Reducing Truancy Throughout the County a Prudent Investment

Conclusions 6

• CL1
  Reducing truancy rates at the secondary school level would result in significantly increased revenues to the school districts.
• CL2
  There is a direct correlation between truancy and delinquency.
• CL3
  Between 2000 and 2008, Santa Barbara County had an effective truancy program under the direction of the Santa Barbara County Office of the District Attorney. During that time the truancy rate averaged 20 percent.
• CL4
  All agencies consulted agree that the involvement of the Santa Barbara County Office of the District Attorney is necessary for an effective truancy reduction program.
• CL5
  After the termination of the program, truancy rates increased to a high of 30.76 percent in Santa Barbara County in 2010-11 and exceeded the truancy rate for the State of California for three years in a row. 6 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury REDUCING TRUANCY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY
• CL6
  The 2011-12 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury supports this effort by the Board of Supervisors, District Attorney and educators to pull together to solve the problem of truancy that is expensive for all taxpayers and devastating for Santa Barbara County’s young people. The Truancy Subcommittee is to be commended for building on a program that has a proven track record. It is a matter of investing a little to get a lot. FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Finding 1 There is a direct correlation between truancy and delinquency. Finding 2 Between 2000 and 2008, Santa Barbara County had an effective truancy program under the direction of the Santa Barbara County Office of the District Attorney. During that time the truancy rate averaged 20 percent. Finding 3 After the termination of the program, truancy rates increased to a high of 30.76 percent in Santa Barbara County in 2010-11 and exceeded the truancy rate for the State of California for three years in a row. 6 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury REDUCING TRUANCY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY Finding 4 All agencies consulted agree that the involvement of the Santa Barbara County Office of the District Attorney is necessary for an effective truancy reduction program. Finding 5 Reducing truancy rates at the secondary school level would result in significantly increased revenues to the school districts. Recommendation 1 That each secondary school district be responsible for establishing and operating its own truancy reduction program that conforms to the legal requirements of the State of California's Education Code by the beginning of the 2012-13 school year. Recommendation 2 That the Office of the District Attorney request and that the Board of Supervisors approve the appropriate amount in the Office of the District Attorney's budget to support its participation in truancy reduction programs. Recommendation 3 That the Office of the District Attorney assign staff to support the truancy reduction programs. Recommendation 4 That all secondary school districts document their efforts to address truancy in a manner that can be used by the Office of the District Attorney, if and when legal proceedings are initiated. Recommendation 5 That all secondary school districts estimate the amount of money lost in the 2011-12 school year due to truancy and report this information to their school boards, the Santa Barbara County Education Office and the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors. Recommendation 6 That all secondary school districts track any reduction in truancy after the implementation of the truancy reduction program and calculate the increase in revenue resulting from such reduction and report this information to their school boards, the Santa Barbara County Education Office and the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors. REQUEST FOR RESPONSE In accordance with California Penal Code Section 933.05, each agency and government body affected by or named in this report is requested to respond in writing to the findings and recommendations in a timely manner. The following are the affected agencies for this report, with the mandated response period for each. Santa Barbara County Grand Jury 7 REDUCING TRUANCY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors – 90 days Findings 2, 3 Recommendations 2, 5, 6 Santa Barbara County Office of Education — 90 days Findings 2, 3, 4, 5 Recommendations 1, 5, 6 Santa Barbara County District Attorney — 60 days Findings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Recommendations 1, 2, 3, 4 Carpinteria Unified School District — 90 days Findings 2, 3, 5 Recommendations 1, 4, 5, 6 Cuyama Joint Unified School District — 90 days Findings 2, 3, 5 Recommendations 1, 4, 5, 6 Lompoc Unified School District — 90 days Findings 2, 3, 5 Recommendations 1, 4, 5, 6 Santa Barbara Unified School District — 90 days Findings 2, 3, 5 Recommendations 1, 4, 5, 6 Santa Maria Joint Union High School District — 90 days Findings 2, 3, 5 Recommendations 1, 4, 5, 6 Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District — 90 days Findings 2, 3, 5 Recommendations 1, 4, 5, 6 8 Santa Barbara County Grand Jury

