Table of Contents i
List of Tables iii
List of Figures iii
School Attendance Task Force Members iv
Foreword vi
Introduction 1
Background 2
Key Definitions 2
Legal Definitions 2
Definitions from Social Science Research 3
Key Facts 3
Legal Framework 4
Statutes that Criminalize Truancy 4
School Attendance Review Boards and Truancy Mediation 4
Daytime Curfew Ordinances 5
Efforts to Move from Criminalization to Prevention- and Research-Based Alternatives 7
Historic Opportunity to Implement a Research-Based, Comprehensive Approach: the Countywide School Attendance Task Force 10
Task Force Findings Related to Emerging, Effective Research-Based Alternatives 12
Research Summary 12
Data Collection/Analysis System and an Assessment Process for Students with Attendance Issues 12
Parental Involvement 13
Broad School-Based Interventions 13
Mental Health Treatment Paired With Parent Training and School/Family Communication 14
National Best Practice Models: Alhambra and Baltimore 14
Alhambra Unified School District 14
Baltimore City Schools 19
Task Force Recommendations 24
Countywide 24
Schools 24
Juvenile Court 29
Law Enforcement 31
Municipalities 32
Parents, Guardians, and Caregivers 33
Communities 33
Conclusion 35
Los Angeles Police Department 40
Los Angeles School Police Department 44
Three-Tiered Attendance Intervention Model 51
Discipline Foundation Policy School-Wide Positive Behavior Support Program 52
September 20, 2010 53
December 1, 2010 54
February 7, 2011 55
March 2, 2011 55
April 4, 2011 56
May 2, 2011 57
June 6, 2011 58
August 9, 2011 59
August 23, 2011 60
September 13, 2011 60
Parent University 63
Incredible Years 64
List of Tables
Table 1. Alhambra Unified School District Disciplinary Exclusions 18
List of Figures
Figure 1. Alhambra Unified School District Gateway to Success Behavioral Pyramid 15
Figure 2. Baltimore City Schools Discipline Code 21
Figure 3. Baltimore City Schools Decreases in Absences and Suspensions 22
Chair
Michael Nash, Presiding Judge, Juvenile Court
Staff
Sharon Watson, Education Coordinating Council
Juvenile Court
Donna Groman, Supervising Judge, Delinquency Court
Margaret Henry, Supervising Judge, Dependency Court
Jack Furay, Supervising Referee, Informal Juvenile and Traffic Court
Sherri Sobel, Co-Chair, Juvenile Court Education Committee and Referee, Dependency Court
Law Enforcement
Los Angeles County District Attorney—Lydia Bodin, Deputy in Charge, Abolish Chronic Truancy
City of Los Angeles Attorney—Kristen Byrdsong, Attorney-in-Charge, Truancy Prosecution and Prevention
Los Angeles Police Department—Earl Paysinger, Assistant Chief and Director of Operations
Los Angeles School Police Department—Steve Zipperman, Chief
Legal Community
Public Defender—Jane Newman, Head Deputy, Collaborative and Restorative Justice Services
Children’s Law Center—Carol Richardson, Children’s Conflict Panel Administrator
Public Counsel—Laura Faer, Education Rights Director; Judy Verduzco, Social Worker
ACLU of Southern California—David Sapp, Staff Attorney
Los Angeles County Chief Executive Office
Trish Ploehn, Director, Service Integration Branch
Vincent Holmes, Gang Prevention Initiative
Los Angeles County Youth Departments
Department of Children and Family Services—Eric Marts, Deputy Director
Probation Department—Jeremy Nichols, Director of School Services
City of Los Angeles
Tony Cárdenas, Los Angeles City Councilmember, Sixth District
Michael de la Rocha, Office of Councilmember Tony Cárdenas
Schools
Los Angeles County Office of Education—Ray Vincent, Community Health and Safe Schools
Alhambra Unified School District—Laurel Bear, Director, Student Services
Long Beach Unified School District—Rick Tebbano, District-Wide Administrator, Child Welfare and Attendance
Los Angeles Unified School District—Elmer Roldan, Community Affairs Deputy, Office of Board President Mónica Garcia; Debra Duardo, Director, Pupil Services
Lynwood Unified School District—Edward Velázquez, Superintendent
Pomona Unified School District—Maria Espinoza, Child Welfare and Attendance Office
New Village Charter School—Belinda Walker, Board of Directors
Community
Manuel Criollo, Lead Organizer; Zoe Rawson, Attorney/Community Advocate, Community Rights Campaign and Public Counsel
Keith Gibbs, Founder and CEO, Sarges Community Base
Susan Lee, Director of Urban Peace, The Advancement Project
Michelle Newell, The Children’s Defense Fund
Miller Sylvan, Regional Director, Attendance Improvement Management
Eugenia Wilson, Program Director, Living Advantage