AB 1672 – Truancy Prevention: School Attendance Review Boards
The California Legislature has given final approval to Assemblymember Chris Holden’s legislation to collect more complete records on absences and intervention strategies to help identify the effectiveness of school truancy programs.
AB 1672 is part of a package of measures sponsored by the Attorney General to address chronic truancy and now goes to Governor Brown for signature.
“With this slate of bills we are not putting more students in the juvenile justice system, but inviting the community to intervene before students end up in the penal system, which is why I am happy to be a part of this effort,” said Assemblymember Holden. “The bill has been amended to lower costs, lower any burden on schools, and keep the information local where it is needed the most.”
If enacted, School Attendance Review Boards will have to report important information like the number of students referred to them, how that student’s issues are addressed and whether that student is doing better. It also requires that information to be disaggregated by subgroups like race, gender, low income status and English language learner status.
AB 1672, which passed the Senate Wednesday, had already passed the Assembly earlier in the session, but returned to the Assembly for approval of Senate amendments.
Today’s Assembly vote was 55 to 14.
