Truancy

District Attorney's office Launches Truancy Prevention Program. In 1997, the District Attorney's Office in conjunction with several county school districts and numerous county departments launched the "Truancy Intervention and Parent Accountability Program."

Why is there a need for a truancy program?

Truancy is a known risk factor for future delinquency;
More than 82% of prisoners today are school dropouts;
Prior to the Truancy Program, juvenile arrests are increasing, particularly for violent offenses;
Prior to the Truancy Program, admissions to juvenile facilities are at their highest levels ever and many are operating over capacity;
Number of unexcused absences in Santa Barbara County in grades 6-12 in the 1996/1997 school year was estimated to be in excess of 75,000 days.
Number of truant students (more than 3 unexcused absences) in grades 6-12 countywide within the first semester of the 1996/1997 school year was approximately 6,500.

Vision

• Utilizing early intervention to break truancy habits and minimize loss of school time;
• Establishing a consistent, credible and effective process of handling truancy from first absence to chronic violator;
• Creating a team assessment process of those truants and families identified with ongoing needs associated with truancy;
• Maximizing the use of existing resources and agencies to create an integrated and coordinated approach to counseling, referral and enforcement aspects of the program.

Program Goals

• Respond to the needs of troubled youth and their families;
• Provide individualized plans which are tailored to the particular needs of the child and family;
• Improve school attendance through parental and child accountability;
• Reduce juvenile crime rate, adult criminality and joblessness;
• Provide immediate graduated interventions and sanctions approach;
• Make education a top priority for families;
• Zero tolerance for habitual truants.

Program Steps. This prevention/intervention program consists of several steps which take place based on the number of unexcused absences a student accumulates. The steps consist of:

a) Advising parents of truant children of their obligations under the Education Code;

b) A group meeting focusing on parent/child accountability, legal responsibility and consequences, as well as information regarding available local resources;

c) Early intervention through multi-agency mandatory meetings with parent and child to identify possible solutions to improving the child's attendance;

d) School attendance review board (SARB); and

e) Court intervention.

Social Workers. Since program inception, we have implemented many changes that have improved the quality of the truancy program and increased the level of intervention for truant families. Such changes include the addition of two bilingual social workers that intervene at the TMT and SARB stage and provide assessment and follow-up for truant families. Further, they serve as a valuable link into community resources.

Positive Rewards Program. This current school year, South County implemented a positive rewards program for students who have attended a TMT meeting and have shown improvement at the 1-month, 2-month, 4-month and 1-year point. Presently we are tracking students from the mainstream high schools only. So far we have had over 50% of such students meet the criteria for a 1-month check. These students receive a small certificate delivered by our social workers. Students who continue to make improvements at the 4-month check will receive donated food coupons from local businesses. Such coupons were solicited by our office during the summer.

What is truancy? Under section 46010 of the Education Code, the only legal excuses for an absence or tardy from school are:

• Illness;
• Quarantine;
• Medical appointments;
• Dental and eye appointments;
• Attendance at the funeral service of an immediate family member;
• Exclusion based on health code regulations or jury duty;
• Absences for any other reason are considered truancies and unlawful.