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Frequently Asked Questions
School Attendance Review Board (SARB)
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| Q: |
What are the ages of students who can be referred to SARB? |
| A: |
California education law requires students between the ages of 6-18 to attend school daily. Kindergarten is not mandatory until they are 6 years old. |
| Q: |
Who identifies students who have attendance problems? |
| A: |
The attendance clerk, through weekly reports and family contacts, identifies students with attendance concerns. |
| Q: |
Who is responsible for generating and sending attendance letters? |
| A: |
It is the joint responsibility of the counselor and attendance clerk. The attendance clerk runs attendance reports and prints appropriate letters. The counselor’s responsibility is to sign the letters. |
| Q: |
Where can you find the attendance letters and SARB Referral? |
| A: |
You can access the letters in English and Spanish on the District Web Site, District Staff: Forms: Student Attendance: Parent Letters. They are also available on Zangle. |
| Q: |
Who sends out Letter B? |
| A: |
Mandated Cost sends out Letter B after a student accumulates 3 U’s, Z’s W’s and/or period absences. The list of students who will receive the letter is sent to the school. If the site wants Letter B to be mailed in between regular monthly mailings, the counselor can call Mandated Cost who will e-mail the letter to them. |
| Q: |
What
if a student has excessive illnesses that the nurse feels are unjustified? |
| A: |
The nurse has two letters that address illnesses. The second letter requires verification by a doctor or school nurse for future absences to be excused. If the nurse determines the illnesses are not legitimate, the absences should be coded as U’s. |
| Q: |
If the school does not have a nurse, who sends out the nurse’s letters? |
| A: |
The Site Administrator/Principal letters are available from the Nursing and Wellness Program in lieu of nurse’s letters. |
| Q: |
Why are period absences and W's (late more than 30 minutes) not considered for a SARB referral? |
| A: |
Even though the state mandates that W’s are considered as habitual truancy, the San Diego court system will not consider W’s or period absences; they accept all-day U’s and Z’s only. |
| Q: |
What can I expect when I make a SARB referral? |
| A: |
SARB is mandated by the state to provide interventions in addition to those the school has offered. Once SARB has provided the interventions and attendance has not improved, a hearing is scheduled. If attendance continues to be problematic, the student/family is referred to court. |
| Q: |
Can siblings be SARBed at the same time? |
| A: |
Yes, separate referrals should be made. It is an opportunity to address the needs of the family because school attendance is frequently a family problem. |
| Q: |
Can a runaway student be SARBed? |
| A: |
The attendance clerk should continue to code the absences accordingly. When the student returns continue with the SARB referral process and make sure the interventions are appropriate. |
| Q: |
Should
I refer a student if they have a probation officer? |
| A: |
No. Contact the probation officer as they have the legal responsibility for the student. |
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| Q: |
What is SARB’s responsibility when a student transfers to another school district? |
| A: |
SARB will contact the receiving school/district and inform them of the active case. |
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| Q: |
What is SARB’s responsibility if a student transfers to/from a charter or summit school? |
| A: |
We continue to work with the charter and district school to improve the student’s attendance. Summit schools are under the county educational system so it becomes the responsibility of the county. |
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| Q: |
Do school personnel participate in SARB hearings? |
| A: |
It is required that the referring counselor attend the hearing so he/she can present the case, assist in the development of the SARB contract and follow through with the site responsibilities. |
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| Q: |
How long is a SARB case active? |
| A: |
A SARB case is active until a student’s attendance improves to an acceptable level or the student moves out of district or is assigned a probation officer. |
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| Q: |
What happens when a student is adjudged a ward of the court? |
| A: |
A probation officer is assigned and SARB will file the case. |
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| Q: |
Can special education students be SARBed? |
| A: |
Yes. The IEP Team must determine that attendance is not part of the student’s disability and that it is an appropriate referral. The IEP must be current. |
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| Q: |
Can unverified absences (A’s) be considered for a SARB referral? |
| A: |
No. A’s cannot be counted because the parent has not verified the absences. Only U’s and Z’s qualify when making a SARB referral. It is critical, therefore, that every effort be made to contact the parent to determine the reason for absences. |
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| Q: |
What is the timeline for submitting referrals? |
| A: |
The timeline is one month prior to the end of both traditional and year round school year. This gives SARB time for interventions that are required by the state and court system. |
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| Q: |
Why do attendance letters have to be sent every year on students who have an active SARB case? |
| A: |
The state of California requires that the letters be sent yearly unless a hearing has been held. |
>> School Attendance Review Board (SARB)
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