AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 6, 2024

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

96

CHAPTER 154

Statutes of 2024

[ Approved by Governor July 18, 2024. Filed with Secretary of State July 18, 2024. ]

Introduced by Assembly Member Maienschein

February 15, 2024

An act to add Section 48326 to the Education Code, relating to pupil attendance.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

Existing law authorizes the establishment of county and local school attendance review boards that may promote the use of alternatives to the juvenile court system if available public and private services are insufficient or inappropriate to correct school attendance or school behavioral problems, as provided. Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to coordinate and administer a state school attendance review board, as provided.

This bill would require the State Department of Education, by the beginning of the 2026–27 school year, to post information on its internet website about methods of reducing chronic absenteeism, including through the formation of schoolsite absence intervention teams composed of specified members, as provided.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 48326 is added to the Education Code, immediately following Section 48325, to read:

48326.

The department shall, by the beginning of the 2026–27 school year, post information on its internet website about the methods of reducing chronic absenteeism listed in subdivisions (a) to (g), inclusive.

(a) Identifying barriers to attendance for chronically absent pupils through screenings and interpersonal data collection.

(b) Developing and implementing absence intervention plans that may include supportive services for pupils and families.

(c) Home visits to chronically absent pupils.

(d) Counseling and wellness check-ins.

(e) Workshop trainings for families of chronically absent pupils.

(f) Partnering with public and nonprofit agencies to provide assistance to families and pupils to reduce absences.

(g) Forming schoolsite absence intervention teams. Members of schoolsite absence intervention teams may include, but need not be limited to, the following:

(1) A pupil personnel services (PPS) credentialholder.

(2) A representative from the school or school district.

(3) A representative from the school or school district who has a relationship with truant children.

(4) A representative of community-based youth service centers.

(5) A representative of child welfare and attendance personnel.

(6) A representative of school or county health care personnel.

(7) A representative of school, county, or community mental health personnel.