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Irvine Chinese Immersion Academy

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SARB

Student Attendance Review Board (SARB)

 

We understand that at times, life circumstances can create challenges that affect a student’s success at school, including regular attendance. At Irvine Chinese Immersion Academy (ICIA), our goal is to partner with students and families to address these challenges and support consistent school engagement.

The purpose of the School Attendance Review Board (SARB) process is to work collaboratively with families to identify the underlying issues contributing to attendance concerns and to provide appropriate resources, supports, and interventions to help improve student attendance.

The SARB panel includes representatives from ICIA, such as district staff from the Education Services and Student Support Services departments, a school-based mental health professional, school nurse, school social worker, and ICIA site administration. When appropriate, representatives from Orange County Social Services, community agencies, and local law enforcement may also participate to offer additional support.

The goal of the SARB panel is to develop reasonable and effective solutions that support the student’s academic and social-emotional success. If a parent and/or student does not participate in the process or fails to comply with the recommended interventions, the SARB panel may refer the case for additional mandated services through community partnerships. If attendance does not improve after these interventions, ICIA may submit a referral to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office for further legal action. In such cases, the student and/or parent may be required to appear in Juvenile Court to address ongoing attendance issues.

 

SARB DOCUMENT

Key Definitions:

Truancy:
In California, a student is truant if he/she is absent or tardy by more than 30 minutes without a valid excuse on 3 occasions in a school year.
Habitual Truancy:
A student is habitually truant if he/she is absent without a valid excuse for 5 days during a school year.
Chronic Truancy:
A student is chronically truant if he/she is absent without a valid excuse for at least 10% of the school year.
Chronic Absence:
In California chronic absence is defined as being absent of for any reason (unexcused or excused) for at least 10% of the school year.

3 or more unexcused absences
  • Student Classified as a truant
  • SARB Letter 1 mailed home to parent/guardian
  • Parent will be contacted via phone to discuss absences/truancies

4 or more unexcused absences
  • Parent will be contacted via phone to discuss absences/truancies
  • Student classified as a repeat truant
  • SARB Letter 2 mailed home to parent/guardian
  • Parent will be contacted via phone to discuss absences/truancies
  • A “School Attendance Review Team” (SART) meeting will be called to address the attendance challenges and come up with workable solutions.

5 of more unexcused absences
  • SARB Letter 3 mailed home to parent/guardian
  • Parent/guardian conference and or/home call completed
  • Referral to additional services as appropriate

6-10 unexcused absences
  • SARB Letter 4 mailed home to parent/guardian (Invitation to the District Attorney meeting)
  • Student will be added to the DA sign-in sheet if letter 4 is generated

Continued unexcused absences
  • Student classified as a habitual truant
  • SARB Letter 5 mailed home inviting parent to mandatory SARB Hearing
  • All SARB hearings will be held at Irvine Chinese Immersion Academy