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Current Audit Guide Booklet | Education Audit Appeals Panel

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Attendance Recovery - Instructional Time and Attendance Accounting (CA Dept of Education)

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Attendance Recovery allows local educational agencies (LEAs) the option to offer more opportunities to increase student access to instruction and recover funding dependent on average daily attendance.

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Responses to 2025 Federal Actions & Communications - Newsroom (CA Dept of Education)

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This page includes letters to the field as well as news releases that help educators and families understand any impact on California’s public schools and students, or lack thereof, resulting from federal actions and communications.

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Variety of Formats

Local educational agencies (LEAs) are encouraged to offer a range of quality educational options, including classroom-based, hybrid, and nonclassroom-based programs, to better tailor instruction to pupils, thereby improving academic outcomes while maximizing enrollment. Independent study may be offered through a variety of formats (California Education Code [ EC] Section 51744 ) including:

Independent Study Modalities
California statute provides for two different independent study program options that LEAs may choose to administer. Most LEAs offer the traditional independent study option, authorized pursuant to EC sections 51744-51749.3 . In 2015-16, a new independent study program known as course-based independent study (CBIS) was codified in EC sections 51749.5-51749.6 . This link provides descriptive information to enhance the understanding and awareness of these different independent study instructional modalities.

Key Legal Requirements for Independent Study

Legal requirements for independent study are found in EC and the California Code of Regulations, Title 5 (5 CCR). See Legal Requirements for Independent Study.

Local Board Policy

Local boards shall ensure that participation in independent study as an instructional alternative is always voluntary for the pupil. The LEAs shall establish policies as specified in EC sections 51747 and 51749.5(a)(1) , and adopted pursuant to 5 CCR Section 11701 , including:

Maximum length of time by grade level, between the time an assignment is made and date the assignment must be completed.

Level of satisfactory education progress and number of missed assignments before an evaluation to determine if the pupil should remain in independent study.

Current independent study agreement for each pupil containing all required elements as provided in EC sections 51747(g) and 51749.6 , as applicable.

NOTE: Administrative Rules and Regulations may be adopted to implement independent study in accordance with California law. Other policies and procedures may also be listed in the LEA's Student Handbook.

Independent Study Agreement

EC sections 51747(g) and 51749.6

The following elements must be in each independent study agreement in alignment with the LEA's board policies and according to statute:

1. General pupil data including the name, address, grade level, school of enrollment, and program placement. EC sections 51747.3(c) , 51748 , and 46300.1

2. The beginning and end dates of the agreement. An independent study agreement shall not be valid for more than one school year. EC Section 51747(g)(5)

3. The manner, time, frequency and place for the submission of assignments, for reporting academic progress, and for communicating with the pupil's parent or guardian. EC Section 51747(g)(1)

4. List of subjects/courses in which the pupil is enrolled and number of course credits or other accomplishment to be earned. EC Section 51747(g)(6) ; 5 CCR Section 11703(b)(2)

5. The learning objectives and methods of study for the course(s) and assignments attempted under the agreement. EC sections 51747(g)(2) and 51745(a)(3) ; 5 CCR sections 11700(e)(f) and 11702(b)

6. The methods of evaluation that will be used to determine if the pupil met the learning objective(s). EC Section 51747(g)(2)

7. The specific resources, including instructional materials and personnel, and the confirmation or provision of access to the connectivity and devices adequate to participate and complete assigned work. EC sections 51746 and 51747(g)(3) ; 5 CCR sections 11700(i) , and 11701.5

8. The maximum length of time between the date of the assignment and when it is due, the level of satisfactory educational progress, and the number of missed assignments to determine if the pupil should remain in independent study. EC sections 51747(a) and 51747(g)(4)

9. Statement that independent study is an optional educational alternative in which no pupil shall be required to participate. EC Section 51747(g)(8) ; 5 CCR Section 11700(d)(2)(A)

10. Statement that instruction may be provided for an EC sections 48915 (expulsion) or 48917 (suspended expulsion) pupil through independent study only if the pupil has the continuous choice of classroom instruction. EC Section 51747(g)(8) ; 5 CCR Section 11700(d)(2)(B)

11. Reporting/returning assignments to teacher(s). EC Section 51747(g)(1)

Time(s) for meetings/reporting

Frequency of meetings (can be a combination of online, face-to-face, or lab)

Location (may be a combination of labs, classrooms, face-to-face, and/or online)

12. Dated signatures for pupil, parent, guardian, or caregiver, teacher, and the certificated employee designated as having responsibility for the special education programming of the pupil, as applicable. EC Section 51747(g)(9)

Equal Educational Opportunity

EC sections 51747(c) and 51749.5(a)(4)
The independent study option is designed to teach the knowledge and skills of the LEA's core curriculum. LEAs offering independent study shall provide content aligned to grade level standards substantially equivalent to in-person instruction.

High school pupils participating in independent study shall have access to all courses offered by the LEA for graduation and approved by the University of California or the California State University as creditable under the a-g admissions criteria.

LEAs shall confirm or provide access to all independent study pupils to the connectivity and devices necessary to participate in their educational program and complete assignments. EC Section 51747(g)(3)

For pupils not performing at grade level or requiring support in other areas, the independent study agreement shall include a statement identifying the academic and other supports that will be provided to address the pupil's needs. EC Section 51747(g)(7)

Ratio of Average Daily Attendance to Supervising Teacher

Traditional Independent Study: The ratio of average daily attendance for independent study pupils to school district full-time equivalent certificated employees responsible for independent study may not exceed the equivalent ratio of pupils to full-time certificated employees for all other educational programs operated by the school district. EC Section 51745.6(a)

CBIS: Refer to EC Section 51749.5(b) , and email any questions to the California Department of Education Instructional Time and Attendance Accounting Office at attendanceaccounting@cde.ca.gov.

In addition to the information above, also refer to the Instructions for Ratio Calculations.

Under Charter School Regulations, charter schools may use one of two methods for computing average daily attendance ratios:

1. They may follow the instructions for school districts, using as the base the unified school district with the greatest average daily attendance in the county or counties in which the charter school operates. 5 CCR Section 11704

2. They may use a fixed pupils-to-certificated employee ratio of not more than 25 to 1. EC Section 51745.6(e)

Standards Aligned

EC Section 51747(c)
Independent study courses and materials are aligned to state content standards, and textbooks are those most recently adopted by the State Board of Education or, in the case of high school, by the LEA. Supplemental materials may be used to respond to individual pupil interests and learning styles. Materials that are sectarian in nature are not used pursuant to the California Constitution, Article IX, Section 8 .

Teacher Quality

EC sections 51747.5 and 51749.5 recognize EC sections 44865 and 44300 , which provide that independent study teachers shall be employees of the LEA (for CBIS only, may be an employee from an adjacent school district under a Memorandum of Understanding) and shall possess a valid California certification document.

Independent study pupils have at least weekly access to a teacher who is a subject expert teacher in the subject area for a-g approved coursework. For more information, refer to the Non-classroom Based/Independent Study Schools section on the University of California, A-G Policy Resource Guide's Register Your Institution: Schools web page.

Pupil Success in Independent Study

LEAs offering independent study shall provide appropriate existing services and resources to enable pupils to complete their independent study program successfully. Services and resources may include, but are not limited, to the following:

1. Pupils shall have access to a designated learning center or study area staffed by appropriately trained personnel. EC Section 51746(a)

2. Pupils are assessed for their potential to be successful in independent study. EC Section 51746(b) ; 5 CCR Section 11700(d)(1)(B)

3. Pupils participating in independent study are to have the same access to existing services and resources and equality of rights and privileges as other pupils. 5 CCR sections 11700(i) and 11701.5

4. Pupils should have contact with teachers as specified in Board Policy (may be a combination of one-on-one, in class or lab, by email, phone, conference, and/or online) on a sufficiently frequent basis for the teachers to provide needed instruction, adequately assess pupil progress, and make appropriate modifications. The frequency of pupil-teacher meetings may be increased as needed.

5. Pupils shall have opportunities for daily live interaction and synchronous instruction for purposes of maintaining social connectedness, assessing progress and wellness, as well as for the provision of supportive services and instruction. EC sections 51747(e) and 51749.5(a)(4)(C)

Last Reviewed: Friday, September 01, 2023

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A general overview of independent study describing the types of programs, key legal requirements, independent study agreements, local board policy, teacher qualifications, and attendance.

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Attendance Recovery - Instructional Time and Attendance Accounting (CA Dept of Education)

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Attendance Recovery allows local educational agencies (LEAs) the option to offer more opportunities to increase student access to instruction and recover funding dependent on average daily attendance.

