Case Management of Truant Students and SARB:

1. A Review of the School Attendance Review Board Intervention Manual Case Management of Truant Students and SARB: October 18, 2013

2. Overview of Presentation • Introduction to SARB • Roles and Responsibilities • Tiered Interventions • Intensive Case Management • Attendance Improvement Meeting (AIM) • School Attendance Review Team (SART) • Resource Panel • SARB • Post SARB

3. The Goal of SARB The goal of SARB is to DIVERT the student/family from the court system and PREVENT legal consequences. • SARB is intended to… • be a positive meeting. • offer the family/student further support or intervention. • be a last chance for change before the case is referred to the City or District Attorney for prosecution.

4. SARB Myths • SARB is court • SARB is a punitive measure • SARB will magically solve the problem • The Pupil Services Counselor (PSC) or School Staff is no longer responsible for case management after SARB

5. Roles and Responsibilities: All Pupil Services Staff Understand and follow current policy guidelines: • Attendance Policy and Procedures Manual • SARB Intervention Guide for Schools • Pupil Services Staff Resource Guide • Essential Strategies

6. Roles and Responsibilities: Pupil Services Administrators • Supervise the creation and maintenance of Resource and SARB Panels • Monitor performance and ensures accountability of Pupil Services Counselors and SARB Chairs • Attend Resource Panel and SARB hearings to ensure compliance with standardized process

7. Roles and Responsibilities: SARB Chairs • Strategically develop, maintain and conduct Resource and SARB Panels • Provide training and support to counselors, school staff and SARB panel members • Forward and track cases as they progress from Resource Panel to mediation and court • Prepare and submit annual reports to LACOE

8. Roles and Responsibilities: School-Based Pupil Services Counselors • Follow Attendance Intervention Protocols (Attendance Manual) • Document all case management and interventions • Prepare and present cases to Resource Panel and SARB as per SARB Intervention Guide for Schools • Monitor, support and refer student and parents post-SARB as required • School-purchased PS Counselors are required to present a minimum of 2 SARB cases per school year

9. Truancy Letter Protocol for School Staff

10. Truancy EC Section 48260 A pupil…absent from school without 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, shall reported…as a truant. EC 48260.5 requires that upon the a pupil’s initial classification as a truant, the school district shall notify the pupil’s parent or guardian. LAUSD NOT (Notification of Truancy) letters are generated monthly to meet this state mandate. Note: ALL TRUANCY LETTERS MUST BE MAINTAINED AT SCHOOL SITE FOR THREE YEARS

11. Initial Notification of Truancy (INOT) Letter • Automation Procedures REF-Bulletin 5464.2 • Outlines requirements prior to and following the mailing of INOT letters. • Criteria: • Students between 6 and 18 years • Accumulated three or more reason codes of 3, 2, 0, UC, or blank within a school year; including unexcused tardies of 30 minutes or more coded with a reason code 3 • Absence Codes that do not count towards Truancy: • 1-Excused • 5-Written principal approval – Note new law allows principal to excuse absences before or after they occurred • 4 - Suspension • District receives $18.91 per letter generated

12. School-Based PS Counselor ResponsibilitiesRe: Initial NOT Letters • Ensure clerical staff follow proper INOT letter preparation procedures at school site • Finalized list of INOT students must be printed and filed • INOT and other NOT letters must be maintained for 3 years • Monitor attendance of students that have received Initial Truancy Letter • Follow Attendance Intervention Protocols and guidance provided in the SARB Intervention Guide for Schools

13. EC 48261 “Any pupil who has once been reported as a truant and who is again absent from school without valid excuse one or more days, or tardy on one or more days, shall be reported as a truant to the attendance supervisor or the superintendent of the district.”

14. Second Truancy Letter – Request for Parent Conference • When should Truancy Letter #2 be sent? Should be sent after: • The parent/guardian has received the Initial Truancy Letter • The parent/guardian has been given a reasonable opportunity to respond • Student has one or more additional unexcused absences, tardies in excess of 30 minutes after the Initial Notification of Truancy was sent (minimum is 4 unexcused absences)

15. EC 48262 Any pupil is deemed an habitual truant who has been reported as a truant three or more times per school year, provided that no pupil shall be deemed an habitual truant unless an appropriate district officer or employee has made a conscientious effort to hold at least one conference with a parent or guardian of the pupil and the pupil himself, after the filing of either of the reports required by Section 48260 or Section 48261. For the purposes of this section, a conscientious effort means attempting to communicate with the parents of the pupil at least once using the most cost-effective method possible, which may include electronic mail or a telephone call.

