1. Stephanie Lartelier, MSW
Los Angeles Unified School District Pupil Services SARB Orientation for Interns
Presented by:
Garyn Valdemar, LCSW
Stephanie Lartelier, MSW
SARB Chairs- ESC West
November 13, 2013

2. Agenda Introductions Education Code, Truancy and Notifications
Tiered Interventions
Resources and Referrals
Intensive Case Management
SARB Overview
****Break***
Mock SARB Panel
Debrief
Evaluations

3. What are Possible reasons why students do NOT attend school ?

4. Truancy Notifications
Education Code
Truancy Definitions
Truancy Notifications

5. EC 48200: Compulsory Full-Time Education
Each person between the ages of 6 and 18 years …shall attend the public full-time day school or continuation school or classes for the full time designated as the length of the school day…in the school district….of the residency of either parent or guardian is located and each parent…shall send the pupil…for the full time designated…..

6. EC 48202 Excused Absences What is an “excused absence” ?
Due to illness
Due to Quarantine
For the purpose of having medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic services rendered
Funeral services: One day in California; 3 days outside California
Jury Duty
Illness or medical appointment of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent
Justifiable personal reasons: appearance in court, observance of a religious holiday, religious retreats, education conference and prior approval by the principal or designee
C.C.R Title 5, Sec 420 – same as above.
CCR – California Code of Regulations

7. Pop Quiz Is kindergarten attendance mandatory ?
Parent called- upset that their 4th grade GATE student received a truancy letter when the family went to Thailand to accompany dad for a movie shoot. Parent upset that the school is classifying their 4th grader as a “truant”. Is parent complaint justified?
Second grade student had so far 27 absences and parent said it is due to “asthma”. You checked with the nurse and there is no medical note indicating student has asthma nor is there an inhaler at school Are these absences excused?

8. Truancy
EC Section A pupil…absent from school without valid excuse three full days in one school year or tardy or absent for more than any 30-minute period during the school day without a valid excuse on three occasions in one school year or any combination thereof, shall be reported…as a truant.
Kindergarten students can be issued an Initial Truancy Letter if they are 6 years of age; however only truancies after the student turned 6 should be included.

9. EC 48260.5 - Parent Notification
Upon a pupil’s initial classification as a truant, the school district shall notify the pupil’s parent or guardian, by first class mail or other reasonable means, of the following:
That the pupil is truant
That the parent or guardian is obligated to compel the attendance of the pupil at school
That the parent or guardians who fail to meet this obligation maybe guilty of an infraction and subject to prosecution
That alternative education programs are available in the district
That the parent or guardian has the right to meet with the appropriate school personnel to discuss solutions to the pupil’s truancy
That the pupil may be subject to prosecution under section 48264
That the pupil may be subject to suspension, restriction, or delay of the pupil’s driving privilege

10. EC 48261
“Any pupil who has once been reported as a truant and who is again absent from school without valid excuse one or more days, or tardy on one or more days, shall be reported as a truant to the attendance supervisor or the superintendent of the district.”
Education Code instruct the school to continue to monitor and report any student that is absent after they have been classified as a truant. This results in the mailing of a second truancy letter.

11. Second Truancy Letter – Request for Parent Conference
When should Truancy Letter #2 be sent?
Should be sent after:
The parent/guardian has received the Initial Truancy Letter
The parent/guardian has been given a reasonable opportunity to respond
Student has one or more additional unexcused absences, tardies in excess of 30 minutes after the Initial Notification of Truancy was sent (minimum is 4 unexcused absences)
Lead the audience in a brief discussion and then click 1x to show answer
Should be sent after:
The parent/guardian has received the Initial Truancy Letter
The parent/guardian has been given a reasonable opportunity to respond
Student has accumulated one or more additional unexcused absences, tardies in excess of 30 minutes or partial day or combination thereof after the Initial Notification of Truancy was sent

12. EC 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 or Section
For the 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.
Education code indicates that once the school has classified the student as a truant and made a conscientious effort to hold at least one conference with the parent, and the student continues to be absent. They are then to be classified as a “habitual truant”. This results in the generating the 3rd truancy letter.