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Policy Analysis for California Education

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PACE - Unpacking California’s Chronic Absence Crisis Through 2023–24

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Students are considered chronically absent when they miss 10 percent or more of school for any reason. Left unaddressed, chronic absence can translate into students having difficulty learning to read by Grade 3, reaching grade-level standards in middle school, and graduating from high school.1 Absenteeism soared in California and nationally in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and addressing this extraordinary increase is crucial to helping students catch up academically.2 Using data available from the California Department of Education (CDE) and building on a prior analysis, we examine trends in chronic absence through school year 2023–24.3 Although rates of chronic absence have continued to decrease since their peak in 2021–22, they remain alarmingly high. Ensuring equitable opportunities to learn will require ongoing attention and action,4 including taking into account these seven key facts. 1 Rates of chronic absence in 2023–24, while down from the prior year, remain well above prepandemic levels Chronic absence rates increased from 12 percent in 2018–19 to a high of 30 percent (1,799,735) in 2021–22 (Figure 1). In 2022–23, there was a decrease of 5 percentage points to a chronic absence rate of 25 percent (1,486,302 students), with a further decrease in 2023–24 to 20 percent (1,216,528 students). Although this continuous decrease is a hopeful sign, rates are still much higher than they were prior to the pandemic. This indicates the need for continued and intentional investment in reengaging students and families and helping them overcome barriers to getting to school. Figure 1. Statewide Rates in Chronic Absence from 2017–18 to 2023–24 Note. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in statewide physical school closures in February/March 2020, followed by the widespread implementation of distance learning during the 2020–21 academic year. The CDE has determined that absenteeism data are not valid and reliable for the 2019–20 academic year; therefore, the CDE has not processed these data, and they are unavailable for public release. 2 The percentage of schools with high (20–29 percent of students) and extreme (30 percent or more of students) levels of chronic absence more than tripled during the pandemic When at least 20 percent or more of students in a school are chronically absent, the educational experience of all students, not just chronically absent students, is affected. The constant churn of students in classrooms negatively affects both teaching and learning.5 The data show that the percentage of schools with high (20–29 percent) and extreme (30 percent or more) levels of chronic absence rose from 21 percent in 2018–19 to 75 percent in 2021–22, with a modest decrease to 68 percent in 2022–23 and a further decrease to 52 percent in 2023–24 (Figure 2). While this continued decrease is promising, the percentage of schools with high and extreme levels of chronic absence remains nearly two and a half times higher than before the pandemic. Figure 2. Percentage of Schools with Extreme and High Levels of Chronic Absence from 2017–18 to 2023–24 Note. Student attendance was not accurately captured either in 2019–20 due to the onset of the pandemic in March 2020 or in 2020–21 due to distance learning; Figure 2 depicts data from in-person school attendance during the years before and after the onset of the pandemic. Extreme chronic absence is defined as 30 percent or more of students, and high chronic absence is defined as 20–29.9 percent of students. 3 Schools serving more socioeconomically disadvantaged (SED) students experience greater levels of chronic absenteeism As the proportion of SED students6 in a school increases, so do the rates of chronic absence (Figure 3). In 2023–24, only 2 percent of the most affluent schools (those serving 0–24 percent SED students) had high or extreme levels of chronic absence, compared to 72 percent of the schools in which 75 percent or more of students are SED. It is encouraging that these numbers are decreasing for all schools from the rates in 2022–23, but high-poverty schools remain severely affected. SED students faced heightened challenges during the pandemic, and as a result, these students fell farther behind academically than their non-SED peers.7 The reasons for these students’ absences is complex, and therefore, school and district actions to improve school attendance for students in this group must be multifaceted and include services that meet their basic needs, make school feel safe and welcoming, and ensure engaging and rigorous learning opportunities.8 Equally critical are partnerships with community organizations and public agencies for addressing barriers and challenges to school attendance that may fall beyond the capacity of educators alone to meet. Figure 3. Schools with High and Extreme Chronic Absence Levels by Proportion of Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Students and Year Note. Extreme chronic absence is defined as 30 percent or more of students, and high chronic absence is defined as 20–29.9 percent of students. Here we show prepandemic data (2018–19) and the 2 most recent years of data to observe both the dramatic increase in high and extreme chronic absence after the pandemic and the improvement during the past 2 years. 4 Since the onset of the pandemic, the number of elementary schools experiencing high and extreme levels of chronic absence has increased dramatically Between 2018–19 and 2022–23, many more elementary, middle, and high schools experienced high to extreme chronic absence, but all grade levels reduced absenteeism significantly between 2022–23 and 2023–24 (Figure 4). There is still a large number of elementary schools with high and extreme chronic absence (2,708 in 2023–24). Other schools, primarily alternative education schools, did not see as much change because they already struggled with extreme chronic absence even before the pandemic. The large number of elementary schools with high and extreme levels of chronic absence is concerning given the potential long-term and costly consequences if young students fall behind academically and do not develop a habit of regular attendance early in their school careers. Figure 4. Schools with High and Extreme Chronic Absence Levels in California by School Type and Year Note. Extreme chronic absence is defined as 30 percent or more of students, and high chronic absence is defined as 20–29.9 percent of students. Here we show prepandemic data (2018–19) and the 2 most recent years of data to observe both the dramatic increase in high and extreme chronic absence after the pandemic and the improvement during the past 2 years. 5 Chronic absence is highest in kindergarten and in high school Prior to the pandemic, kindergarten chronic absence was 16 percent, just slightly lower than the chronic absence rate for high school. Kindergarten chronic absence increased to 40 percent in 2021–22, then dropped to 36 percent in 2022–23, and has further reduced to 26 percent in 2023–24 (Figure 5). Kindergarten attendance is critical because it establishes patterns that persist into the future.9 High school attendance is also vitally important because regular attendance is important for learning and graduation10 as well as a key workforce-readiness skill. Chronic absence rates for students in Grades 9–12 are nearly as high as in kindergarten (at 24 percent, up from 16 percent in 2018–19). Figure 5. Chronic Absence by Grade and Year Note. Kindergarten attendance data includes transitional kindergarten (TK) program data. 6 Chronic absence is especially high among particular student populations, although all have experienced modest decreases in the last year Figure 6 illustrates differences among student groups prior to the pandemic and during recovery in their rates of chronic absence. The blue bar represents the increase in rates from 2018–19 to 2021–22, and the yellow arrow shows the decline between then and 2023–24, with a tick mark for progress in 2022–23. Despite improvements, students who are involved in the foster care system, are experiencing homelessness, and/or have been identified as having a disability continue to have extraordinarily high levels of absenteeism, along with Native American, Black, and Pacific Islander students. For these populations, chronic absence both reflects and exacerbates inequities. These high rates can reflect challenges facing students and families in the community (e.g., lack of access to health care, unreliable transportation, housing and food insecurity, etc.) and within the school (e.g., bullying, unwelcoming school climate, biased disciplinary or attendance practices, or lack of a meaningful and culturally relevant curriculum). Such difficulties can affect students’ ability to learn as well as cause them to fall farther behind because they miss invaluable instruction. In addition to looking at who is most affected by chronic absence, it is also important to examine which racial/ethnic groups make up the largest number of chronically absent students. In California, Hispanic/Latino students are disproportionately represented among chronically absent students compared to other student populations; this group made up 65 percent of the chronically absent students in 2022–23 and 2023–24 (or 966,459 and 788,733 students, respectively) and 56 percent of the student population overall. The next largest numbers of chronically absent students were White students (241,143 in 2022–23 and 191,007 in 2023–24) and Black students (110,537 in 2022–23 and 96,091 in 2023–24). Figure 6. Chronic Absence Rates by Student Group and Year 7 While chronic absence is a major challenge across the state, bright spots can be found in every type of locale in California In every type of locale, the majority of schools has high and extreme levels of chronic absence, but there is a small percentage of schools with much better attendance (Figure 7). These data show that all types of communities can and should care about reducing rates of chronic absence. Fortunately, data can be used to identify potential bright spots that can yield important insights about what works given local conditions. Figure 7. School-Level Chronic Absence by Locale Type, 2023–24 Note. Extreme chronic absence is defined as 30 percent or more of students; high chronic absence as 20–29.9 percent; significant chronic absence as 10–19.9 percent; modest chronic absence as 5–9.9 percent; and low chronic absence as 0–4.9 percent. Locale data were obtained from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Conclusion The alarmingly high levels of chronic absence occurring nationwide require sustained attention and action. Although the California numbers are challenging, absenteeism can be addressed when districts, with state support, help schools take a comprehensive, data-informed approach to attendance that is grounded in an understanding of local assets and difficulties faced by students and families. This analysis of data through the 2023–24 school year offers hopeful signs that attendance levels in California are moving in the right direction,11 but even greater efforts are needed in the schools and communities most affected by COVID-19 and education inequities. 1Balfanz, R., & Byrnes, V. (2012, May). The importance of being in school: A report on absenteeism in the nation’s public schools [Report]. Johns Hopkins University Center for Social Organization of Schools. new.every1graduates.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/FINALChronicAbsenteeismReport_May16.pdf; Chang, H., & Romero, M. (2008, September). Present, engaged, and accounted for: The critical importance of addressing chronic absence in the early grades [Report]. National Center for Children in Poverty. nccp.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/text_837.pdf; Ehrlich, S. B., et al. (2014, May). Preschool attendance in Chicago public schools: Relationships with learning outcomes and reasons for absences [Research report]. University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research. files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED553158.pdf; Utah Education Policy Center. (2012, July). Research brief: Chronic absenteeism. University of Utah. daqy2hvnfszx3.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/05/23104652/ChronicAbsenteeismResearchBrief.pdf2Hough, H. J., & Chavez, B. (2024, January). California test scores show little improvement after pandemic [Policy brief]. Policy Analysis for California Education. edpolicyinca.org/publications/california-test-scores-show-little-improvement-after-pandemic3This analysis includes all publicly available absence data as documented by the California Department of Education. In the academic year 2022–23, there were a total of 9,984 public schools, with 859 categorized as Dashboard Alternative Status Schools (DASS) schools and 1,283 as charter schools.4Jordan, P. W. (2023, May 8). Attendance playbook: Smart solutions for reducing student absenteeism post-pandemic [Report]. FutureEd. future-ed.org/attendance-playbook5Gottfried, M. A. (2019). Chronic absenteeism in the classroom context: Effects on achievement. Urban Education, 54(1), 3–34. doi.org/10.1177/00420859156187096In California, students are considered socioeconomically disadvantaged if they meet any one of the following criteria during the reporting period: (a) neither of the student’s parents has received a high school diploma; (b) the student is eligible for or participating in the Free or Reduced-Price Meal program; (c) the student is eligible for or participating in the Title I, Part C Migrant Education Program; (d) the student was considered homeless; (e) the student was foster-program eligible; (f) the student was directly certified; (g) the student was enrolled in a Juvenile Court School; or (h) the student is eligible as tribal foster youth.7Hough & Chavez, 2024.8Chang, H., Balfanz, R., & Byrnes, V. (2023, November 17). All hands on deck: Today’s chronic absenteeism requires a comprehensive district response and strategy. Attendance Works Blog. attendanceworks.org/todays-chronic-absenteeism-requires-a-comprehensive-district-response-and-strategy; Myung, J., & Hough, H. J. (2023, November). Why aren’t students showing up for school? Understanding the complexity behind rising rates of chronic absenteeism [Commentary]. Policy Analysis for California Education. edpolicyinca.org/newsroom/why-arent-students-showing-school9It is important to note, however, that high school rates of chronic absence are likely an underestimate. Because most districts in California are funded based on average daily attendance, students are typically counted as present as long as they show up for a single period. By contrast, at least 17 other states require students to be present for at least half a day to be counted as present. See Attendance Works. (2022, June). Monitoring who is missing too much school: A review of state policy and practice in school year 2021–22 [Brief]. attendanceworks.org/monitoring-who-is-missing-too-much-school-a-reviewof-state-policy-and-practice-in-school-year-2021-2210Utah Education Policy Center, 2012; Rosenkranz, T., de la Torre, M., Stevens, W. D., & Allensworth, E. M. (2014, April). Free to fail or on-track to college: Why grades drop when students enter high school and what adults can do about it [Research brief]. University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research. attendanceworks.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Free-to-Fail-or-On-Track-to-College-CCSR-April-2014.pdf11This analysis also shows the value of states using their own data to assess whether chronic absence rates are improving based on the most recent data available. To learn more about the national context and actions that states can take, see Chang, H., Balfanz, R., & Byrnes, V. (2024, January 31). Turning back the tide: The critical role of states in reducing chronic absenteeism. Attendance Works Blog. attendanceworks.org/state-data-for-2021-22-school-year Close

