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Effective Strategies for School Attendance Review Team (SART) Parent Meetings at the School Site

Effective Strategies for School Attendance Review Team (SART) Parent Meetings at the School Site Amir Alavi, Esq. Deputy District Attorney, Crime Prevention Unit Countywide SARB Coordinator & Prosecutor (858) 722-9992 – cell, amiralavi@rivcoda.org. IMPACT OF ABSENTEEISM. SO MUCH AT STAKE!

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Effective Strategies for School Attendance Review Team (SART) Parent Meetings at the School Site

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  1. Effective Strategies for School Attendance Review Team (SART) Parent Meetings at the School Site Amir Alavi, Esq. Deputy District Attorney, Crime Prevention Unit Countywide SARB Coordinator & Prosecutor (858) 722-9992 – cell, amiralavi@rivcoda.org SART Meetings

  2. IMPACT OF ABSENTEEISM SO MUCH AT STAKE! Lives & Futures! Public Safety / Crime Rate! SART Meetings

  3. IMPACT OF ABSENTEEISM ATTENDANCE & CRIME • 82% of Prisoners = High School Dropouts • Students without Diplomas  8x more likely to be Incarcerated. (ISOT 2016) ATTENDANCE & GRADUATION • Attendance = #1 Predictor of Graduation TRUANCY • Single Most Powerful Predictor Of Juvenile Delinquency. (CA Dept Educ. , ISOT 2013) • Also predictor of Drugs, Gangs, & Adult Criminality. SART Meetings

  4. IMPACT OF ABSENTEEISM VICTIMS • 94% of San Francisco Homicide Victims under 25 = High School Dropouts(ISOT 2013) • 92% of all Juvenile Violent Crime Victims = Chronically Truant (1997-2000 Baltimore Md.) • 76% of San Bernardino 187 Victims who attended school in S.B. = High School Dropouts (ISOT 2013) COMPETENCY • Students who do not read on level  4 X more likely to dropout. (ISOT 2016) SART Meetings

  5. IMPACT OF ABSENTEEISM THE ODDS ARE…(ISOT 2016) • 3RD GRADE ATTENDANCE PRINTOUTS • Who dropped out? • 69% Accurate!! SART Meetings

  6. IMPACT OF ABSENTEEISM • The School To Prison Pipeline? • A Misnomer  There is NO STPPL • School To Success Pipeline • The Correct Term? • THE DROPOUT OF SCHOOL TO PRISON PIPELINE SART Meetings

  7. IMPACT OF ABSENTEEISM CHRONIC ABSENCES & DROPPING OUT • Chronically Absent – 10%+ of days: (E.C. 60901) • 1 Year from K – 3 = 3 – 4 X more likely to Drop Out • (ISOT 2016) • 1st Grader w/ 9+ Abs. = 2x more likely D.O. (ISOT 2013) • “Chronic Absence is one of the strongest indicators of dropping out, even more than suspensions and test scores” (In School & On Track 2016) SART Meetings

  8. COST OF ABSENTEEISM B SART Meetings

  9. Opening Remarks • Chronic Absenteeism Model • Truancy = Unexcused Absences • The Problem Goes Beyond Truancy • Excused Absences • Suspensions • ALL ABSENCES HURT!! SART Meetings

  10. Opening Remarks:The Solution • THE SARB PROCESS: Our Greatest Tool • To Increase Attendance • To Combat Chronic Absenteeism & Truancy • To Reduce Irregular Attendance • To Address Certain Behavioral Issues • To Prevent Students from Dropping Out SART Meetings

  11. DEFINITION - Truancy • TRUANCY: Ed. Code § 48260 • “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 school day 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.” SART Meetings

  12. DEFINITION – Chronic Truant • CHRONIC TRUANT: Ed. Code § 48263.6 • “Any pupil subject to compulsory full-time education or to compulsory continuation education, who is absent from school without a valid excuse for 10% or more of the schooldays in one school year, from the date enrolled 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.” SART Meetings

  13. DEFINITION - Chronic Absentee • CHRONIC ABSENTEEEd. Code § 60901(c) • For purposes of this section, "chronic absentee" means a pupil who is absent on 10 percent or more of the schooldays in the school year when the total number of days a pupil is absent is divided by the total number of days the pupil is enrolled and school was actually taught in the regular day schools of the district, exclusive of Saturdays and Sundays. SART Meetings

