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School Attendance Review Board (SARB)

Every Day 

Counts

California’s compulsory education laws require children between six and eighteen years of age to attend school, with a limited number of specified exceptions. Under state law, a pupil who, without a valid excuse, is absent from school for three full days in one school year, or is tardy or absent for more than 30 minutes during the school day on three occasions in one school year, is considered truant.

Once a student is designated a truant, state law requires schools, districts, counties, and courts to intervene to ensure that parents and pupils receive specific services to assist them in complying with attendance laws. When these interventions fail—meaning parents or guardians still do not send a child to school or a student misses an unlawful amount of school—the matter is referred to the courts. Courts can then use penalties or other measures to seek compliance.

Essentially, these interventions ensure that pupils remain in school and that a pattern is not established that could lead to their dropping out of school later in their educational career.

SARB Contacts

SARB Director
Rob Egger
209.536.2076
regger@tcsos.us

SARB Executive Assistant
Diana Silva
209.536.2031
dsilva@tcsos.us

What Happens

When A Truancy is Reported

School-Level Interventions

The school must: (1) report the truant pupil to the district’s attendance supervisor, (2) notify the parent or guardian that the pupil is truant, and (3) provide the pupil and parent with certain interventions—such as providing the pupil with counseling and tutoring and requiring the parent to attend a parenting class.

District-Level Interventions

If the school-level interventions are unsuccessful, the school district will refer the student and the parent to the district’s SARB or, if the district does not have a standing SARB, to the county office of education’s (COE) SARB. In either case, the SARB is composed of parents, representatives from the school district, and members of the community at large—including representatives from law enforcement, welfare and mental health agencies, youth services agencies, and the district attorney’s office. The SARB members work collaboratively to diagnose the problem and recommend solutions to overcome the specific circumstances that are contributing to truancy. If parents refuse to respond to SARB directives, the SARB may refer the case to the district attorney for legal interventions. Alternatively, school districts may bypass the district attorney’s office entirely and file against offenders in traffic court.

County and Court Interventions

In addition to a SARB, most COEs operate formal truancy mediation programs in coordination with the district attorney and/or county probation offices. A SARB may refer cases to these programs as a last intervention before the pupil or parent faces legal prosecution. Typically, it is only in the most egregious cases where these efforts are unsuccessful and legal action is subsequently pursued by the district attorney. When legal action is needed, district attorneys have three options they may use to prosecute offenders. As described in Figure 1, the penalties associated with these options vary in severity—ranging from community service or participation in a parent education program to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine.

In May 2024, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond announced that the Tuolumne County Superintendent Schools Office had again been recognized as a Model School Attendance Review Board (SARB) program. The only County Office of Education to receive this prestigious award in 2024!

SARB

Board Members

2024-2025

SARB Hearing Dates

2024-2025 SARB Hearing Dates

Updated July 2024

The SARB Board will meet at 8:00 AM, and the first case will start promptly at 8:15 AM. There will be two SARB Hearings in September and in May. The SARB team will share location details at a later date.

Thank you for your time and energy in helping our students get back to school and receive the services they need.

  • September 11, 2024
  • September 25, 2024
  • October 9, 2024
  • November 13, 2024
  • December 11, 2024
  • January 8, 2025
  • February 12, 2025
  • March 12, 2025
  • April 9, 2025
  • May 7, 2025
  • May 21, 2025

     

    SARB

    Forms & Resources

    REFERRALS

     

    SARB Referral Checklist

    Updated July 2024

    Confidential Referral Form

    Updated July 2024

    INFORMATION

     

    SARB Information Pamphlet

    Updated January 2023

    RESOURCES

     

    Teacher/Counselor Input Form

    Updated July 2024

    Attendance Works

    Resources

    PRESCHOOL & KINDERGARTEN

     

    Get Ready for one the biggest adventures of your child's life!

    School will be starting soon. These tips can help your children look forward to attending school every day.

    Help Your Child Succeed in Preschool and Kindergarten

    Build the Habit of Good Attendance

    ELEMENTARY

     

    Help Your Child Succeed in School

    Build the Habit of Good Attendance Early

    Attendance in the Early Grades

    Many of our youngest students miss 10 percent of the school year—about 18 days a year or just two days every month. Chronic absenteeism in kindergarten, and even pre-K, can predict lower test scores, poor attendance, and retention in later grades, especially if the problem persists for more than a year. Do you know how many young children are chronically absent in your school or community?

    Asistencia en los Primeros Grados

    Muchos de nuestros estudiantes más pequeños faltan a la escuela el 10% del año escolar – como 18 días al año o sólo dos días al mes. La ausencia crónica en kínder e incluso en la pre escuela, puede predecir bajas calificaciones en exámenes, mala asistencia escolar y baja retención en los próximos años escolares, especialmente si el problema de ausencia persiste durante más de un año. ¿Sabe usted cuántos niños pequeños están ausentes crónicamente en su escuela y comunidad?

    MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOL

    Keep Your Child On Track in Middle and High School: Pay Attention to Attendance

    Showing up for school has a huge impact on a student’s academic success. Even as children grow older and more independent, families play a key role in making sure students get to school every day and understand why attendance is so important for success in school and on the job.

    HEALTHY PRACTICES

    Keep Your Child Healthy and in School

    A regular attendance routine is important for your child’s well-being, learning, and long-term success. Below are tips to keep your child healthy and avoid unnecessary absences from school.

    Health Guidance for Going to School

    Showing up to school every day is critical for children’s well-being, engagement, and learning.