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Home - California Immigrant Policy Center

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The California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC) is a constituent-based statewide immigrant rights organization with offices in Los Angeles, Sacramento and Oakland. It is a leading immigrant rights institution in the state.

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Home | National Immigrant Justice Center

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Indiana and Chicago immigration lawyers provide legal aid for immigrants and asylum seekers, fight for fair immigration reform and an end to inhumane immigration detention.

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Verifying you are human. This may take a few seconds.

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State of California - Department of Justice - Office of the Attorney General

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SACRAMENTO - California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued two sets of guidance to ensure the educational rights of immigrant students and their families. The first guidance advises immigrant students and their families of their educational rights and protections under the law, including the right to receive a free public education and the right to confidentiality of their personal information. The second provides guidance to assist school officials in complying with state law limiting state and local participation in immigration enforcement activities. This includes guidance relating to information requests regarding immigration status, a warrant or court order regarding immigration enforcement, and immigration agents requesting access to school grounds. The guidances builds on the Attorney General's ongoing efforts to inform California immigrants of their rights under the law and to help public institutions to revise their policies and procedures in order to comply with state law. As part of this work, Attorney General Bonta today also held the third in a series of five regional convenings with immigrant rights groups, elected officials, and others in Sacramento.

"Every child has the right to a free public education, regardless of their immigration status," said Attorney General Bonta. "I know there is a lot of fear and anxiety around the incoming administration's anticipated changes to immigration policy, and I want to make sure students, their parents, and their teachers and school administrators are prepared. These new guidances highlight the educational rights of California students and the responsibility their schools have under state law to protect the rights and safety of all students in the state. My office is continuing to hear from immigrants' rights groups on the ground through our regional convenings across the state, and we will continue to serve and support California's immigrant communities through the challenges ahead."
Guidance for Immigrant Students and Families

Right to a Free Public Education: All children have a right to equal access to free public education, regardless of their or their parents'/guardians' immigration status.

Information Required for School Enrollment: Schools must accept a variety of documents from the student's parent or guardian to demonstrate proof of child's age or residency and schools are not required to keep a copy of the document used as proof of a child's age.

Confidentiality of Personal Information: Federal and state laws protect student education records and personal information. These laws generally require that schools obtain written consent from parents or guardians before releasing student information, unless the release of information is for educational purposes, is already public, or is in response to a court order or subpoena.

The complete Guide for Students and Families is available in English and Spanish at oag.ca.gov/immigrant/resources. Additional languages will be available in the coming days.

The complete Quick Reference for School Officials guide is available in English and Spanish at oag.ca.gov/immigrant/resources. Additional languages will be available in the coming days.
***Previously Issued Guidance***
Know Your Immigration Rights and Protections Under the Law

You have the right to apply for and secure housing without sharing your immigration status. California law prohibits housing providers from asking about your immigration status unless you are applying for affordable housing funded by the federal government. Additionally, housing providers cannot harass or intimidate you by threatening or sharing information about your immigration status to ICE, law enforcement, or other government agencies.

You have the right to access emergency medical care. Federal laws and regulations ensure the rights of all people to access emergency medical care, including undocumented immigrants.

You have the right to an attorney. If you are arrested by police, you have the right to a government-appointed attorney. If you are detained by ICE and/or are facing immigration proceedings, you have the right to seek legal assistance through an attorney.

State and local law enforcement cannot ask for your immigration status. California law expressly prohibits law enforcement from inquiring about a person's immigration status for immigration enforcement purposes.

State and local law enforcement cannot share your personal information. This includes sharing your home or work address for immigration purposes, unless that information is available to the public or unless that information involves previous criminal arrest, convictions or similar criminal history.

State and local law enforcement cannot assist ICE with immigration enforcement, with very limited exceptions. This means they cannot investigate, cannot interrogate, cannot arrest, and cannot detain you unless it is as part of joint federal task force where the primary purpose is not immigration enforcement.

The full "Know Your Immigration Rights" consumer alert is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Tagalog,and Vietnamese at oag.ca.gov/immigrant/resources.
Protect Yourself from Immigration Scams
If you need help applying for immigration relief, be careful who you hire. Watch out for immigration scams that can cost you thousands of dollars and/or harm your immigration status! Here are some tips and resources to help:

Go to a legitimate legal aid organization for free legal help. Many nonprofit organizations provide free immigration help to low-income individuals, such as those found through the resources below. To find a legal aid organization near you, go to lawhelpca.org.

Keep your original documents in a safe place. Don't give your original documents to anyone unless you see proof that the government requires the original document. If you give someone an original, they may lose it or refuse to return it unless you pay them.

Do not hire an immigration consultant or a notary. Only lawyers, accredited representatives, and recognized organizations can give you legal advice or represent you in immigration court. Immigration consultants - who may call themselves immigration experts, notarios, notaries public, or paralegals - cannot do so.

Do not give money or personal information to anyone who calls, texts, or emails you claiming that there is a problem with your immigration matter. No federal or state agency, including USCIS, will ever ask for your personal information or payment over the phone, by email, or text.

For more dos and don'ts, see the full "Protect Yourself from Immigration Scams" consumer alert available in English, Spanish, Chinese (Simplified), Korean, Tagalog, and Vietnamese at oag.ca.gov/immigrant/resources.
Guidance and Model Policies for Public institutions
In December 2024, Attorney General Bonta issued updated guidance to help staff develop practical plans to protect the rights of immigrants and their families to safely access public institutions by limiting support of immigration enforcement activity at these institutions. While the guidance is tailored to certain types of public institutions, any institution that is accessible to the public may choose to adopt a similar policy to protect the rights and safety of their patrons.
Access Free and Low-Cost Legal Assistance
Visit Law Help CA or Immigration Law Help to find immigration assistance near you.

File a Complaint

If you believe your rights have been violated, report it to the California Department of Justice at oag.ca.gov/report.

If you believe you were subject to discrimination, harassment or retaliation, report it to the California Civil Rights Department at calcivilrights.ca.gov/complaintprocess/.

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Attorney General Bonta Issues Guidance on Educational Rights of Immigrant Students and Their Families

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Holds third regional convening on immigrant rights in Sacramento SACRAMENTO - California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued two sets of guidance to ensure the educational rights of immigrant students and their families.

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Youth Perspectives: The Importance of Caring Relationships at School

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Youth Perspectives: The Importance of Caring Relationships at School

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Youth Perspectives: The Importance of Caring Relationships at School – California Safe and Supportive Schools

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Positive relationships are essential to building school climates that promote environments where students feel safe, supported, and engaged. When students feel connected at school, they are more likely to engage socially and academically. In this moderated Q&A session, the California Center for School Climate’s Youth Advisory Team will share their perspectives on how positive relationships at school have impacted them, how adults can support safe and supportive learning environments, and what adults should know about being a student today.

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These types of questions might be helpful to get parents and students to open up

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Empathy Interview Resources for Needs Assessments 

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Empathy Interview Resources for Needs Assessments 

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AA & IT Independent Study FAQs - Instructional Time and Attendance Accounting (CA Dept of Education)

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AA & IT Independent Study FAQs - Instructional Time and Attendance Accounting (CA Dept of Education)

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The following FAQs are intended to provide local educational agencies (LEAs) with an overview of changes to independent study apportionment, instructional time, and attendance accounting requirements.

Attendance for Apportionment | Instructional Time and Independent Study | Independent Study Ratio Calculation

Additional FAQs regarding independent study programs and requirements are available on the California Department of Education's (CDE's) Independent Study web page.