  14. CHRONIC ABSENCE & RACE • Attorney General In School & On Track 2016 Report SART Meetings

  15. CHRONIC ABS. BY GROUP • Attorney General In School & On Track 2016 Report SART Meetings

  16. ADA Conceals True Figures • Attorney General In School & On Track 2016 Report SART Meetings

  17. Tiered Interventions SART Meetings

  18. OVERALL SARB Process • LETTERS • Notifications of Truancy OR • Notifications of Excessive Excused Absences • CONFERENCES: • SART • SARB • (DA Mediation  Potential Prosecution If Available) SART Meetings

  19. Winning the Cause! The CAUSE vs. The CASE… • PROSECUTION = The Case (a lost cause) • How to WIN THE CAUSE? • Helping Families Overcome Barriers • RELATIONSHIPS & • SERVICES, EARLY & OFTEN SART Meetings

  20. Intent of SARB Process • SERVICES & THE LAW: The Educ. Code • 48320 (a) In enacting this article it is the intent of the Legislature that intensive guidance and coordinated community services may be provided to meet the special needs of pupils with school attendance problems or school behavior problems. [Emphasis Added] • 48263: “the board…shall direct pupil or pupil’s parents to make use of…community services.” SART Meetings

  21. “Support of Individual Pupils” • SERVICES & CHRONIC ABSENTEESIM • E.C. 60901(d) It is the intent of the Legislature to support the development of early warning systems to enable the identification and support of individual pupils who are at risk of academic failure or dropping out of school. The systems shall encompass the following characteristics:… [Emphasis Added] SART Meetings

  22. Habitual Truant • IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS • “TRUANT” -E.C. 48260 • “HABITUAL TRUANT” – E.C. 48262 • “CHRONIC TRUANT” – E.C. 48263.6 • “CHRONIC ABSENTEE” – E.C. 60901 SART Meetings

  23. SART: A “Conscientious Effort” • SART & The “CONSCIENTIOUS EFFORT” • E.C. 48262: …”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 on 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” SART Meetings

  24. SART: A “Conscientious Effort” • SART & The “CONSCIENTIOUS EFFORT” • NO OTHER GUIDANCE UNDER THE EDUCATION CODE! SART Meetings

  25. FUNNELING OUT ABSENCES SERVICES & THE FUNNEL EFFECT SART Meetings

  26. THE MOST IMPORTANT ATTENDANCE MEETING SART: Our Best Tool for: EARLY DETECTION & EARLY INTERVENTION SART Meetings

  27. THE MOST IMPORTANT ATTENDANCE MEETING SART: NEED TO MAXIMIZE EFFICIENY OFTEN NOT FULLY UTILIZED SART Meetings

  28. THE MOST IMPORTANT ATTENDANCE MEETING COMMON CHALLENGES Getting Parents & Students to Attend SART Hosting Group vs. Individual SARTs Staffing of SART’s Providing Resources, Services, & Interventions Utilizing Contracts Following Up with Families “The MILL Effect” SART Meetings

  29. THE MOST IMPORTANT ATTENDANCE MEETING COMMON CHALLENGES INTEGRATION between School Site & SARB SART = generally a school site event SARB = generally delegated to district AN INTEGRATED APPROACH SART CHECKLISTS MEETING CRITERIA FOR REFERRALS SART Meetings

  30. SART Overview • PURPOSE: • To Meet with Families Individually • To Listen & to Connect with Families • To Identify Reasons for Absenteeism • To Provide Services to Address Reasons • To Build Rapport & Relationships • To Discuss Importance of Attendance • To Show School Site Really Cares… • To PREVENT NEED FOR SARB!! SART Meetings

  31. SART Overview • TONE: • Punitive vs. Restorative? • Putting ourselves in their shoes? • Building a GOOD RELATIONSHIP: • Accepting the Past • Supporting the Present • Encouraging the Future SART Meetings

  32. SART Overview • Suggested QUESTIONS: • STUDENT • What happened to lead you to miss school? • What were you thinking at the time? • Who has been effected by your missing school? In what way? • What do you think you need to do to make things right? SART Meetings

  33. SART Overview • Suggested QUESTIONS: • PARENT • Mr. & Mrs._____, could you please tell us what happened that led your ___ to miss school? • What were you thinking at the time? • Who has been effected by your child missing school? In what way? • What do you think you need to do to make things right? SART Meetings

  34. SART Scenarios • STAFFING SART’s: • HYPO 1 – The Attendance Clerk • How effective is this SART? • HYPO 2 – The Mini Panel • Assistant Principal, Counselor, Nurse… • How Effective is this SART? SART Meetings

