An act to amend Sections 48260 and 48264.5 of the Education Code, relating to school districts.
Summary
AB 2616 makes technical changes to the process of identifying and addressing a student who is struggling with attendance. It gives some additional limited discretion to school administrators to not identify a pupil as a truant, if the pupil has a valid excuse based on the particular facts of the case as told to the administrator. AB 2616 encourages school administrators to meet with parents and students after the first truancy report to create a joint attendance plan. It also makes it discretionary for the Juvenile Court to take jurisdiction over the case and make the student a ward of the court after the fourth truancy, and reduces the fine on families.
Status
Approved by Governor September 21, 2012. Filed Secretary of State September 21, 2012.
Our Position: Support
AB 2616 protects the interests of the State in conserving fiscal resources, school administrators in having some limited discretion to address a student’s needs based on the facts presented, and students and families in having school districts try to address the root causes of the attendance problem before proceeding with criminal sanctions.