Attendance for Apportionment

1. How is a day of average daily attendance (ADA) earned by a local educational agency (LEA) for traditional independent study or course-based independent study (CBIS) in fiscal year (FY) 2024-25? (Updated 07-Oct-2024)

A day of attendance for apportionment is earned based on the following attendance accounting methodology:

Traditional Independent Study ADA

Appropriately certificated teachers of the LEA evaluate assignments and documented work through online or computer-based instruction that is completed by the established due dates in the written agreement. Attendance credit is awarded based on the teacher's determination of the time value of the work (i.e., assignments and time in computer-based programs), or the combined time value of the work and the student's participation in synchronous instruction.

Completed assignments representing more attendance days for the assignment period may not be "banked" for future use or applied to earlier assignment periods. Late independent study work may not be applied towards earlier assignment periods when the due date for the assigned work has already passed.

LEAs report attendance for students in independent study using the LEA's attendance system as they would for students in classroom-based programs. However, there will be a delay in reporting independent study attendance since the attendance cannot be reported until the student submits their completed assignments and the teacher determines the time value of the work, including any documented time spent on online or computer-based instruction, or the combined time value of the work and the student's participation in synchronous instruction.

School District and County Office of Education (COE) Traditional Independent Study Attendance Reporting:

School districts and COEs must use the time value method of attendance accounting (Education Code (EC) Section 51747.5(b)).

A full day of attendance may be claimed for completed independent study student work if a credentialed teacher determines that the time value of the work, including any documented time spent on online or computer-based instruction, or the combined time value of the work and the participation in synchronous instruction is equal to at least a "minimum day".

The LEA shall maintain documentation of hours or fraction of an hour of both the time that the student engaged in asynchronous and synchronous instruction (EC Section 51747.5(b)(2)(A)(ii) and (b)(2)(B)(i)).

A minimum day varies depending on grade level.

For continuation education, independent study is assigned in hours, not minimum day values.

For example, if the student completes two-thirds of the assigned 15 hours of work for a five-day week, the school district can claim 10 hours of ADA.

School districts and COEs must keep a daily or hourly attendance credit register, as appropriate to the program in which the students are enrolled, separate from classroom attendance records, and maintained on a current basis.

Time values of student work products are personally judged by a certificated teacher and reviewed by the supervising teacher if they are two different persons (California Code of Regulations, Title 5 (5CCR), Section 11703(b)(4)).

Prior to reporting attendance for the Second Principal Apportionment period (P-2), LEAs must perform independent study ratio calculations to determine if excess ADA needs to be deducted from reported ADA.

For detailed information and instructions for performing independent study ratio calculations, please refer to the Independent Study Ratio Calculations.

Charter School Traditional Independent Study Attendance Reporting:

Charter schools must use the time value method of attendance accounting in EC Section 51747.5(b).

There is no minimum day for charter schools, but charter schools must meet the requirements for annual instructional minutes (EC Section 47612.5(a)(1)(A-D)).

The minimum amount of work necessary to constitute a day of nonclassroom-based attendance is within the charter school's and teacher's discretion to determine; however, the work must be completed on the scheduled school day for which it is claimed for ADA purposes.

Charter schools must comply with independent study laws and regulations (EC Section 47612.5(b)).

Charter schools must keep a daily attendance credit register, as appropriate to the program in which the students are enrolled, separate from classroom attendance records, and maintained on a current basis.

The time value of work products is personally judged by a certificated teacher and reviewed by the supervising teacher if they are two different persons (5 CCR, Section 11703(b)(4)).

Charter schools shall maintain documentation of hours or fraction of an hour of both the time that the student engaged in asynchronous and synchronous instruction (EC sections 51747.5(b)(2)(A)(ii) and (b)(2)(B)(i)).

Schools must maintain written contemporaneous records that document all student attendance and are made available for audit and inspection (EC Section 47612.5(a)(2)).

A "daily engagement log" (tracking each student's daily engagement in educational activities for each day school is in session) is required by 5 CCR, Section 11960.

Prior to reporting attendance for P-2, LEAs must perform independent study ratio calculations to determine if excess ADA needs to be deducted from reported ADA.

For detailed information and instructions for performing independent study ratio calculations please refer to the Independent Study Ratio Calculations web page.

CBIS ADA:

CBIS attendance credit is based on enrollment and satisfactory educational progress in courses certified to annually by the local governing board. The annual course certification must meet the statutory requirements pursuant to EC Section 51749.5(a)(4) which include requirements for rigor, educational quality, equity, alignment to standards, and certification to instructional time and course credits, as well as a plan for providing opportunities for synchronous instruction to all grade levels and live interaction to grades four through eight.

Pursuant to EC Section 51749.5(c), students in CBIS must meet minimum day requirements in order to generate attendance. The minimum day can be met through CBIS courses or a combination of CBIS courses and traditional independent study or a combination of CBIS courses and in-person instruction.

All LEAs with CBIS programs must compute ADA for each student enrolled. If the total CBIS ADA is greater than 10 percent of total LEA ADA, any CBIS ADA above 10 percent must be reduced by the statewide absence rate, available on the California Department of Education's (CDE's) Funding Rates and Information web page for each applicable fiscal year.

In addition, similar to traditional independent study requirements, LEAs offering CBIS must compute the ratio of independent study students to full-time equivalent certificated employees responsible for independent study and the comparative ratio for all other educational programs ( EC Section 51745.6). LEAs are encouraged to use the Independent Study Ratio Calculation instructions provided on the CDE's Independent Study Ratio Calculations web page. These calculations help LEAs determine whether they have any excess ADA that cannot be claimed for funding.

2. How do school districts and county offices of education (COEs) compute average daily attendance (ADA) for traditional independent study? (Posted 07-Oct-2024)

School districts and COEs sum the time value of asynchronous and synchronous instruction, as applicable, and then credit a day(s) of attendance based on the summed time value equating to day(s) (i.e., minimum day) of instruction for the assignment period.

Note that beginning in Fiscal Year 2024-25, LEAs must document the time value of work for hours or fraction of an hour for asynchronous instruction, which includes both student work product and any documented time spent on online or computer-based instruction, and synchronous instruction.

In order to illustrate how days of attendance are generated, a table is included below.

Independent Study ADA Computation: School Districts and COEs

Calculation

Example

Work product time value including:

Documented time value spent in asynchronous instruction for which a work product was not produced (Education Code (EC) Section 51747.5(b)(2)(A)(ii)), and

Time value of actual work product produced by the student (EC Section 51747.5(b)(2)(A)(i))

+

Verified synchronous instruction participation time value (must augment asynchronous work) (EC Section 51747.5(b)(2)(B)(i-ii))

=

Total hours of traditional independent study time value (EC Section 51747.5(b)(2)(C))

÷

Hours in the minimum day that apply to the students' grade span (EC sections 46112-46113, 46117, 46141, and 46146.5)

=

Days of attendance

Work product time value including:

5 hours of documented time in online asynchronous instruction- no tangible work- certificated teacher documents

25 hours of time value for essays and packet work completed and turned in

+

6 hours of verified synchronous instruction participation time value
=
36 hours total traditional independent study time value
÷
4 hours (minimum day for grades 4-12)
=
9 Days of attendance

3. How do charter schools compute average daily attendance (ADA) for traditional independent study? (Posted 07-Oct-2024)

For each day in which student engagement was documented, charter schools sum the time value of asynchronous and synchronous instruction, as applicable, and then credit a day(s) of attendance based on the summed time value equating to day(s) of instruction for the assignment period (CCR 11960 and Education Code Section 51747.5). Charter schools do not have a minimum day requirement, so the certificated teacher responsible for supervising the student's nonclassroom-based instruction determines if the total hours of nonclassroom-based instruction are equivalent to a day or days of instruction.

Note that beginning in Fiscal Year 2024-25, LEAs must document the time value of work for hours or fraction of an hour for asynchronous instruction, which includes both student work product and any documented time spent on online or computer-based instruction, and synchronous instruction.

In order to illustrate how days of attendance are generated, a table is included below.

Nonclassroom-based Instruction ADA Computation: Charter Schools

Calculation

Example

Work product time value including:

Documented time value spent in asynchronous instruction for which a work product was not produced (Education Code (EC) Section 51747.5(b)(2)(A)(ii)), and

Time value of actual work product produced by the student (EC Section 51747.5(b)(2)(A)(i))

+

Verified synchronous instruction participation time value (must augment asynchronous work) (EC Section 51747.5(b)(2)(B)(i-ii))
=

Total hours of nonclassroom-based instruction time value (EC Section 51747.5(b)(2)(C))

Student engagement log lists days the student was engaged in educational activities (California Code of Regulations, Title 5, § 11960)

Teacher determination of number of days total hours equates to

=

Days of attendance

Work product time value including:

5 hours of documented time in online asynchronous instruction- no tangible work- certificated teacher documents

10 hours of time value for essays and packet work completed and turned in

+

3 hours of verified synchronous instruction participation time value
=

18 hours total nonclassroom-based instruction time value

5 days student was engaged in educational activities

5 days teacher determination of total hours equates to

=

5 days of attendance

4. Is there a limit to the amount of average daily attendance (ADA) that can be claimed for funding in independent study? (Updated 07-Oct-2024)

Statute does not limit the number of students that can be served in independent study. Statute does, however, have some limits on the independent study ADA that can be funded and on which students are eligible to generate independent study ADA.

The limits to ADA that can be funded are as follows:

There is a 10 percent cap on independent study ADA generated by students in an opportunity school or a continuation high school. A student who is pregnant or is a parent who is the primary caregiver for one or more of their children is not included within the 10 percent cap.

