Article 5. Truants of California Education Code >> Division 4. >> Title 2. >> Part 27. >> Chapter 2. >> Article 5.

(a) A pupil subject to compulsory full-time education or to compulsory continuation education who is absent from school without a valid excuse three full days in one school year or tardy or absent for more than a 30-minute period during the schoolday without a valid excuse on three occasions in one school year, or any combination thereof, shall be classified as a truant and shall be reported to the attendance supervisor or to the superintendent of the school district.
  (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), it is the intent of the Legislature that school districts shall not change the method of attendance accounting provided for in existing law and shall not be required to employ period-by-period attendance accounting.
  (c) For purposes of this article, a valid excuse includes, but is not limited to, the reasons for which a pupil shall be excused from school pursuant to Sections 48205 and 48225.5 and may include other reasons that are within the discretion of school administrators and, based on the facts of the pupil's circumstances, are deemed to constitute a valid excuse.

Upon a pupil's initial classification as a truant, the school district shall notify the pupil's parent or guardian using the most cost-effective method possible, which may include electronic mail or a telephone call:
  (a) That the pupil is truant.
  (b) That the parent or guardian is obligated to compel the attendance of the pupil at school.
  (c) That parents or guardians who fail to meet this obligation may be guilty of an infraction and subject to prosecution pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 48290) of Chapter 2 of Part 27.
  (d) That alternative educational programs are available in the district.
  (e) That the parent or guardian has the right to meet with appropriate school personnel to discuss solutions to the pupil's truancy.
  (f) That the pupil may be subject to prosecution under Section 48264.
  (g) That the pupil may be subject to suspension, restriction, or delay of the pupil's driving privilege pursuant to Section 13202.7 of the Vehicle Code.
  (h) That it is recommended that the parent or guardian accompany the pupil to school and attend classes with the pupil for one day.

(a) In any county which has not established a county school attendance review board pursuant to Section 48321, the school district may notify the district attorney or the probation officer, or both, of the county in which the school district is located, by first-class mail or other reasonable means, of the following if the district attorney or the probation officer has elected to participate in the truancy mediation program described in subdivision (d):
  (1) The name of each pupil who has been classified as a truant.
  (2) The name and address of the parent or guardian of each pupil who has been classified as a truant.
  (b) The school district may also notify the district attorney or the probation officer, or both, as to whether the pupil continues to be classified as a truant after the parents have been notified pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 48260.5.
  (c) In any county which has not established a county school attendance review board, the district attorney or the probation officer of the county in which the school district is located may notify the parents or guardians of every truant, by first-class mail or other reasonable means, that they may be subject to prosecution pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 48290) of Chapter 2 of Part 27 for failure to compel the attendance of the pupil at school.
  (d) If the district attorney or the probation officer, or both, are notified by a school district that a child continues to be classified as a truant after the parents or guardians have been notified pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 48260.5, the district attorney or the probation officer in any county which has not established a county school attendance review board may request the parents or guardians and the child to attend a meeting in the district attorney's office or at the probation department pursuant to Section 601.3 of the Welfare and Institutions Code to discuss the possible legal consequences of the child's truancy. Notice of the meeting shall be given pursuant to Section 601.3 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

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 again be reported as a truant to the attendance supervisor or the superintendent of the district.

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 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.

