Derek Cruz

Director of Educational Support Services

Antoine Woods

Attendance Services Specialist

Educational Support Services
Student Attendance

Present, Engaged and Supported!

If children don’t show up for school regularly, they miss out on fundamental reading and math skills and the chance to build a habit of good attendance that will carry them into college and careers.

School attendance is important!

  • Absenteeism in the first month of school can predict poor attendance throughout the school year. Half the students who miss 2-4 days in September go on to miss nearly a month of school.
  • Research shows that missing 10 percent of the school, or about 18 days…, negatively affects a student’s academic performance. That’s just two days a month and that’s known as chronic absence.
  • Poor attendance can influence whether children read proficiently by the end of third grade or can be the cause of being held back.
  • By 6th grade, chronic absence becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school.

What does California law say?

  • Children ages 6-18 are legally required to attend school and BE ON TIME. (Ed. Code 48200)
  • A truant is…a student who is absent without valid excuse 3 days in one year or more than 30 minutes late 3 times in a year or a combination of the two. (Ed Code 48260)
  • If a student is reported truant 3 times, he or she is considered “habitual truant” and the parents can be referred to court where they could be fined up to $500. (Ed. Code 48293)

What can we do to prevent truancy?

  • Communicate with your school.
  • Know the school’s attendance policy.
  • Talk to teachers if you notice sudden changes in behavior.
  • Check on your child’s attendance.
  • Ask for help from school officials.