Pursuant to Education Code (EC) Section 51745.6 there are independent study ADA to full time equivalent (FTE) ratio requirements that may limit ADA that can be claimed for apportionment.

If the ratio of independent study ADA to FTE certificated employees responsible for independent study exceeds a local educational agency's (LEA's) comparative ratio, the result is excess ADA (excess ADA cannot generate funding).

More information about the continuation and opportunity education ADA cap and the independent study ratio calculations is available on the California Department of Education's Independent Study Ratio Calculations web page.

LEAs that participate in a course-based independent study (CBIS) program must compute ADA for each student enrolled, in accordance with EC Section 51749.5(c).

If the total CBIS ADA is greater than 10 percent of the total ADA of the LEA, any CBIS ADA above 10 percent must be reduced by the statewide absence rate.

The statewide absence rate is made available on the California Department of Education's Funding Rates and Information web page along with a sample calculation.

Charter schools with less than 80 percent classroom-based ADA require a State Board of Education approved funding determination to be eligible to receive funding for nonclassroom-based (NCB) ADA.

EC Section 47612.7 temporarily prohibits the establishment of a new nonclassroom-based charter school from January 1, 2020, to January 1, 2026. This moratorium does not apply to NCB charter schools that started serving students prior to October 1, 2019, and are required to submit a new petition to comply with certain provisions on where a charter school may be physically located. For more information, please refer to the Temporary Prohibition on New NCB Charter Schools - Charter Schools web page.

There are some limitations on generating ADA based on age, the setting in which a student is served, and/or the services needed by the student. These limitations are as follows:

Age Eligibility Requirements

Continuously Enrolled: 21 years of age (School District/County Office of Education (COE))

Not continuously enrolled: 19 years of age (School District/COE/Charter)

Continuously Enrolled: 22 years of age (Charter)

Setting Requirements

Independent study is an optional educational program in which no student may be required to participate (EC Sections 51747(g)(8) and 51749.6(a)(6)).

Students must have a classroom option (EC Section 51749.6(a)(6)).

Students must reside in the county or adjacent county (EC Section 51747.3(c)).

For school districts, students must be enrolled in a school within the district as well as the independent study program.

Students enrolled in a school district pursuant to an interdistrict transfer due to parent employment cannot generate ADA through full-time (long-term) independent study.

Home and hospital students receiving instruction pursuant to EC Section 48206.3 cannot generate ADA through independent study (EC Section 51745(d)).

Community day school students cannot generate ADA through independent study (EC Section 48663).

Service Requirements

Individualized Education Programs for students with exceptional needs must specifically provide for independent study participation (EC Section 51745(c)).

Expelled students may only generate ADA through independent study if they are offered the alternative of classroom instruction (EC sections 51747(g)(8) and 51749.6(a)(6)).

5. Can local educational agencies (LEAs) utilize independent study as a way to make up attendance for apportionment? (Posted 07-Oct-2024)

No, LEAs cannot utilize independent study to recover attendance after an absence has occurred. Provided all conditions of apportionment are met, students generate attendance based on the schooldays that they are receiving classroom-based instruction; or the schooldays in which they are participating in independent study. A student cannot generate more than 1 day of attendance per schoolday ( EC sections 46110, 46140, and 47612(d)).

For example, if a student is absent from school on Monday and returns to school on Tuesday, they cannot recover the attendance for the Monday absence via independent study as the student would be generating more than one day of attendance on the same schoolday (i.e., one day attendance via classroom-based instruction on Tuesday and one day attendance via independent study on Tuesday).

To recover an absence for funding purposes, a school district or county office of education may offer a student Saturday School per EC Section 37223, or beginning in 2025-26, all LEAs may offer a classroom-based student Attendance Recovery per EC Section 46211.

6. Can a teacher employed by a vendor be a teacher for traditional independent study or course-based independent study (CBIS)? (Updated 25-Sep-2023)

No. The teacher providing general supervision for traditional independent study must be a certificated employee of the school district, county office of education (COE), or charter school in which the student is enrolled ( Education Code ( EC) Section 51747.5 and California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Section 11700(j)).

The teacher for CBIS must hold the appropriate subject matter credential and be an employee of the local educational agency (LEA) at which the student is enrolled or by a certificated employee of an LEA that has a memorandum of understanding to provide the instruction ( EC Section 51749.5(a)(3)).

The supervision requirements for traditional independent study and CBIS are verified during an LEA's annual audit. Failure to comply with the supervision requirements may lead to a noncompliance finding and its associated fiscal penalty.

For more information concerning which independent study requirements are part of the annual audit, please visit the K-12 Audit Guide .

7. Are there geographical limitations on generating attendance for independent study? (Updated 25-Sep-2023)

Yes. Education Code Section 51747.3(c) limits the claiming of average daily attendance (ADA) for apportionment for students participating in independent study to students that reside in the county in which the ADA is reported or in the adjacent county to the county in which the ADA is reported.

8. Can a student participate in independent study on a short-term basis? (Updated 07-Oct-2024)

Yes. A student can participate in independent study on a short-term basis and may do so multiple times throughout the schoolyear provided all independent study requirements are met.

Note the following requirements for students participating in independent study on a short-term basis.

The three-day minimum duration for school districts and county offices of education to claim independent study average daily attendance (ADA) has been repealed. All local educational agencies (LEAs) may now claim independent study ADA for any length of duration (Education Code (EC) Section 46300(e)).

The maximum number of days a student can participate in short-term independent study has increased from 14 to 15 days.
Written agreements for short-term independent study, may be signed and collected at any point during the school year (EC sections 51747(9)(A)(ii)) and 51749.6(b)(1)(B)).

Requirements such as tiered reengagement, synchronous/live instruction, and a plan to transition back to in-person instruction only apply after the 16th cumulative day of independent study participation (EC sections 51747(i) and 51749.5(b)).

LEAs should update their board policies and written agreements to reflect these changes regarding the elimination of the three-day minimum requirement and the updated maximum duration of 15 days for short-term independent study. For more detailed information on the legislative changes made to independent study through SB 153, please refer to the California Department of Education's Notice of Recent Statutory Changes to Independent Study Conditions of Apportionment.

9. In the event of a school closure or material decrease due to COVID-19, can local educational agencies (LEAs) mitigate a loss of attendance by offering independent study to students? (Updated 07-Oct-2024)

LEAs have the ability to submit a Form J-13A request for a COVID-19 or other illness related closure and/or material decrease in attendance and all other emergency conditions provided by Education Code ( EC) sections 41422 and 46392. EC Section 46393 requires that LEAs certify to offering independent study within ten days of the first day of a school closure or material decrease in attendance.

LEAs are encouraged to provide access to instruction and the opportunity to earn academic credit through independent study for students who are excluded from school (or absent), or school is closed due to COVID-19 or other illness.

More information regarding the Form J-13A submittal and approval process is located on the Frequently Asked Questions-Form J-13A web page.

10. Can a local educational agency (LEA) that offers a traditional independent study only claim average daily attendance (ADA) through evaluation of the work product? (Updated 07-Oct-2024)

Yes. While LEAs are required to offer opportunities in synchronous instruction pursuant to Education Code ( EC) Section 51747(e), there is no requirement that LEAs claim the participation in synchronous instruction towards their calculations of instructional time and attendance for apportionment.

LEAs providing traditional independent study programs may continue to claim ADA through the time value of student work products, including any documented time spent on online or computer-based instruction, as personally judged in each instance by a certificated teacher employed by the LEA ( EC Section 51747.5(b)(1)).

11. Does the supervising teacher determine the time value of a student's participation in online or computer-based programs? (Posted 07-Oct-2024)

Yes. The time value of work product, including time spent in online or computer-based programs, is determined by the general supervising teacher ( Education Code (EC) Section 51747.5(b)(1)).

To count towards instructional time and ADA calculations, the time spent in the online or computer-based programs must be documented by the program itself ( EC Section 51747.5(b)(2)(A)(ii)).

12. Are local educational agencies (LEAs) required to claim average daily attendance (ADA) through synchronous instruction? (Updated 07-Oct-2024)

No. LEAs may claim a day of ADA through either the time value of student work products, including any documented time spent on online or computer-based instruction, as personally judged in each instance by a certificated teacher employed by the LEA, or the combined time value of student work products, including any documented time spent on online or computer-based instruction, and student participation in synchronous instruction ( Education Code Section 51747.5(b)(1)).

Counting synchronous instruction towards instructional time and attendance for apportionment is optional; this decision will be made at the local level.

13. Do the minutes of synchronous instruction provided to students count toward minimum day requirements, or is it only student work products and time spent in online or computer-based instruction that counts toward minimum day requirements for students participating in traditional independent study? (Updated 07-Oct-2024)

Local educational agencies (LEAs) can count instructional minutes through either the time value of student work products, including any documented time spent on online or computer-based instruction, as personally judged in each instance by a certificated teacher employed by the LEA, or the combined time value of student work products, including any documented time spent on online or computer-based instruction, and student participation in synchronous instruction.

14. Can a local educational agency (LEA) claim average daily attendance (ADA) by only offering synchronous instruction to traditional independent study students? (Updated 25-Sep-2023)

No. An LEA may only claim apportionment credit insofar as a student's participation in a synchronous instructional offering augments the time value of student work products ( Education Code Section 51747.5(b)(2)(B)(ii)).

15. In order to count participation in synchronous instruction towards apportionment calculations, when must the participation occur? (Updated 07-Oct-2024)

Law specifies that local educational agencies (LEAs) add the combined daily instructional minutes a student participated in synchronous instruction (as defined by Education Code ( EC) Section 51747.5(d)) and offered pursuant to EC Section 51747(e) to the daily time value of work products, including any documented time spent on online or computer-based instruction, for each schoolday.