Observations 5

• OB1
  District Attorney Truancy Information Letter: The letter sent to all families at the start of the academic year, describing the truancy program and the law. This letter has been provided to all school districts.
• OB2
  Truancy Notification Letter: The letter sent following 18 Unexcused Period Absences (or an equivalent of three full days of unexcused absences and tardiness in excess of 30 minutes). This letter gives the family an opportunity to address the truancy problem and to avoid the need for additional intervention (Education Code (EC) §48260.5).
• OB3
  After School Meeting: A meeting held following 36 Unexcused Period Absences (or an equivalent of six full days of unexcused absences and tardiness in excess of 30 minutes) (EC §48262). The student and parents or guardian are directed to attend a mandatory After School Meeting (ASM). This meeting is attended by representatives from school administration, the District Attorney, Probation, law enforcement and community based organizations as needed.
• OB4
  Truancy Mediation Team: a meeting held following 60 Unexcused Period Absences (or an equivalent of 10 full days of unexcused absences and tardiness in excess of 30 minutes) (EC §48262 and §48264.5(c)). The student and parents or guardian are directed to attend a mandatory Truancy Mediation Team (TMT) meeting. This is attended by the ASM participants plus representatives from Mental Health and Child Protective Service.
• OB5
  School Attendance Review Board (SARB) Subpoena: A subpoena issued following 84 Unexcused Period Absences (or an equivalent of 14 full days of unexcused absences and tardiness in excess of 30 minutes) (EC §48264.5(c)). This subpoena directs the student and parents or guardian to attend a mandatory SARB meeting. Attending this meeting are all the participants in the TMT plus Probation and the DA’s Office. The Truancy Subcommittee has identified some problems with the earlier program that need to be addressed. One is coordination of the After School Meetings, the Truancy Mediation Team and the School Attendance Review Board. These meetings need to be held in a timely manner so that the truants’ needs can be diagnosed and addressed as quickly as possible. However, multiple meetings challenge the availability of non-educational departments’ staffs. To meet this challenge, the Truancy Subcommittee encourages school districts to network and collaborate with other districts in designing programs that avoid unnecessary duplications. Some districts are already going forward with this. In order for the District Attorney to prosecute truancy cases, the schools need to follow certain legal procedures to document all relevant information. The DA’s Office has developed and distributed a Truancy Review Checklist to all school district superintendents that spells out each step schools need to follow. Santa Barbara County Grand Jury 5 REDUCING TRUANCY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY The major difference between the old program and the one under discussion is that school districts rather than the District Attorney will be responsible for running their own truancy programs. From the beginning, the County Superintendent of Schools has emphasized that truancy is a local issue. School districts differ in size, make up, and grade levels. One size does not fit all. The District Attorney’s role will be to provide school districts with guidance for designing individual programs; as well as a presence at school meetings and participation in a school district’s truancy program. Probation, law enforcement and social services will also play supporting roles. The new truancy reduction program is to be supported in two ways. The County has been requested to provide funding for the District Attorney’s participation. The superintendents have been charged with looking within their systems to identify the assets they will bring to the table; no financial contribution will be requested of them. It appears most districts have some sort of truancy program in place, but lack the outside support for intervention and prevention that is currently being proposed. School districts are funded primarily by local property taxes, but many school districts also receive funding from the State. This funding is based on Average Daily Attendance (ADA). The ADA, and consequent funding available for those school districts is reduced by truancy. Therefore, reducing truancy increases the funding available to those school districts. According to one superintendent, his small district is losing $140,000 - $145,000 a year due to pupil absences. One can assume other districts are experiencing the same type of loss. If money could be restored due to students remaining in their class, it would be prudent to invest in a program that accomplishes that.

Agency Responses 10

Government agencies' official responses to this report's findings and recommendations. Click on a response to see the structured breakdown.

No Responses Found 1

Government entities assigned to respond to this report. No response documents have been linked in our database.