SARB Board Guidelines
for Student
Placement

Where Students Change Their Spots
  Michael Cain and Sally Cain

 

SARB Board Guidelines for Behavior/Attendance and Appeal Procedures
 We strive to create an environment that promotes self-esteem, develops a sense of responsibility, and nurtures respect for others, thereby providing the basis for participation in a democratic society.

Link To CDS Pages

Community Day School
Resources Links

 

    

School Attendance Review Board (SARB) has two jobs. First, SARB  provides schools and parents a new set of resources to help students come to school on a regular basis by having a panel of people from both in and outside of the school system. Second, SARB provides schools and parents resources that may assist students who have ongoing behavior problems that disrupt the learning of themselves or others. 

. Education Code 48321 - SARB Boards may include but are not limited to the following groups of people This is not an all inclusive list. 

  • A parent
  • A representative of school districts
  • A representative of the county probation department
  • A representative of the county welfare department.
  • A representative of the county superintendent of schools.
  • A representative of law enforcement agencies
  • A representative of community-based youth service centers.
  • A representative of  school guidance personnel
  • A representative of child welfare and attendance personnel
  • A representative of school or county health care personnel
  • Medical Professionals who are part of social services

If one of the student's parents live out of the area and want to be involved in the meeting this can be arranged ahead of time by contacting the SARB Chairman. We have used speaker phone and even Skpe to conduct these meetings.

What School Attendance Review Board (SARB) Is/Is Not

:SARB has the ability to change the school placement for a student if they believe the student needs a more restrictive environment to learn to be successful students. This is decision made after investigating all other options that may not have been tried. 

Parents are to be notified ten calendar days prior to the meeting date. If a situation occurs and parents are in agreement to less than a ten day notification, the parents will sign a waiver of the ten day notification.

Every school district participates in a SARB panel. Every school is required by law to follow up on students attendance through the School Attendance Review Board. The SARB is an official group and follow official guidelines. Decisions are binding and are followed up by the school administration. 

Decisions made by the SARB panel are binding. If a parent does not agree with the outcome of the meeting they can appeal to the local County Office of Education - the procedure only. That means that you appeal how the meeting was conducted, letters received, timing, etc... but not the decision. 

IF you do not agree with the decision of the SARB panel, PLEASE request to have the situation revisited at the next SARB meeting (usually one is held each month). If your child has been placed in a more restrictive school (Community Day School), our best advice is to move along with the placement or find a non-public school (charter schools are pubic and must follow SARB recommendations) where your child will attend until the SARB decision might be revisited.

Try to see your child through the eyes of the teachers. If teachers are asking for help in motivating your child, they need help. If your child has been SARB'd for behavior the principal is the person who chose to move this direction to help your child. Schools are basically the same world-wide and expect students to behave in a certain way. Some children need some extra time to learn how to fit in and learn in the classroom. Community Day Schools job is to retrain, teach, help, students to fit in and learn how to be successful students. Don't you want that, too? Food for thought.

Before a parent is brought to the SARB panel to discuss attendance issues, the school has contacted the parent a minimum of three times. These letters review the state law and are form letters. 

Please....Please...if there is a reason your child cannot attend school or you are not able to bring them to school...any reason, please make an appointment with the principal and discuss things. We are all on the same team with the same goal, get kids educated. 

The SARB panel will help schools, students and parents make a plan that will help students be educated by attending school. Please remember schools do not make the laws but are expected to follow them, same as parents are. If you feel laws are unreasonable in regard to attendance, call your representatives and start making a change but we beg you to work together with the school and help your child get to school. 

It is assumed that if you are attending a SARB meeting you have already had meetings/discussions with your school administrators. SARB panel members should offer resources for you to follow up on. The meetings are designed at most districts to be conducted in a 30 minute setting.

During the meeting the following steps will be followed. (This will be explained in fancy language at the beginning of the meeting.)
1. Introductions (one panel member makes notes and makes sure the script is followed)
2. Reading of the procedure - so everybody knows when it is their turn to speak.
3. District presents their information to the group.
4. Parents respond to and present their information to the group
5. Panel asks questions (to parents, students and school representative)
6. Parents are asked if they have any more comments or questions. 
7. Parents and School representatives leave the room so the board can deliberate and form their recommendations.
8. Parents and School representatives come back in and results are presented
9. Parents are asked if they have any questions.
10. Everyone signs the paper - signature does not mean that parents agree but indicates that they were there and were informed. At this time the board members may be giving parents business cards and other referral information for follow up.
11. That ends the meeting.