Participation in synchronous instruction must be applied to the schoolday in which the participation in synchronous instruction occurred.

For example, a student who participates in synchronous instruction on Monday can only have those instructional minutes applied towards that schoolday. The synchronous instruction cannot be applied toward any other schoolday.

16. What evidence is needed for a local educational agency (LEA) that is including student participation in synchronous instruction towards the instructional time requirements for the purpose of claiming average daily attendance (ADA)? (Updated 07-Oct-2024)

Evidence of student participation for each hour or fraction thereof of synchronous instruction must be furnished and maintained ( Education Code ( EC) Section 51747.5(b)(2)(B)(i)).

Evidence of student participation may include, but is not limited to, work produced or performed, or documentation that the student participated in an instructional period either visually or verbally, as verified by a certificated employee of the LEA.

On a student level, examples of evidence used to evaluate the student's time and participation in synchronous instruction can be: notes, summaries, or projects.

On an instructor level, examples of evidence used to evaluate the student's time and participation in synchronous instruction can be: rubrics, notes, or other documentation.

17. Can a student generate average daily attendance (ADA) if the guardian or student refuses to participate in synchronous instruction and live interaction? (Updated 25-Sep-2023)

Local educational agencies (LEAs) have the ability to determine whether or not independent study is the appropriate placement for a student. A student or guardian's refusal of synchronous instruction and live interaction opportunities should be part of the LEA's consideration process for placing a student in independent study.

If the LEA does decide to place a student that refuses to participate in synchronous instruction and live interaction in an independent study program, the LEA must continue to ensure that all independent study requirements are met, including but not limited to the following:

Providing synchronous instruction and daily live interaction opportunities (Education Code (EC) Section 51747(e)).

Documenting each student's participation in live interaction and synchronous instruction on each schoolday as applicable (EC Section 51747.5(c)).

Following tiered reengagement procedures for those students who trigger the procedures (EC Section 51747(d)).
One of the procedures is that LEAs conduct an evaluation of whether or not the student should be allowed to continue in independent study.

All of the aforementioned requirements are conditions of apportionment and if left unmet, would result in ineligible ADA.

18. What signatures are needed on an independent study written agreement? (Updated 25-Sep-2023)

A student participating in either in a traditional independent study or course-based independent study (CBIS) program shall have a written agreement signed by:

the student,

the student's parent, legal guardian, or caregiver, if the student is less than 18 years of age,

the certificated employee who has been designated as having responsibility for the general supervision of independent study, and

the certificated employee designated as having responsibility for the special education programming of the student, if applicable (Education Code (EC) Section 51747(g)(9)(A) and EC Section 51749.6(b))

19. When must a local educational agency (LEA) obtain a signed and dated written agreement in order to begin claiming average daily attendance (ADA) for a student? (Updated 07-Oct-2024)

For long-term independent study = 16 or more days:

Signed written agreements must be obtained before the commencement of instruction (Education Code (EC) sections 51747(g)(9)(A)(i) and 51749.6(b)(1)(A)).

For short-term independent study = 15 or fewer days:

Signed written agreements can be obtained at any point within the school year (EC sections 51747(g)(9)(A)(ii) and 51749.6(b)(1)(B)).
Although statute provides additional time to obtain signed written agreements, all of the requirements of independent study must be in place upon the commencement of independent study instruction in order to generate ADA.

20. What days can be claimed for average daily attendance (ADA) when a local educational agency (LEA) obtains a late written agreement? (Updated 07-Oct-2024)

Long-term Independent Study (16 or more days) ( Education Code ( EC) sections 51747(g)(9)(A)(i) and 51749.6(b)(1)(A)):

No ADA eligibility until the signed written agreement is collected.

Short-term Independent Study (15 or fewer days) (EC sections 51747(g)(9)(A)(ii) and 51749.6(b)(1)(B)):

ADA can be generated for all days if the signed written agreement is obtained within the same school year.

If the signed written agreement is not obtained by the end of the schoolyear, none of the days the student participated in independent study will be eligible to generate ADA.
Note despite this flexibility in obtaining short-term independent written agreements, all the statutory requirements of independent study must be in place from the commencement of participation to generate ADA, including the requirement that all work must be turned in by the due dates in the written agreement to generate ADA (EC sections 51747(g)(1) and 51749.6(a)(7)).

21. Does CDE have a sample/template of a compliant independent study written agreement or board policy? (Posted 07-Oct-2024)

No. CDE does not provide templates or samples of written agreements or board policies. To claim any average daily attendance (ADA) via traditional independent study, local educational agency's (LEA's) board policies and written agreements must meet all of the requirements in Education Code ( EC) sections 51747 and 51749.6, as applicable.

CDE recommends that LEAs work with independent auditors and legal counsel to ensure legal compliance when developing independent study written agreements and board policies.

22. Are there any statutory exceptions for students who participate in independent study? (Updated 07-Oct-2024)

Yes. The independent study requirements are different depending on the length of a student's independent study participation. The provisions of tiered reengagement, synchronous/live instruction, and a plan to transition to in-person instruction in Education Code ( EC) sections 51747(d-f) and 51749.5 do not apply to students who participate in independent study for fewer than 16 cumulative schooldays in a school year.

These provisions in EC sections 51747(d-f) and 51749.5 also do not apply to any student enrolled in a comprehensive school for classroom-based instruction who, under the care of appropriately licensed professionals, participates in independent study due to necessary medical treatments or inpatient treatment for mental health care or substance abuse ( EC sections 51747(h)(2)(i) and 51749.5(b)). Local educational agencies (LEAs) are required by statute to obtain evidence from appropriately licensed professionals of the need for students to participate in independent study pursuant to this subdivision.

Note: These exceptions do not preclude an LEA from meeting all other independent study conditions of apportionment.

Instructional Time and Independent Study

1. Do the instructional time requirements apply to students in independent study? (Updated 07-Oct-2024)

Yes. All students are required to be offered at least the minimum number of annual instructional minutes and days that apply to their grade level and setting.

School districts and county offices of education (COEs) continue to be required to schedule all students for at least the minimum daily instructional minutes as applicable to that student's grade level and setting. While charter schools are required to meet annual instructional minute and day requirements, charter schools do not have a specific minimum number of instructional minutes that must be met each day. All students participating in independent study must be offered the required number of annual minutes and days as well.

School district and COE students in traditional independent study must have their work products and any documented time spent on online or computer-based instruction evaluated for time value by a certificated teacher and must have the equivalent of at least a minimum day's worth of work product for each day that traditional independent study attendance is claimed. School district and COE students in course-based independent study (CBIS) programs must be enrolled in sufficient courses to meet minimum day requirements.

Charter school students in traditional independent study must also have their work products and any documented time spent on online or computer-based instruction evaluated for time value by a certificated teacher. Since charter schools do not have a minimum day requirement, the work product must be equivalent to a day's worth of work as determined by an appropriately certificated teacher. Charter schools must also have records of student engagement for each day of attendance claimed for each student for both traditional and CBIS programs. Note that in December of 2004, the Department released a correspondence letter clarifying that the instructional time requirements do apply to those students participating in independent study at a charter school.

2. What are the required instructional minutes and required length of the school year for independent study? (Updated 07-Oct-2024)

All school district students are required to be offered at least 180 instructional days of instruction per year. All charter school students are required to be offered 175 instructional days per year. All students are also required to be offered a minimum number of instructional minutes of physical in-person instruction per year that varies by their grade level. This is both a site level and a local educational agency (LEA) level requirement.

Independent study is not an alternative curriculum; students must meet the same required number of instructional minutes as their peers enrolled in-person instruction at the school site.

To claim apportionment, all school districts and county offices of education (COEs) must offer at least a minimum day. In order to generate a day of attendance, a student of a school district or COE must be offered the required annual instructional minutes and days and be scheduled for at least a minimum day.

In traditional independent study, a minimum day is based on the teacher's determination of the time value of that work and any documented time spent on online or computer-based instruction, or the combined time value of work, documented time spent on online or computer-based instruction, and participation in synchronous instruction. For course-based independent study (CBIS), the combined equivalent daily instructional minutes for enrolled courses authorized per Education Code ( EC)Section 51749.5 and enrolled courses authorized by all other laws and regulations shall meet the minimum instructional day requirements applicable to the LEA. Students enrolled in courses authorized by this section shall be offered the minimum annual total equivalent instructional minutes pursuant to EC sections 46208 and 47612.5.

The required minimum day offering and scheduling thresholds are as follows:

Transitional kindergarten/kindergarten: 180 minutes (EC Section 46117)

Grades one through three: 230 minutes (EC Section 46112)

Grades four through twelve: 240 minutes (EC Sections 46113 and 46141)

Opportunity school: 180 minutes (EC Sections 46180)

Continuation education is assigned in hours, not by minimum day
"... A day of attendance is 180 minutes of attendance but no student shall be credited with more than 15 hours of attendance per school week, proportionately reduced for those school weeks having weekday holidays on which classes are not held." (EC Section 46170)

Charter schools must meet annual instructional minute requirements (EC Section 47612.5(a)(1))

Schools are required to offer the following number of physical education minutes per grade level:

Students in grades one through six must be provided with at least 200 minutes of physical education instruction each 10 school days. (EC Section 33352(b)(1)).

Students in grades seven through twelve must be provided with at least 400 minutes of physical education instruction each 10 school days. (EC Section 33352(b)(2)).

For additional information, visit the California Department of Education (CDE) Physical Education FAQ web page.

