Attendance

What is SARB?

In 1974, the Legislature enacted California Education Code (EC) Section 48320 to enhance the enforcement of compulsory education laws and to divert students with issues surrounding  school attendance or behavior from the juvenile justice system until all available resources have been exhausted. EC Section 48321 provides several organizational structures for SARBs at the local and county level to create a safety net for students with persistent issues with attendance or behavior. Although the goal of SARBs is to keep students in school and provide them with a meaningful educational experience, SARBs do have the power, when necessary, to refer students and their parents or guardians to court.

What happens during a SARB Hearing?

• The school administrator or counselor reports on the attendance record

• SARB members ask the student and parent to explain why the student is not going to school

• SARB members make recommendations to assist the family and student

What can SARB recommend for students?

• Help students reengage in school with school-connectedness staff and resources

• Counseling programs for the student and/or family

• Parenting classes to support the family 

• A student transfer to an alternative school or program

• Assistance from other agencies and programs (counseling, restorative justice and mental health)

CARE Court is primarily for parents of students in grades Kindergarten through 8th grade. In this truancy court for parents, the CARE Court partners approach truancy cases with a focus on problem-solving through collaboration.  CARE stands for Court for Achieving Reengagement with Education. 

If the SARB process is unsuccessful, and further support is needed for the family, a referral may be made to CARE Court.

Partners in CARE Court are those who come together to work collaborative with parents to reengage their child/children in school. CARE Court partners can include:

• Deputy District Attorney
• Dedicated judge
• Social worker from Behavioral Health Services Dept. (BHSD)
• Education partners from the district or school 
• A Family Navigator

Juvenile Attendance Improvement Diversion Hearings (JAID) are for families of students in high school grades that are truant. 

The hearing is held one-on-one with the family, and includes the District Attorney, educational partners from the district and/or school, and any other JAID hearing partners.  

A JAID hearing is a way for high school students and their families to enter into mediation, instead of going to formal court.

The JAID hearing partners, along with the District Attorney, education partners and the family review the student's attendance and previous interventions. Resources and services will be recommended that match the needs of the student and family. 

Next steps will be determined by the District Attorney within the JAID hearing. 

Monthly check-ins will typically occur to assess the student's progress in coming to school, and sto et up any additional supports to improve attendance. 

Partners in JAID hearings are those who come together to work collaborative with parents and students to reengage them in school.

JAID hearing partners can include:

• Community prosecutor & truancy legal clerk
• District attendance staff
• Other education partners from the district or school