13. Third Truancy Letter – Habitual Truant Reclassification
When should Truancy Letter #3 be sent?
Should be sent after:
The parent/guardian has received the 1st and 2nd Truancy Letters
The parent/guardian has been given the opportunity to attend a parent conference
Student accumulates one or more additional unexcused absences, tardies in excess of 30 minutes after the second truancy letter was sent (minimum 5 unexcused absences)
Lead the audience in brief discussion and then click 1x to show answer
Should be sent after:
The parent/guardian has received the 1st and 2nd Truancy Letters
The parent/guardian has been given the opportunity to schedule a parent conference
Student has accumulated one or more additional unexcused absences, tardies in excess of 30 minutes or partial day or combination thereof since the second truancy letter was sent

14. Resources and Referrals

15. Community Resource Referral Form
Use when referring families to outside agencies
Template is available in SARB Intervention Guide
States that LAUSD assumes no responsibility for the services provided or fees charged, retain a copy of the form for your records
Agencies must be non-profit unless student has private insurance
Provide at least 3 referrals for each type of service
from your School Resource Guide and Community
Resource Referral List

17. Community Resource List
What types of services are included in your Community Resource List?
How did you find these resources?

18. Intensive Case Management

22. Remember, pupil records are introduced as evidence in legal proceedings for truancy against the parent/guardian and/or against the student. Therefore, the school should record such information with the expectation that it may serve as evidence. Don’t forget, the statements from secondhand sources are considered heresay and may not be admissible in court. With accurate and detailed attendance and anecdotal records, the prosecutor will have a compelling presentation at trial, and the District will be able to withstand cross-examination from the defense attorn

23. Intensive Case Management – Steps
Includes individual interventions (conferences, home visit, SART, SARB, etc.)
Identify students with attendance problems
Maintain list of target students
Document all contacts (telephone, mail, conferences, etc.) in the ISIS call log and/or Record of Contacts form
Issue all required absence notifications
Maintain protocol for Pupil Records BUL– (ie: Access, Confidentiality, Notice of Educational Rights , etc.)
Sources of student identification: ISIS/SIS/MyDATA or school based referral
Documentation of contacts must be in chronological order
District issued Truancy Letter #1 proof available via ISIS
For students with multiple parent notes consult with School Nurse

24. Role Play Activity Pick a partner
Take turns playing role of PSA and Parent
5 minutes for each conversation
Scenario #1: Conference with parent of a 3rd grader who has missed 4 consecutive days and has not contacted the school.
Scenario #2: Conference with a parent of a High School Freshman that has missed 13 of 30 days so far this school year.

25. Resource Panel

26. Resource Panel What are the two PRIMARY functions of Resource Panel?
Case consultation for difficult cases
Case presentation for SARB Referral
Resource Panel Composition:
SARB Chairperson/s
PSA Administrator
PSA, School or District Staff (IEP Nurse, etc.)
Ask the audience what the 2 primary functions of Resource Panel are and then click 1x to show the answer.
Click 1x to show last paragraph (Resource Panel Composition).

27. Resource Panel Preparation: Know Your Student
What should you know about your student/family when presenting a case to Resource Panel?
ASK THE AUDIENCE TO GIVE EXAMPLES OF INFORMATION THAT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHEN PRESENTING A CASE TO RESOURCE PANEL AND SARB.
Guide audience with the following examples:
How does the family support themselves financially (ie: employment – who?, DPSS benefits, etc. )?
Is the student in Special Education?
How many people live in the home? Who lives in the home?
History of domestic violence, child abuse or other mental health issues?
If the student has a medical issue, is the student being treated for his/her condition?
Does the family have health and/or dental insurance? Private, Healthy Families, Medi-Cal?
Observations of home environment/family dynamics when you conducted an in-home counseling session.
Are the students involved in after school programs or tutoring?
Are there any legal issues within the family?
Recent deaths or trauma in the family?
Student’s feelings about school. Subjects/classes the student expresses interest in attending regularly.
Factors that could affect the student’s self-esteem (obesity, facial scars, extreme poverty, etc.).

