According to the California Department of Education, laws for compulsory education require everyone between the ages of 6-18 to attend school. When students violate these laws and develop a pattern of unexcused absences, they create problems for themselves, their schools, and their communities.

In all cases, schools will attempt interventions to positively return the student's attendance. However, the attendance patterns of some students are so severe that they require more aggressive responses. In 1974 the California State Legislature enacted California Education Code Sections 48320 and 48321; these codes allowed us to utilize all resources available to curb student truancy and divert students from the juvenile justice system.

The goal of the School Attendance Review Board (SARB) is to investigate what is at the core of individual truancy issues, to provide resources and support for families where student truancy is a persistent problem, and to provide a path toward success and improved attendance for students who come before the board. In some cases, the District's SARB will refer students and their parents to court, where they will be subject to the discretion of the Orange County District Attorney’s Truancy Unit.

Definitions

• Chronic Absenteeism: Chronic Absenteeism is missing so much school for any reason that a student is academically at risk.  Chronic Absence is defined as missing 10% or more of school for any reason. Assumed on a 180-day school year this would be 18 or more days.
• Truancy: Any student who is absent from school without a valid excuse for three full days, 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 (Ed Code 48260 (a)).