16. Third Truancy Letter – Habitual Truant Reclassification • When should Truancy Letter #3 be sent? Should be sent after: • The parent/guardian has received the 1st and 2nd Truancy Letters • The parent/guardian has been given the opportunity to attend a parent conference • Student accumulates one or more additional unexcused absences, tardies in excess of 30 minutes after the second truancy letter was sent (minimum 5 unexcused absences)

17. Sending Valid Truancy Letters • Truancy Letter #1 is automated by Central Office mailed out 1x per month • May also be created and sent manually at the school site • Use only the current approved letters printed with accurate school letterhead • Do not mail all truancy letters at the same time • Schools must allow time for response from parents/guardians between the sending of truancy letters • Truancy Letters must be sent consecutively during the same school year • If only truancy letter #1 was mailed during a school year, the school cannot begin by sending truancy letter #2 the following school year. Schools must restart by issuing truancy letters #1, #2 and #3 each school year.

18. Sending Valid Truancy Letters (continued) • Which is the correct way to enter dates of truancy on a Truancy Letter: • “See attached” • Plenty • 11/2/12, 11/5/12 and 11/7/12 • 11/2 – 11/10/2010 • c and d

19. Sending Valid Truancy Letters (continued) • Enter the mailing date on the letter • Include Parent’s Full Name and Address and Student’s Full Name and District ID • Dates of absences must be written in full • Example: 11/2/2010; 11/8/2010, 11/9/2010, 11/10/2010 NOT ACCEPTABLE: • Incomplete dates: 11/2 • “See attached” • “Plenty” • Date ranges: 11/2 – 11/10/2010 Sample letters and guidance are available in the SARB Guide

20. Sample Truancy Letter

21. Tiered Absence Related Intervention Strategies

22. Absence Related Intervention Strategies:Prevention • What are the goals of prevention activities? • What activities have you and your school provided to prevent absences?

23. Absence Related Intervention Strategies:Early Intervention • What are the goals of early intervention strategies? • What early intervention activities have you and your school implemented?

24. Community Resource Referral Form Use when referring families to outside agencies • Template is available in SARB Intervention Guide • States that LAUSD assumes no responsibility for the services provided or fees charged Retain a copy of the form for your records • Agencies must be non-profit unless student has private insurance • Provide at least 3 referrals for each type of service from your School Resource Guide and Community Resource Referral List

26. Community Resource List • What types of services are included in your Community Resource List? • How did you find these resources?

27. Essential Strategies:Intensive Intervention and Recovery

28. Intensive Case Management • Use only the Current Letters and Forms in the Attendance Manual • The SARB Guide includes links to the following forms and more…..

33. Intensive Case Management – Steps • Includes individual interventions (conferences, home visit, SART, SARB, etc.) • Identify students with attendance problems • Maintain list of target students • Document all contacts (telephone, mail, conferences, etc.) in the ISIS call log and/or Record of Contacts form • Issue all required absence notifications • Maintain protocol for Pupil Records BUL–2469.0 (ie: Access, Confidentiality, Notice of Educational Rights , etc.)

34. Coding Absences in ISIS • Absences must be documented properly. If marked as “excused”, there is no violation of the law. • Ensure Teachers and Clerks are aware of restrictions on accepting parent notes, and code absences correctly • Review attendance records regularly to ensure compliance

35. WORKING THE CASE • What are some strategies the PS Counselor might utilize? • Contact parent/guardian to obtain information • Facilitate conferences with parent to assess needs • Conduct home visits as necessary: • When parent/guardian does not respond to phone calls and letters • To observe and assess home environment, family dynamics, additional barriers to regular school attendance and over all school functioning • Link parent /guardian and/or student to resources (school based or non-school based) • Inform parent in writing that parent notes will no longer be accepted to excuse absences. • Refer to COST/SST/IEP/504 to include other staff in case • Refer for additional services as needed (school based or community based) • What is the desired outcome?