For additional information on instructional time and attendance accounting, refer to the CDE Instructional Time and Attendance Accounting web page.

3. Can synchronous instruction be counted towards the daily instructional minute requirements for traditional independent study students? (Updated 25-Sep-2023)

Yes, provided that the participation in synchronous instruction meets all statutory requirements.

The requirements to count participation in synchronous instruction towards instructional time for traditional independent study are as follows:

Synchronous instruction is offered pursuant to Education Code (EC) Section 51747(e).

Synchronous instruction meets the definition of classroom-style instruction or designated small group or one-on-one instruction delivered in person, or in the form of internet or telephonic communications, and involving live two-way communication between the teacher and student (EC Section 51745.5(d)).

Synchronous instruction is provided by a teacher or teachers of record.

A teacher of record can be the supervising teacher who coordinates, evaluates and generally supervises the student and the certificated teacher(s) that evaluates student work product for time value (EC Section 51745.5(d)).

The student's participation in synchronous instruction augments the time value of student work product (EC Section 51747.5(b)(2)(B)(ii)).

Participation in synchronous instruction is applied to the schoolday in which the student participated.

Evidence of student participation in synchronous instruction for each hour or fraction thereof must be furnished and maintained.

Evidence of participation may include, but is not limited to, student work produced or performed, as verified by a certificated employee of the local educational agency.

4. Can synchronous instruction be counted towards the daily instructional minute requirements for traditional course-based independent study (CBIS) students? (Updated 25-Sep-2023)

Yes, as long as the synchronous instruction is provided by the certificated employee of the local educational agency (LEA) responsible for the CBIS instruction, and the time associated with synchronous instruction is certified to as part of the annual certification process by the LEA's governing board ( Education Code sections 51745.5(d) and 51749.5(a)(4)).

5. Is there a minimum number of minutes or hours of synchronous instruction or live interaction that must be provided to students in independent study? (Posted 16-Sep-2022)

No. Statute does not specify a minimum number of minutes or hours of synchronous instruction or live interaction that must be provided to students participating in independent study.

Independent Study Ratio Calculation

1. Do class size ratios apply to independent study? (Posted 25-Sep-2023)

No. Class size ratio requirements are not applicable to independent study.

However, Education Code (EC) sections 51745.6 and 51749.5 require local educational agencies that participate in independent study programs to complete an independent study ratio calculation.

In the interest of parity between in-person instruction and independent study, statute requires the calculation of the ratio of average daily attendance (ADA) to full-time equivalent (FTE) teacher comparison between independent study and all other educational programs ( EC Section 51745.6).

Independent study ratio calculations are done annually at the time of, and in connection with, the second period (P-2) report of ADA. The results of the ratio calculations should be reflected in the P-2 and Annual ADA data submitted to the CDE pursuant to EC Section 51745.6.For more information regarding ADA to FTE ratio calculations and instructions for performing the calculations please refer to the California Department of Education's Independent Study Ratio Calculations web page.

2. When does a local educational agency (LEA) calculate its independent study ratio? (Posted 16-Sep-2022)

The independent study ratio calculation is done annually by the LEA at the time of, and in connection with, the second period (P-2) report of average daily attendance (ADA). The results of the ratio calculation should be reflected in both the P-2 and Annual attendance data submitted to the California Department of Education (CDE) ( Education Code Section 51745.6(a)(2)).

While an LEA is only required to calculate its independent study ratio at P-2, CDE recommends that an LEA calculate its independent study ratio throughout the school year to ensure that it avoids potential excess ADA, as excess ADA is not eligible for Local Control Funding Formula funding.

3. If a local educational agency (LEA) operates both traditional and course-based independent study (CBIS) programs, must the LEA complete a ratio calculation for each? (Updated 25-Sep-2023)

Yes. Education Code sections 51745.6 and 51749.5 require LEAs that participate in either or both traditional independent study and CBIS programs to complete an independent study ratio calculation.

4. Are teachers employed by a vendor included in average daily attendance (ADA) to full time equivalent (FTE) teacher ratio calculations for traditional independent study? (Updated 25-Sep-2023)

No. The FTE teacher calculation for independent study ratios is based on certificated employees of the local educational agency (LEA) who provide independent study instruction ( Education Code ( EC) Section 51745.6 and California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Section 11700(a)).

During the annual audit process, auditors must verify ratio calculations ( EC Section 51745.6(e)).

For more information regarding ADA to FTE ratio calculations and instruction for performing the calculations please refer to the Independent Study Ratio Calculations web page.

5. Are teachers employed by a vendor included in average daily attendance (ADA) to full time equivalent (FTE) ratio calculations for course-based independent study (CBIS)? (Updated 25-Sep-2023)

No. The FTE calculation for CBIS ratios is based on certificated employees of the local educational agency ( Education Code ( EC) Section 51749.5(a)(13) and California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Section 11700(a)).

During the annual audit process, auditors must verify CBIS ratio calculations ( EC Section 51749.5(g)(1)).

For more information regarding ADA to FTE ratio calculations and instruction for performing the calculations please refer to the Independent Study Ratio Calculations web page.

6. Is the Independent Study Ratio a report that our LEA must send in to the California Department of Education? (Posted 07-Oct-2024)

No. However, LEAs will submit the results of the Independent Study Ratio calculation as part of the P-2 and Annual data submitted to the CDE.

7. Where can a charter school find the ratio of students to full-time equivalent certificated employees for all other educational programs operated by the largest unified school district? (Posted 07-Oct-2024)

A charter school can use the prior year ratio for all other non-independent study educational programs of the largest unified school district in the county or counties in which they operate.

In order to obtain the ratio of the largest unified school district in the county, the charter school should contact the county office of education where the largest unified school district is located, as this information is not available to the California Department of Education.

Last Reviewed: Wednesday, October 09, 2024

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AA & IT Independent Study FAQs - Instructional Time and Attendance Accounting (CA Dept of Education)

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Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about independent study attendance accounting (AA) and instructional time (IT) requirements.

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https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1kVsQsHHj9WZQPph3yPrQCcSpovoRk4BM_VpuPRF6M1Q/copy

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Getting Students Back to School: Addressing Chronic Absenteeism

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Getting Students Back to School: Addressing Chronic Absenteeism

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Read more about the roundtable.

Thomas S. Dee, Ph.D., is the Barnett Family Professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Education (GSE), a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), a senior fellow at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR) and the faculty director of the John W. Gardner Center for Youth and Their Communities. His research focuses largely on the use of quantitative methods to inform contemporary issues of public policy and practice. The Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM) awarded his collaborative research the Raymond Vernon Memorial Award in 2015 and again in 2019. He currently serves on the editorial boards of the American Educational Research Journal, the Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, and Education Finance and Policy.

Amie Rapaport, Ph.D., is a research scientist and co-director at the Center for Applied Research in Education at the University of Southern California. She has spent the last 15 years helping school districts, state education agencies, foundations, and other organizations answer their own pressing research and policy-relevant questions. These projects have spanned various content areas, including project-based learning, STEM education, civics education, and educator professional development, among others. She leads teams of researchers on the design, implementation, and execution of both small and large experimental and non-experimental studies, including randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental design studies, descriptive studies and case studies.

Jessica Hull serves as the Executive Director of Communication and Community Engagement for Roseville City School District. She brings over nineteen years' experience in school communications, including social media, crisis management, community engagement, and media and public relations.

She believes well-informed students, families and citizens are the greatest assets to a school system and focuses all communications to create dynamic, two-way conversations within communities. Mrs. Hull is currently serving as Immediate Past President of the California School Public Relations Association (CalSPRA) and is an active member of the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA). For the 2020-21 school year, Jessica was recognized by NSPRA as the Front-Runner of the Southwest Region.

Zaia Vera, EdD, is an educational leader with a focus on humanizing education. She works with Sown To Grow to ensure that every student is seen and valued, and teaches Adult Social Emotional Learning Foundations at UC Berkeley. She is a former teacher, San Francisco Unified School District school principal, and Oakland Unified School District leader. In OUSD, Zaia co-founded the Oakland Teacher Residency to cultivate and support local and diverse educators to become credentialed teachers.

As the Head of Social Emotional Learning in OUSD, she strengthened the systems and structures to expand transformational SEL and support McKinney Vento/unhoused, foster and newcomer youth to build a sense of belonging at school.

Zaia holds two Master's degrees in Psychology and TESOL, and a Doctorate degree in Education Leadership from the University of Southern California. Originally from West Virginia, but rooted in California, Zaia is expanding the Mexican American narrative.

Jennifer Hwang is a working mom with an active and precocious third grader, trying to balance a demanding career as a trailer producer and family life in Los Angeles. Like many dedicated parents, she is very tired but keeps pushing forward.

Betty Márquez Rosales covers juvenile justice, youth homelessness and other education topics. Before joining EdSource, she worked on reporting projects for Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting and the Investigative Reporting Program at UC Berkeley. Betty's stories have appeared in The New York Times, Fusion, and local news publications across California.

She has worked in education and communications, earned a Master's degree in journalism from UC Berkeley, and holds a Bachelor's degree in gender studies from UC Santa Barbara. Contact Betty Márquez Rosales.

Mallika Seshadri covers education in Los Angeles, including LAUSD, for EdSource. Previously, she interned with NPR's "All Things Considered" and "National Desk" and covered higher education for the CalMatters College Beat.

Her reporting has been published by The San Francisco Chronicle, ABC, CBS and NPR member stations across the country. Mallika holds a BA with distinction in political science and global studies from UC Berkeley, where she served as the managing editor of The Daily Californian. She is currently pursuing an MA in Specialized Journalism at the University of Southern California, where she is a Selden Ring Fellow for investigative journalism. Contact Mallika Seshadri.

