divert students with serious attendanceand behavior problems from the juvenile justice system and toreduce the number of dropouts in the state public education system.The State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SSPI) extends invitationsof participation to representatives of appropriate groups throughoutthe state. The State SARB makes annual recommendations to theSSPI regarding the needs of high-risk youth.

• State SARB Members
• State SARB Meeting Schedule and Agendas
• State SARB Subcommittee Meeting Schedule and Agendas

Model SARB Recognition Program

Model SARB Recognition Program
The Model SARB Recognition Program identifies outstanding results-based school attendance improvement programs that provide comprehensive services to high-risk youth with school attendance or school behavior problems.

State SARB Recommendation

State SARB Recommendation for 2016
As required by EC Section 48325(4)(c), the State SARB submits annual recommendations to provide the SSPI with guidance about potential actions to support schools in improving student attendance and reducing the number of dropouts in the California public education system.

Outcome Data

Reports of SARB Outcomes
Recommended format for school districts to use to gather and transmit outcome data to the county superintendent of schools.

Publications & Resources

Sample Policy and Administrative Regulations
TheState SARB has developed a sample policy on attendance supervision as a resource to help school districts address truancy and dropout concerns.

School Attendance Review Board Manual (PDF)
The manual provides information on establishing a SARB; identifies behavioral patterns of problem students; gives helpful hints on how to work with students and their parents or guardians; suggests by-laws and standing rules; identifies effective factors for parent and pupil conferences; lists California compulsory attendance and other related laws; and provides sample letters and forms to petition the ProbationDepartment, Office of the District Attorney, and the courts.

School Attendance Review Boards - CalEdFacts
This content is part of California Department of Education's information and media guide about education in the State of California. For similar information on other topics, visit the full CalEdFacts.