If any minor pupil in any district of a county is an habitual truant, or is irregular in attendance at school, as defined in this article, or is habitually insubordinate or disorderly during attendance at school, the pupil may be referred to a school attendance review board or to the probation department for services if the probation department has elected to receive these referrals. The supervisor of attendance, or any other persons the governing board of the school district or county may designate, making the referral shall notify the minor and parents or guardians of the minor, in writing, of the name and address of the board or probation department to which the matter has been referred and of the reason for the referral. The notice shall indicate that the pupil and parents or guardians of the pupil will be required, along with the referring person, to meet with the school attendance review board or probation officer to consider a proper disposition of the referral. If the school attendance review board or probation officer determines that available community services can resolve the problem of the truant or insubordinate pupil, then the board or probation officer shall direct the pupil or the pupil's parents or guardians, or both, to make use of those community services. The school attendance review board or probation officer may require, at any time that it determines proper, the pupil or parents or guardians of the pupil, or both, to furnish satisfactory evidence of participation in the available community services. If the school attendance review board or probation officer determines that available community services cannot resolve the problem of the truant or insubordinate pupil or if the pupil or the parents or guardians of the pupil, or both, have failed to respond to directives of the school attendance review board or probation officer or to services provided, the school attendance review board may, pursuant to Section 48263.5, notify the district attorney or the probation officer, or both, of the county in which the school district is located, or the probation officer may, pursuant to Section 48263.5, notify the district attorney, if the district attorney or the probation officer has elected to participate in the truancy mediation program described in that section. If the district attorney or the probation office has not elected to participate in the truancy mediation program described in Section 48263.5, the school attendance review board or probation officer may direct the county superintendent of schools to, and, thereupon, the county superintendent of schools shall, request a petition on behalf of the pupil in the juvenile court of the county. Upon presentation of a petition on behalf of a pupil, the juvenile court of the county shall hear all evidence relating to the petition. The school attendance review board or the probation officer shall submit to the juvenile court documentation of efforts to secure attendance as well as its recommendations on what action the juvenile court shall take in order to bring about a proper disposition of the case. In any county which has not established a school attendance review board, if the school district determines that available community resources cannot resolve the problem of the truant or insubordinate pupil, or if the pupil or the pupil's parents or guardians, or both, have failed to respond to the directives of the school district or the services provided, the school district, pursuant to Section 48260.6, may notify the district attorney or the probation officer, or both, of the county in which the school district is located, if the district attorney or the probation officer has elected to participate in the truancy mediation program described in Section 48260.6.

(a) In any county which has established a county school attendance review board pursuant to Section 48321, the school attendance review board may notify the district attorney or the probation officer, or both, of the county in which the school district is located, or the probation officer may notify the district attorney, by first-class mail or other reasonable means, of the following if the district attorney or the probation officer has elected to participate in the truancy mediation program described in subdivision (b):
  (1) The name of each pupil who has been classified as a truant and concerning whom the school attendance review board or the probation officer has determined:
  (A) That available community services cannot resolve the truancy or insubordination problem.
  (B) That the pupil or the parents or guardians of the pupil, or both, have failed to respond to directives of the school attendance review board or probation officer or to services provided.
  (2) The name and address of the parent or guardian of each pupil described in paragraph (1).
  (b) Upon receipt of notification provided pursuant to subdivision (a), the district attorney or the probation officer may notify the parents or guardians of each pupil concerning whom notification has been received, by first-class mail or other reasonable means, that they may be subject to prosecution pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 48290) of Chapter 2 of Part 27 for failure to compel the attendance of the pupil at school. The district attorney or the probation officer may also request the parents or guardians and the child to attend a meeting in the district attorney's office or at the probation department pursuant to Section 601.3 of the Welfare and Institutions Code to discuss the possible legal consequences of the child's truancy. Notice of the meeting shall be given pursuant to Section 601.3 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

Any pupil subject to compulsory full-time education or to compulsory continuation education who is absent from school without a valid excuse for 10 percent or more of the schooldays in one school year, from the date of enrollment to the current date, is deemed a chronic truant, provided that the appropriate school district officer or employee has complied with Sections 48260, 48260.5, 48261, 48262, 48263, and 48291.

The attendance supervisor or his or her designee, a peace officer, a school administrator or his or her designee, or a probation officer may arrest or assume temporary custody, during school hours, of any minor subject to compulsory full-time education or to compulsory continuation education found away from his or her home and who is absent from school without valid excuse within the county, city, or city and county, or school district.

