E101 From Absences to Action: Attendance, Truancy, and Special Education Obligations

E101 From Absences to Action: Attendance, Truancy, and Special Education Obligations

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In this episode, host Sloan Simmons is joined by Lozano Smith attorneys Sarah Garcia and Karina Demirchyan to discuss why student attendance has become a critical issue for local educational agencies and how attendance concerns can evolve into legal and special education obligations. Drawing on recent legislative updates and real-world experience, the conversation highlights funding considerations, attendance terminology, notification requirements, and when chronic absenteeism may trigger child find duties and further intervention.

Show Notes & References

  • 1:21 – Why attendance is a critical issue for Local Educational Agencies (LEAs)
  • 1:57 – School funding and average daily membership (Senate Bill (SB) 98)
  • 2:05 – Optional attendance recovery program (SB 153)
  • 2:19 – New excused absences (SB 1138) (See Client News Brief 45 – October 2024)
  • 2:51 – Truancy (AB 461) (See Client News Brief 58 – December 2025)
  • 3:09 – Lozano Smith Podcast Episode 99: New Laws Impacting Students Heading into 2026
  • 3:49 – Heightened attention on attendance from California Department of Education (CDE) and supporting data
  • 6:18 – Correlation between attendance and discipline
  • 7:51 – Legal requirements for LEAs regarding attendance
  • 9:16 – Terminology (chronic absenteeism, truancy, habitual truancy, and chronic truancy)
  • 14:51 – Notification requirements for truancy letters (SB 691) (See Client News Brief 45 – October 2024)
  • 16:56 – When attendance issues become a special education issue
  • 21:44 – Child find and evaluating absent students for special education
  • 22:34 – Factors that LEAs should be looking for with attendance when considering referring a student for assessment
  • 25:18 – School Attendance Review Board (SARB)
  • 27:11 – Effective attendance and behavior interventions
  • 28:44 – Parent training
  • 30:56 – Cautionary tales and anecdotes from the field

 

For more information on the topics discussed in this podcast, please visit our website at: www.lozanosmith.com/podcast

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