36. School Attendance Review Team (SART)

37. Purpose of SART • Recommended by LACOE as a best practice to improve student attendance and reduce need for referrals to SARB • Address barriers preventing regular school attendance • Encourage parent participation to resolve issues Required prior to a SARB referral • NOTE: An SST or Truancy Prevention Program hearing may replace a SART meeting

38. SART Tools and Templates Available as links in the SARB Intervention Guide: • Overview of SART • Quick Guide • Agenda Templates • Sample Invite letter • SART Contract – English and Spanish

39. Preparing for SART • Determine SART dates • Include parent, student, and at least one other certificated faculty member • Size of Team depends on specific student needs, staffing and availability • Allow approximately 30 minutes per meeting • Notify Pupil Services staff at sibling schools of the SART to reduce duplication of efforts

40. Preparing for SART (continued) TRUE OR FALSE: • An administrator MUST be a part of the SART panel. • Only the student should attend the SART meeting. • SART panel members can ONLY include a PS Counselor and an Administrator. FALSE FALSE FALSE

41. Preparing for SART (continued) • Send SART invite letter at least 2 weeks prior to date • Three days prior to the SART another letter should be sent home with the student or visit home to hand deliver letter • Call the parent one day prior to the meeting to confirm attendance • Prepare and disseminate agenda • Arrange for an interpreter, if necessary • Place “Supplemental Student Information” form in teacher’s mailbox at least 1 week prior to SART • Gather student information (ie: student’s cum, behavior, academic and attendance records, etc.) • Research siblings and print attendance from MyData

42. Day of SART • Introduction: SART members and family • Verify address and phone numbers • Have parent complete new Emergency Contact Form • Include ALL school age siblings on contract • Review LAUSD attendance policy, compulsory education law, and discuss number of absences and tardies (current and past) • Address barriers that are prohibiting regular attendance • Review various interventions that were done prior to SART • Have parent sign Release/Exchange of Information Form • Inquire about past/current DCFS and/or Probationinvolvement • DPSS info (eligibility worker name and number) • Speak with doctors, therapists and others working with family

43. HOLDING THE SART MEETING - Overview • Identify family strengths, review progress made • Create an action plan and detail on SART contract • Provide referrals to school based and community based services (using Community Resource Form) • Inform parent that only a doctor’s note will be counted as an “excused” absence • Review SART contract with family and obtain parent and student signature • Provide a copy of the SART contract to the parent

44. After SART • Document on elementary cum jacket, Section 7: Conferences with Parents/Guardians that a SART meeting was held • School mail a copy to sibling (s) home school • File contract in cum and your case file • If the parent does not attend SART: • Attempt to contact the parent by phone, mail, or home visit in order to reschedule • If you are not able to contact the parent mail “No Show to SART” letter along with a copy of the contract

45. SART Contract Violation • Mail “SART/SARB Violation” letter with a copy of SART contract • Review SART contract and referrals that were given with parent/student • Inform parent of referral to Resource Panel • Inform parent of School Attendance Review Board process

46. AFTER SART • Document ALL interventions in ISIS Call Log and/or Record of Contacts form • Keep copies of all correspondence to and from the parent • Inform school staff that parent notes will no longer be accepted and ALL future absences must be excused by a doctor, school nurse, or approved by the principal • All parent note must be coded as “3 Non-Compliant” in ISIS

47. Essential Strategies:Resource Panel

48. Resource Panel • What are the two PRIMARY functions of Resource Panel? • Case consultation for difficult cases • Case presentation for SARB Referral • Resource Panel Composition: • SARB Chairperson/s • PSA Administrator • PSA, School or District Staff (IEP Nurse, etc.)

49. Resource Panel Preparation:Know Your Student • What should you know about your student/family when presenting a case to Resource Panel?

50. RESOURCE PANEL PREPARATION • Notify SARB Chairperson to be added to Resource Panel calendar • Complete all required forms (see Resource Panel/SARB Document Checklist) • Bring original forms along with 1 copy (single-sided 8½” x 11” paper, unstapled) to Resource Panel