28. RESOURCE PANEL PREPARATION
Notify SARB Chairperson to be added to Resource Panel calendar
Complete all required forms (see Resource Panel/SARB Document Checklist)
Bring original forms along with 1 copy (single-sided 8½” x 11” paper, unstapled) to Resource Panel
PSC or attendance designee must be prepared to present case history, interventions, family strengths and weakness, along with challenges faced by family.

29. CASE PRESENTATION TO RESOURCE PANEL
Present and discuss the case
Panel determines if additional interventions and/or referrals are warranted
A letter may be mailed by the SARB Chair informing parent that a Resource Panel has been held
SARB Chair will schedule case for a hearing when and if case is ready and appropriate
Resource Panel presentation is also utilized to seek additional resources and/or techniques to help families with challenging situations.
Time must be given to families to incorporate panel recommendations if additional interventions are proposed.
PSCs and School Designees must plan ahead of time to avoid waiting until the end of the school year to make a Resource Panel referral and expect to be scheduled for SARB.

30. Accessing the SARB Intervention Guide

31. RP/SARB Referral Checklist

32. Please complete EVERY line of this form
Please complete EVERY line of this form. If you do not have specific information, place the word “unknown” or “N/A”. By doing this, we know you have not intentionally skipped a line.

33. School Attendance Review Board (SARB)

34. School Attendance Review Board
Established by CA legislature in 1975.
Purpose is to enhance the enforcement of compulsory education laws.
Diverts students with school attendance or behavior problems from the juvenile justice system until all available resources have been exhausted.

35. Purpose of SARB
Enforce CA Education Code Section 48200: Children between the ages 6 & 18 must attend school regularly.
Truancy is a complex problem: it involves the student, family, and community as a whole.
SARB is a strategy that utilizes school & community resources to help the student improve his/her attendance and deal with barriers to school attendance and graduate.

36. Multi-Agency SARB Representatives may include:
LA County Dept. of Children & Family Services
LA County Dept. of Public Social Services
LA County Dept. of Probation
Law Enforcement (DA, CA & Police)
Community Agencies
School District Professionals
(i.e., Pupil Services, Mental Health, Nursing, Psych Services, Special Education)

37. Role & Responsibilities of the School
Take accurate attendance.
Exhaust school interventions & document the case management process.
Prepare and present cases to Resource Panel and SARB.
Monitor, support, and refer student and parents post-SARB as required.

38. Case Referrals Recommended student age is 6-16 years:
with chronic attendance issues.
who have recently started to miss school and would benefit from the SARB process.
who are most likely to attend school regularly following the SARB hearing.

39. Health Issues
With appropriate accomodations, students with medical diagnoses (e.g., asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, etc.) can and should attend school on a regular basis.
Accommodations may be made per doctor’s recommendations (e.g., certain treatments, medication, physical activity, etc.).
Safety is always top priority.

40. Students with IEPs
Students with IEPs are subject to the SARB process when they do not comply with compulsory education laws.
With appropriate accommodations, most disabilities should not prevent a child from attending school on a regular basis.
Ensure Special Education Students
Current IEP
Appropriate placement as determined by their IEP
Chronic absenteeism is not related to disability

41. Cases not appropriate for SARB:
Student is currently on formal probation.
Student is in foster care or group home.
IEP is out of compliance.
Disability is the cause of the absenteeism.
Confer with SARB chair for students years of age.

42. Special Education Students
Can these students be referred to SARB ?

43. Role of SARB Chairperson
Strategically develop, maintain and conduct Resource and SARB Panels.
Provide training and support to schools and SARB panel members.
Forward and track cases as they progress from Resource Panel to mediation and court.
Prepare and submit annual reports to LACOE.
Presides over SARB hearing, issues contract to the family.

