Definitions
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\nChronic absentee means a student who is absent for any reason on 10 percent or more of the school days in the school year, when the total number of days the student is absent is divided by the total number of days the student is enrolled and school was actually taught in the regular schools of the district, exclusive of Saturdays and Sundays. (Education Code 60901)
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\nTruant means a student who is absent from school without a 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. (Education Code 48260)
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\nHabitual truant means a student who has been reported as a truant three or more times within the same school year, provided the district has made a conscientious effort to hold at least one conference with the student and the student's parent/guardian after either of the two previous reports. (Education Code 48262, 48264.5)
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\nChronic truant means a student who has been absent from school without a valid excuse for 10 percent or more of the school days in one school year, from the date of enrollment to the current date, provided the district has met the requirements of Education Code 48260, 48260.5, 48261, 48262, 48263, and 48291. (Education Code 48263.6)
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\nFor purposes of classifying a student as a truant, a valid excuse includes, but is not limited to, the reasons for which a student shall be excused from school pursuant to Education Code 48205 and 48225.5, and Administrative Regulation 5113 - Absences and Excuses. A valid excuse may include other reasons that are within the discretion of school administrators and, based on the facts of the student's circumstances, are deemed to constitute a valid excuse. (Education Code 48260)
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\nAddressing Chronic Absence
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\nWhen a student is identified as a chronic absentee, the Superintendent, attendance supervisor, or designee shall communicate with the student and the student's parents/guardians to determine the reason(s) for the excessive absences, ensure the student and parents/guardians are aware of the adverse consequences of poor attendance, and jointly develop a plan for improving the student's school attendance.
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\nThe student may be referred to a student success team or school-site attendance review team to assist in evaluating the student's needs and identifying strategies and programs to assist the student. When necessary, the student may be referred to a school attendance review board (SARB) program, a truancy mediation program established by the district attorney or the probation officer, or a comparable program deemed acceptable by the Superintendent or designee, in accordance with Education Code 48263 and Item #3 in "Addressing Truancy" below.
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\nA student who is struggling academically may be offered tutoring or other supplemental instruction, expanded learning opportunities, and/or alternative educational options as appropriate.
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\nStudents who are absent shall be given an opportunity to make up missed assignments or assessments and shall receive full credit for satisfactory completion of the work. Students with excessive absences shall be supported to the extent possible to limit the impact of absences on the student's grades.
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\nWhenever chronic absenteeism is linked to a health, social-emotional, family, or other nonschool issue, the Superintendent or designee may recommend school or community resources and/or collaborate with community agencies and organizations to address the needs of the student and the student's family.
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\nAddressing Truancy
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\nAn attendance supervisor or designee, peace officer, probation officer, or school administrator or designee may, as applicable, arrest or assume temporary custody during school hours of any minor student found away from home who is absent from school without a valid excuse. Any person arresting or assuming temporary custody of a minor student shall deliver the student and make reports in accordance with Education Code 48265 and 48266. (Education Code 48264, 48265, 48266)
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\nThe Superintendent, attendance supervisor, or designee shall investigate a complaint from any person that a parent/guardian has violated the state compulsory education laws contained in Education Code 48200-48341. (Education Code 48290)
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\nWhen a student has been identified as a truant as defined above, the following steps shall be implemented based on the number of truancies the student has committed:
Attendance Recovery Program
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\nBeginning July 1, 2025, the district may implement an attendance recovery program for students to make up a maximum of 10 days of attendance for lost instructional time and offset absences incurred during the school year. Any student participating in the program shall not be credited with more than five days of attendance per school week or more than one day of attendance for any calendar day of participation in the program. (Education Code 46211)
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\nThe district's program may be operated before or after school, on weekends, or during intersessional periods. The district shall offer access to an attendance recovery program throughout the school year, including, at least once during each term. (Education Code 46211)
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\nThe program shall be provided only as a limited-term option for a classroom-based, regular educational program. Students otherwise enrolled in a nonclassroom-based program, such as independent study, shall not participate in an attendance recovery program. (Education Code 46211)
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\nA student shall not be required to participate in the program. Students concurrently participating in both an attendance recovery program and an Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELO) pursuant to Education Code 46120, shall retain the ability to participate in the entirety of the ELO's offerings for the duration of the school year. (Education Code 46211)
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\nThe district's attendance recovery program shall be composed of students engaged in educational activities and content aligned to grade level standards that are substantially equivalent to the students' regular instructional program, which may include one-on-one or small group tutoring, and shall be under the immediate supervision and control of a certificated teacher who is also an employee of the district and who possesses a valid certification document. (Education Code 46211)
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\nThe district's attendance recovery program shall not exceed a student-to-certificated teacher ratio of 10 to 1 for TK and kindergarten or 20 to 1 for grades 1 to 12. The district shall maintain documentation demonstrating how the attendance recovery program met these applicable ratios. (Education Code 46211)
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\nRecords
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\nThe Superintendent, attendance supervisor, or designee shall maintain accurate attendance records for students identified as habitual or chronic truants. In addition, the attendance supervisor, designee, and/or the staff persons who have direct contact with the student or parent/guardian shall document all their contacts regarding the student's attendance, including a summary of all conversations and a record of all intervention efforts.
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\nThe Superintendent, attendance supervisor, or designee shall gather and transmit to the County Superintendent of Schools the number and types of referrals made to the SARB and of requests for petitions made to the juvenile court. (Education Code 48273)
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\nAdditionally, in regard to the district's attendance recovery program, the Superintendent or designee shall maintain documentation demonstrating how the attendance recovery program met the student-to-teacher ratios specified in Education Code 46211.