  35. Model SARB Strategies • STAFFING SART’s: • HUSD • Middle School & High School SARTs • A.P., Attendance Clerk, CWA, PBIS (services) • OFFER: Parenting Center, Sat. School, Health Tech, Tutoring, Busing, Counseling…. • CORONA – NORCO • 54,000 Students, Largest District in Riv. County • 2 days SARB / Month. HOW? • SART EFFICIENCY SART Meetings

  36. SART Overview • WHO ATTENDS SART? • Parents • Student(s) • Guardian(s) if applicable • Meeting with Parent Only = Less Effective SART Meetings

  37. SART Overview • IMPROVING SART ATTENDANCE: • REINFORCEMENT IS KEY • Letter by Mail (Certified?) • Letter Sent Home with Student • Reminder Telephone Call Day Before • Home Visits? • A Second Attempt before SARB? SART Meetings

  38. SART Overview • WHO ATTENDS SART – The Reason? • 3 Tardies of 45 minutes each? • 5 Tardies and one full day absence? • Full Day Absences Only? • Important to Target Efforts!! SART Meetings

  39. SART CONTRACT: SERVICES SUPPORT SERVICES OFFERED TO ADDRESS ABSENCES & TRUANCIES • Attend Parenting Classes / Parenting Program offered at:___,on ______. • Saturday School at ___on: __, (one session clears one unexcused absence). • Illness Verification Through School Staff/Health Clerk/School Nurse • Tutoring located at:_____, starting on:_____________ until_________. • After School Program located at:__, starting on:__________ until______. • Make up classes for unexcused absences located at:________, on:______. • Appointment with School Counselor:____, to address:_____. at:___, on:__. • Appointment with School Resource Officer:__to address:__, at:__, on:___. • Regarding Bullying:____________________________________________. • Online student monitoring system; __No computer access, alternative:___. • School/Class Schedule changed as follows:_______________. • Alternative Education as follows:_______________. • Alternative School Placement as follows: _______________. Other Services Offered: _(Transportation Plan??)__***CASE SPECIFIC SART Meetings

  40. SART CONTRACT: SERVICES • PLEASE SIGN THEM UP RIGHT THEN • Long Beach Unified Model • WERE SERVICES USED? • FOLLOWING UP… • MONITORING SART Meetings

  41. Helpful Tips for SART/SARB • Run Attendance Records Frequently • Keep Detailed and Accurate Records • Consider Groupings of Services • Write / Check Off Services On Contracts • Follow Up • Monitor Families Progress • Attendance & Whether Parents Acted • Communication of Nurse & Att. Clerks SART Meetings

  42. Helpful Tips for SART/SARB • Take Notes at SART and SARB and Maintain Records • Reasons for Absences According to Parents • What Parents Are Told • Warnings of Legal Consequences • Specific Services Being Offered • Records Needed for Prosecution • Notes Have Inherent Value – Appeals… SART Meetings

  43. SART ROLE PLAY SCENARIO 1 • Jordan is a 6th grade middle school student with 10 absences by December. Mom always calls to excuse his absences because he has a stomach ache. • Assume the roles of principal, nurse, counselor, and Mom and role play the scenario. Seek to find common ground and solutions. • Share out SART Meetings

  44. SART ROLE PLAY SCENARIO 2 • Shinay is an 11th grade student at a Continuation HS. She is the oldest of 5 children. She is behind 30 credits and has missed 6 day of school in September and has 4 tardies to first period. • Assume the roles of principal and Mom and role play the scenario. Seek to find common ground and solutions. • Share out SART Meetings

  45. SART ROLE PLAY SCENARIO 3 • Lucas is 17 Y.O. and had not been enrolled in school for 2 years. He suffers from severe mental health disorders. • Lonnie is in 5th grade student with 23 unexcused absences in January. He claims to be sick. Mom is a Nurse and will not bring him to the nurse because she is a nurse. SART Meetings

  46. SART: Our Greatest Tool • Engage parents as allies • If the parent can’t come to the school, try to pay a home visit to conduct the meeting • The SART meeting is an opportunity, not a punishment • Be sure to collect data and follow up with parents • IT’S ALL ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS! SART Meetings

  47. RESOURCES • www.attendanceworks.org • http://www.attendanceworks.org/research/portraits-of-change/ • Absenteeism & Truancy: Interventions and Universal Procedures Paperback– 2013 Ph.D William Jenson , Ph.D Randy Sprick , M.S Jessica Sprick • http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/ai/sb/sarbhandbook.asp • https://oag.ca.gov/truancy (“In School and On Track”) SART Meetings

  48. Comments / Questions? Amir Alavi Deputy District Attorney, Crime Prevention Unit Countywide SARB Coordinator & Prosecutor (858) 722-9992 – cell, amiralavi@rivcoda.org SART Meetings

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