44. Task of SARB Panel Members
Seek to understand why students are experiencing attendance/behavior problems.
Find solutions to unresolved student attendance & discipline problems.
Assist SARB Chair with direct questioning of family.

45. SARB Myths SARB is court SARB is a punitive measure
SARB will magically solve the problem
Referring school/staff member is no longer responsible for the case after SARB

46. Tone of SARB Hearings SARB Chairs set the tone for each hearing.
Parents are our partners and we need to be sensitive to the struggles faced by our students and their families.
SARB’s take a formal, serious, problem-solving & positive tone.
Belittling, berating and threatening parents or students will not be tolerated.
SARB panel members will be reminded at each meeting to be respectful at all times.

47. Confidentiality
Information obtained during the performance of duties as a SARB panel member must remain confidential (CA Ed Code, Sec ).
Families appearing before the SARB entrust sensitive information to the board.
All documents presented to the panel will be used for the purpose of finding solutions.
All case documents/packets will be collected and destroyed.
Mandated child abuse reporting is applicable.

48. Confidentiality Forms
All panel members must sign a confidentiality form each school year before their first SARB hearing.
A confidentiality statement is on the SARB Hearing sign-in sheet.

49. Review of Records
SARB case packets for each case will be distributed to the panel at the beginning of each hearing for review.
Documents provide panel members with a comprehensive summary of the student’s education history.

50. Packet Documents
Case Anecdotal Summary with interventions & school & community referrals
Attendance summary
Grade summary
Other pertinent documents
Note: All packets will be collected at the end of the SARB hearing.

51. SARB Hearing (prior to family entering hearing)
SARB Chair’s Opening statement to panel (5 min.)
Sign in
Announcements
Confidentiality, tone & time management reminders
Review of records
School representative presents case (5 min.)
Summary of absences
Presenting problem(s)
Pending referrals/interventions
Family strengths & areas needing improvement

52. SARB Hearing Family present
Meeting w/ Family ( min.)
Family enters the meeting room.
Introduction of panel & family.
Parent is asked to explain and elaborate on school absences and why lack of compliance of the law and the SART contract.
Panel proceeds to analysis of barriers and strengths, using solution focused problem solving.
Resolution phase: recommendations and implementation strategies for school services & outside resources (e.g., community agencies)

53. SARB Hearing Family present, cont.
Finalizing Contract and Meeting: 5-10 minutes
SARB Contract phase: review of contract, directives, referrals and signing.
Consequences of failing to meet the terms of the SARB contract are explained.
30-Day Follow up Meeting Notice is given to the parent.
Hearing is adjourned and the family is dismissed.

54. Activity: Mock SARB Hearing
Assignment of Roles
Hearing
Discussion and Debrief

55. Post-SARB
School continues to monitor student/family progress (attendance & compliance w/ SARB directives).
School continues providing the student/family with support and assistance in complying with the SARB directives.
PSA/School staff holds a 30-day follow-up meeting with the parent to evaluate progress.

56. If Attendance Problems are not Resolved after SARB
Case is referred to District Attorney for mediation when: - student is at fault (incorrigible).
- parent is at fault (contributing to the delinquency of a minor), and lives outside the City of LA.
- if both are at fault.
Case is referred to the City Attorney for mediation when:
-parent resides in the City of Los Angeles and is at fault (contributing to the delinquency of a minor).
Case is referred to Court.

57. Final Points to Consider
We are the advocates for these children.
However – we also have to enforce the law.
Is this a conflict in your belief as a school social worker?

58. Intern Participation on SARB Panels
Prior to Participation in SARB, Interns Must:
Complete this mandatory SARB training
Complete 75 hours of internship
Attend a Resource Panel
Be registered and scheduled centrally for SARB
Plan accordingly: first come – first serve basis
Do not wait until the end of the school year

59. Interns (continued)
Interns are limited to one SARB hearing unless they are directly involved in other cases.
Interns are not permitted to counsel or question families at a SARB hearing.
Additional information can be found in the guide, Interns and the SARB process, or you may contact your SARB Chair.