A minor who is classified as a truant pursuant to Section 48260 or 48261 may be required to attend makeup classes conducted on one day of a weekend pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 37223 and is subject to the following:
  (a) The first time a truancy report is issued, the pupil and, as appropriate, the parent or legal guardian, may be requested to attend a meeting with a school counselor or other school designee to discuss the root causes of the attendance issue and develop a joint plan to improve the pupil's attendance.
  (b) The second time a truancy report is issued within the same school year, the pupil may be given a written warning by a peace officer as specified in Section 830.1 of the Penal Code. A record of the written warning may be kept at the school for not less than two years or until the pupil graduates or transfers from that school. If the pupil transfers from that school, the record may be forwarded to the school receiving the pupil's school records. A record of the written warning may be maintained by the law enforcement agency in accordance with that law enforcement agency's policies and procedures. The pupil may also be assigned by the school to an afterschool or weekend study program located within the same county as the pupil's school. If the pupil fails to successfully complete the assigned study program, the pupil shall be subject to subdivision (c).
  (c) The third time a truancy report is issued within the same school year, the pupil shall be classified as a habitual truant, as defined in Section 48262, and may be referred to, and required to attend, an attendance review board or a truancy mediation program pursuant to Section 48263 or pursuant to Section 601.3 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. If the school district does not have a truancy mediation program, the pupil may be required to attend a comparable program deemed acceptable by the school district's attendance supervisor. If the pupil does not successfully complete the truancy mediation program or other similar program, the pupil shall be subject to subdivision (d).
  (d) The fourth time a truancy is issued within the same school year, the pupil may be within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court that may adjudge the pupil to be a ward of the court pursuant to Section 601 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. If the pupil is adjudged a ward of the court, the pupil shall be required to do one or more of the following:
  (1) Performance at court-approved community services sponsored by either a public or private nonprofit agency for not less than 20 hours but not more than 40 hours over a period not to exceed 90 days, during a time other than the pupil's hours of school attendance or employment. The probation officer shall report to the court the failure of the pupil to comply with this paragraph.
  (2) Payment of a fine by the pupil of not more than fifty dollars ($50) for which a parent or legal guardian of the pupil may be jointly liable. The fine described in this paragraph shall not be subject to the assessments of Section 1464 of the Penal Code or any other applicable section.
  (3) Attendance of a court-approved truancy prevention program.
  (4) Suspension or revocation of driving privileges pursuant to Section 13202.7 of the Vehicle Code. This subdivision shall apply only to a pupil who has attended a school attendance review board program, a program operated by a probation department acting as a school attendance review board, or a truancy mediation program pursuant to subdivision (c).

Any person arresting or assuming temporary custody of a minor pursuant to Section 48264 shall forthwith deliver the minor either to the parent, guardian, or other person having control, or charge of the minor, or to the school from which the minor is absent, or to a nonsecure youth service or community center designated by the school or district for counseling prior to returning such minor to his home or school, or to a school counselor or pupil services and attendance officer located at a police station for the purpose of obtaining immediate counseling from the counselor or officer prior to returning or being returned to his home or school, or, if the minor is found to have been declared an habitual truant, he shall cause the minor to be brought before the probation officer of the county having jurisdiction over minors.

Any person taking action pursuant to Sections 48264 and 48265 shall report the matter, and the disposition made by him of the minor to the school authorities of the city, or city and county, or school district and to the minor's parent or guardian.

Any pupil who has once been adjudged an habitual truant or habitually insubordinate or disorderly during attendance at school by the juvenile court of the county, or has been found to be a person described in Section 602 and as a condition of probation is required to attend a school program approved by a probation officer, who is reported as a truant from school one or more days or tardy on one or more days without valid excuse, in the same school year or in a succeeding year, or habitually insubordinate, or disorderly during attendance at school, shall be brought to the attention of the juvenile court and the pupil's probation or parole officer within 10 days of the reported violation. Notwithstanding Section 827 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, written notice that a minor enrolled in a public school in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, has been found by a court to be a person described in Section 602 and as a condition of probation is required to attend a school program approved by a probation officer shall be provided by the juvenile court, within seven days of the entry of the dispositional order, to the superintendent of the school district of attendance, which information shall be expeditiously transmitted to the principal or to one person designated by the principal of the school that the minor is attending. The principal or the principal's designee shall not disclose this information to any other person except as otherwise required by law.

The court, in addition to any judgment it may make regarding the pupil, may render judgment that the parent, guardian, or person having the control or charge of the pupil shall deliver him at the beginning of each schoolday, for the remainder of the school term, at the school from which he is a truant, or in which he has been insubordinate or disorderly during attendance, or to a school designated by school authorities.

If the parent, guardian, or other person having control or charge of the child, within three days after the rendition of the judgment executes a bond to the governing board of the school district in the sum of two hundred dollars ($200), conditioned that the child will, during the remainder of the current school year, regularly attend some public or private school in the city, or city and county, or school district, and not be insubordinate or disorderly during attendance, then the court may make an order suspending the execution of the judgment so long as the condition of the bond is complied with. The bond shall be filed with the secretary of the board of education, or clerk of the board of trustees. All money paid or collected on the bond shall be paid into the county treasury as provided in Section 41001.

The governing board of each school district shall adopt rules and regulations to require the appropriate officers and employees of the district to gather and transmit to the county superintendent of schools the number and types of referrals to school attendance review boards and of requests for petitions to the juvenile court pursuant to Section 48263.