Combating Truancy in Orange County*

In 2002-03 only 10 of the 27 school districts were represented on the County (Department of Education) SAR Board. In 2003-04, that number increased by 1 to 11. Membership on the County SAR Board is open to all County school districts, and all school districts – even those without SAR Boards – would benefit by their participation. RESPONSE: SVUSD is always interested in improving student attendance. To date SVUSD schools have utilized counseling, modified academic programs, alternative education placements, school nurse interventions, community resources and discipline to address poor student attendance. SVUSD has approximately a 96% attendance rate when accounting for truancy. Consideration will be given to participation in the County SAR Board and evaluation of its direct impact on student attendance in SVUSD will be reviewed by administration. A decision whether or not to participate in a county SAR Board will be made during the 2004-05 school year.

Cypress School District, Fullerton Union High School District and Saddleback Valley Unified School District do not declare any of their truants to be habitual truants. Failure to identify as habitual truants those students who have been truant for three or more times during a school year appears to place those districts out of compliance with State Education Code. RESPONSE: Students who are truant are identified in SVUSD and are so marked as truant on attendance reports. The District has been reviewed by State auditors and through Coordinated Compliance Review by the State Department of Education and not found out of compliance. Parents of students who are truant are contacted by phone or letter advising them that their pupil is truant. The current parent contacts and letters do not specifically state that a student who is truant three or more times is by definition labeled a "habitual truant". Currently students that are habitually truant are noticed and school administration initiates appropriate intervention (counseling, modified academic programs, school nurse interventions, community resource

School districts that limit or curtail their participation on the county SAR Board because of budgetary constraints may not be aware of the opportunity for reimbursement, through State or Federal funding, afforded by Education Code 48323. RESPONSE: School districts as well as all county agencies have had to make serious budget cuts in the last few years. Districts are always interested in seeking new sources of revenue for their programs. District administration will certainly look into the possibility of additional State or Federal funding to fund the activities of the County SAR Board during the 2004-2005 school year. In conjunction with a review of this information a determination will be made of the impact a SAR Board has on student attendance. We appreciate this information being brought to our attention.

Periodic training of school administrators in preparing for SAR Board referral documentation packets would be beneficial. RESPONSE: The County SAR Board is planning to have a workshop(s) to provide training to school administrators in preparing SAR Board referral documentation packages during the 2004-2005 school year. Assistant District Attorneys have previously trained SVUSD administrators in SAR Board packet preparation through OCDE in-services. SVUSD currently has SAR Board packets available to school site administration, should the District decide to initiate SAR Board proceedings against a student/family. In cases of habitual truancy the students have been counseled, had modified academic programs, school nurse interventions, community resource (continued - Grand Jury Findings - required responses)

A need exists among the school districts that do not have their own SAR Boards for an operating SAR Board (not just an advisory or networking SAR Board) at the County level. RESPONSE: Our district has gone through a series of budget cuts in the past few years due to constraints in state funding of education. Within these budget limitations, District administration will review the Grand Jury's recommendation to evaluate participation in a County SAR Board as well as into the possibility of establishing a District SAR Board. An administrative review of utilizing a SAR Board will occur during the 2004-05 school year and a determination made whether or not this is the best use of resources to combat truancy.