SARB Can:
1. Change school of attendance, place student in a local or county run Community Day School setting. 
2. Recommend counseling or doctor follow-up for the student and family.
3. All County Offices of Education keep a list of private schools in the county, this resource can be given to a parent who does not want their child placed in a Community Day School

SARB Cannot:
1. Force/demand a student attend counseling
2. Forbid a student from enrolling in a private school or independent study program
3. Mandate a student attend Saturday School, summer school or additional classes after school.
3. Arrest a student for truancy

 

Appealing SARB decisions is described in the CA state website: www.cde.ca.gov - search for Community Day School or SARB. The state website does not show the specific pages to be copied and pasted here. I am sorry you need to do this on your own.

 

 
SARB Due Process Guidelines: An Except from Shasta County Office of Education SARB bylaws
The following was provided by the SARB coordinator from Shasta County of Education, Shasta County, California

Appeals must be applied for within 10 working days...the meeting can be set for a date farther out.
Due Process is what parent's can appeal if they feel any of the following procedures were not followed correctly.

1. Was an effort, as outlined in California Education Code 48262, made by the school to attempt to correct the problem prior to the SARB meeting?

2. Was timely notice (at least 1 calendar days prior) of the SARB meeting sent to the parent?
     a. If not, did the parent sign a waiver of timely notice?

3. Did the parent receive the notice? It will be assumed that the parent received the notice if it was sent to the most recent address provided to the school by teh parent, and if any of the following delivery methods were utilized:
     a.Certified with proof of delivery
     b. First class mail, and not returned to sender
     c. Hand delivery

4. Was the SARB meeting held according to standard procedure as outlined below?
     a The parent/guardian was present, or was notified in a timely manner and forfeited the opportunity to be present at the meeting by not responding to the summons.
     b. The SARB script was read
     c. Everyone present introduced themselves
     d. The case was presented by the school district representative
     e. The parent/guardian and student were given the opportunity to respond
     f.  The parent/guardian, student, and school district representative left the room as the panel deliberated
     g. The parent/guardian, student and school district representative were called back into the meeting room, and the directives were read aloud and explained.

 

Recommended Steps Prior to SARB hearing for Behavior:
(As recommended by the Shasta County SARB panel and adapted by Sally Cain, MA)

1. Mail 1st Behavior letter at the discretion of your administrator when the student's misbehavior has become habitual and not resolved at the classroom level. Be certain to document phone contac, time/date/content.

2. Hold an SST (Student Success Team/Student Support Team) meeting regarding behavior issues. If the family chooses not to attend this meeting, make sure attempts to invite parents are documented. Hold the meeting without parents if they are not in attendance. Make copies of SST paperwork. Begin a file in the cumulative record to document meetings.

3. Mail 2nd Behavior Letter at the discretion of your administrator after the first letter/efforts at the meeting with the parent fail to correct the student's behavior. This letter should explain the SARB panel and that a meeting will be scheduled. Parents must be informed ten calendar days prior to the meeting.

4. The SARB and potential placement of a student in the Community Day School programs available are not done because parents request them. It is great if a family wants to see this placement and wants to see their child learn to be a successful student. However, it is essential parents do not feel that the placement is in their control. The placement by the SARB panel is binding and students must earn their way out of the program when they have become successful students.

What if the student has an IEP or 504?

1. Hold an IEP or 504 meeting to answer this question, (Call the meeting a manifestation determination meeting). . Is the behavior or attendance a direct result of their disability? There is a form to determine if the behavior is a manifestation of their disability. Please do this before you SARB the student. We can get around this but it is best to conduct meetings in the right order. 
2. Invite the teacher of the Community Day School or school where you may be thinking the student will be better served. Parents deserve to have questions answered and this just can't be done during the SARB board.
3. IEP/504 determination always over ride SARB. SARB will usually follow the recommendations of the IEP/504 team.
 

I hope that anyone reading this website is indeed interested in helping a family.  

CommunityDaySchool.com

BestCurriculum.com

 

Michael Cain & Sally Cain
Last Updated: 10/10/2011