School officials worry that Trump administration policies on immigration are contributing to chronic absenteeism because some parents might be afraid to send their children to school.
Allison Yin/EdSource
Top takeaways
- Bill seeks to repeal criminal misdemeanor offense of state’s truancy law.
- CalWORKs sanctions over student truancy would be replaced by screenings for resources and access to work program.
- Districts in recent years appear less likely to lean on punitive measure to address unexcused student absences.
In 2011, when criminal penalties were first tied to truancy, five parents in Orange County were arrested for their children’s truancy. Other counties similarly chose the punitive approach over the years, with Merced County initiating an anti-truancy push in 2017 that included the arrest of 10 parents. Those parents were charged with misdemeanors, contributing to the delinquency of a…
