Regular school attendance is essential for success in school and all students should be at their school when it is in session. California’s compulsory education law requires young people between the ages of 6 and 18 to attend school.

Chronic absenteeism, especially truancy, creates problems for students, schools, and communities. The Sonoma County Office of Education, local school districts, and the Sonoma County District Attorney have established a Truancy Mediation Program to reduce truancy in Sonoma County.

School Attendance Review Boards
Throughout the county, district School Attendance Review Boards (SARBs) coordinate efforts to keep students in school and give them a meaningful educational experience. The Sonoma County Office of Education facilitates the Sonoma County SARB, a county-level body that develops policy and provides support and technical assistance to improve school attendance.

The Sonoma County SARB encourages the cooperation, coordination, and development of strategies with the District Attorney’s Office, County Probation Department, and Human Services to support local SARBs and their efforts to meet the needs of students with school attendance or behavior problems. Representatives from schools, law enforcement, probation, social services, parents, and youth-serving agencies serve as members of the county-level SARB. Meetings are held quarterly.

The County SARB does not hear student cases.

Countywide Plan for Expelled Students
SCOE coordinates the development of the countywide Plan for Providing Educational Services to All Expelled Students in Sonoma County as required by Education Code Section 48926. The plan is updated every three years.
2009 Update, Countywide Plan for Expelled Students (pdf)
2006 Countywide Plan for Expelled Students (pdf)

Staff

• Lynn Garric, Project Director, Safe Schools
  (707) 524-2802,
• Jackie Petersen, Support Secretary IV
  (707) 524-2888,