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ROUNDTABLE: Getting students back to school: Addressing chronic absenteeism

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This roundtable discussion features researchers and practitioners and discusses the latest research, data and solutions.

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Why I’m not involved: Parental involvement from a parent’s perspective - kappanonline.org

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A university researcher explains how issues of race, culture, and trust have made her reluctant to become more involved at her son’s school.

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This second of four Attendance Awareness Campaign webinars will focus on the importance of intentionally cultivating caring relationships with students and families, over time, as a crucial foundation for engagement. Speakers will explore barriers to showing up and how they are using data to determine what works given new realities.

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Chronically Absent: How to Manage School Refusal

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Chronically Absent: How to Manage School Refusal

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Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Chronically Absent: How to Manage School Refusal. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.

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A New York Times story revealed that more than 1-in-4 students were chronically absent during the 2022-23 school year. A number that's 2x higher than the 2019-20 school year. At least some of this chronic absenteeism is due to mental health reasons and specifically, due to school refusal.

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Six Hidden (and Not-So-Hidden) Factors Driving America’s Student Absenteeism Crisis

What do we think about this?

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As schools continue to recover from the pandemic, there's one troubling COVID symptom they can't seem to shake: record-setting absenteeism.

In the 2021-22 school year, more than one in four U.S. public school students missed at least 10% of school days. Before the pandemic, it was closer to one in seven, the Associated Press reported, relying on data from 40 states and the District of Columbia.

In New York City, the nation's largest district, chronic absenteeism hit 40%, according to district officials, meaning some 375,000 students were regularly absent. In Washington, D.C., it hit 42.5%. In Detroit, it was 77%.

Data are just beginning to emerge for the most recent school year, but a few snapshots present a troubling picture:

In Oakland, Calif., district officials said 61% of students were chronically absent in the 2022-23 school year;

In Providence, R.I., the district in September said fully half of students missed at least 10 percent last year;

And in suburban Montgomery County, Md., near Washington, D.C., about 27% of students were chronically absent last year, up from 20% four years earlier. As elsewhere, high school students were more likely to be chronically absent.

While many policymakers have cited disconnection from school as a key reason for the problem, others say it has different causes unique to the times we're in - causes that educators have rarely had to deal with so fully until now, from the death of caregivers to rising teacher absences and even, for older students, a more attractive labor market.

Here, according to researchers, school officials and parents' organizations, among others, are six hidden (and not-so-hidden) reasons that chronic absenteeism rates remain high.

1. Worsening mental health

In a recent survey by the National Center for Education Statistics, 70% of public schools reported an increase in the percentage of students seeking mental health services at school since the start of the pandemic; 76% reported an increase in staff voicing concerns about students with symptoms of depression, anxiety and trauma.

And after modest declines in 2019 and 2020, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported record-high suicide deaths during the pandemic. Suicides are rising fastest among young people, among other groups.

"We're in the middle of a mental health crisis for kids," said Keri Rodrigues, president of the National Parents Union. She said mental health support, both in our public education system and larger health care system, is inadequate to deal with the crisis.

"Kids are literally refusing to go [to school]. That is a major issue that I hear from parents every day. 'I can't get my kid up. They do not want to go.'"

For many students, school has lost its value, she said, "because there's not a lot of meat on the bone," either because instruction has worsened or because many students feel they can do what's required from home.

2. Death of caregivers

As many as 283,000 young people in the U.S. have lost one or both parents to the pandemic, researchers now estimate, with about 359,000 losing a primary or secondary caregiver, including a grandparent.

Those losses hit hardest in multigenerational, low-income households, since many grandparents and other relatives were playing caregiving roles, said Robert Balfanz, a research professor at Johns Hopkins University's School of Education. "It now falls to the teenagers," he said. Even those who don't care for younger siblings may now need to do so for surviving parents or even grandparents, making school less of a priority.

3. Teacher absences

Among the most politically charged storylines to emerge from the pandemic was the that of teachers and other school staff pushing to ensure their safety, often by keeping schools operating remotely or demanding generous COVID-related sick-day policies.

The result has been an explosion of teacher absenteeism alongside that of students. In Illinois, just 66% of teachers had fewer than 10 absences in 2022. In one suburban district west of Chicago, it was even lower at just 54% of teachers.

A May 2022 federal survey found that chronic teacher absenteeism during the 2021-22 school year had increased in 72% of schools, compared to a typical pre-pandemic school year. In 37% of schools, teacher absenteeism increased "a lot."

Simultaneously, it found, 60% of schools nationwide found it harder to find substitute teachers. And when subs couldn't be found, 73% of schools brought in administrators to cover classes.

That makes school a lot less valuable for students, said Rodrigues. "What we saw in COVID is how little instruction many of our kids are actually getting," she said. "And so it's very hard as a parent to make the argument: 'No, you've got to go. This is important for your future,' when all you're doing there is sitting and watching a movie because you have a sub again and again and again."

4. Remote assignments

While many students struggled to keep up with schoolwork during the pandemic, the experience revolutionized schools' thinking about remote learning. Most significantly, it gave students the ability to complete classwork entirely at home, without stepping into the school building. In many districts, schools have continued to allow students to, in essence, work from home like their parents.

Combined with looser rules around sick-day attendance, observers say, this has resulted in millions of students - and their parents - deciding that five-day-a-week school attendance is no longer mandatory.

"Kids don't see why they can't work from home," said Tim Daly, former president of TNTP and co-founder of the consulting firm EdNavigator. In a recent issue of his newsletter, Daly noted that when students miss a day of school, "all the work is available online in real-time, making it simple for a student to complete it all from home before the day is even done."

Sitting in a desk for six hours a day is for suckers.
Tim Daly, EdNavigator

Given the low quality of instruction that many parents saw during the pandemic, he said, parents now are less likely to worry if their child is missing a day. "Sitting in a desk for six hours a day," he wrote, "is for suckers."

Student testimonials bear that out, said Montgomery County's Neff.

Students in focus groups now tell administrators that five-day-a-week attendance now seems optional, he said. "They've told us repeatedly, 'We got so used to a year-and-a-half or more taking classes, sitting on our bed in our pajamas on our computer.' And many of them are continuing a struggle to get back into school regularly."

Students who learned reasonably well at home, he said, now wonder, "'Why are you telling me now I have to sit in seven periods a day for five days a week?'

At one of the nation's most renowned suburban high schools, New Trier High School near Chicago, the percentage of chronically absent students rose to more than 25% last winter, the Chicago Tribune reported. Absenteeism rose as students got older, officials noted, with rates of just over 14% for freshmen but nearly 38% for seniors.

By late May, even the student editors of the school newspaper declared that they had had enough: "While this trend isn't unique to New Trier," they wrote in an editorial, "it's also not acceptable. We believe that both the school and students need to do more."

Jean Hahn, a New Trier board member, last spring pointed out that many adults now work remotely. "So many of us don't have to be at our desk 9-5 Monday through Friday anymore," Hahn told attendees at a board meeting. "It's challenging for parents to explain to our young people why they do."

5. A higher minimum wage

Over the past few years, more than half of the 50 states have been in a kind of arms race to raise their minimum wage, tempting teens to trim their school hours or drop out altogether to help their families get by.

While the federal minimum wage since 2009 has remained $7.25, 30 states have set theirs higher, according to the left-leaning Economic Policy Institute. While just four states and the District of Columbia now guarantee a minimum wage at or above $15, eight states are on pace to get there by 2026 or sooner.

In states offering $15 an hour, said Hopkins' Balfanz, this likely made the absentee problem worse.

"That's real money to a 17-year-old," he said, offering them both a bit of personal agency and the opportunity to help out their families. "Things that did not make sense at $6 an hour do make sense, then, at $15."

Steven Neff, director of pupil personnel and attendance services for Montgomery County Public Schools, the suburban D.C. district, said students "are telling us that there is great value in being able to have a job that is paying reasonably well." Minimum wage work, he said, now "has even greater financial enticements than when I think about minimum wage when I was their age."

6. Better record-keeping

One reason why chronic absenteeism seems to be spreading may have less to do with actual attendance and more with better record-keeping by districts and states.

Until recently, researchers found that the problem was often confined mostly to high-poverty neighborhoods.

But here's the thing: A decade ago, few schools even kept track of chronic absenteeism. Most states didn't actively track it until 2016, when new flexibility under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act allowed them to choose indicators of school quality according to their own desired outcomes. That's when about 30 states made it an indicator in their accountability systems - and on school report cards.

Before that, Balfanz said, school districts typically measured average daily attendance, which could actually mask high chronic absenteeism that lurked around the edges. It's mathematically possible, he said, to have an average daily attendance of 92% "but still have a fifth of your kids missing a month of school. Different kids on different days are making up that 92%."

So by 2020, when the pandemic hit, schools had only been tracking it for a few years and had few good strategies to address it, Balfanz said. "It's relatively new. And then the pandemic spread it everywhere."

Where do we go from here?

At New Trier, student pressure eventually paid off, resulting in a new plan this fall: In preparation for the 2023-24 school year, a school committee recommended more stringent policies for absences, including just five "mental health days" per year. It also bans students from participating in extracurriculars if they're not in class that day. They'll get an email by 3:15 p.m. notifying them not to show up to sports or other activities.

Simple interventions can also help: A 2018 study found that offering parents personalized nudges by mail about their kids' absences reduced chronic absenteeism by 10% or more, partly by correcting parents' incorrect beliefs that their kids hadn't missed as much school as they actually had - research shows that both parents and students underestimate it by nearly 50%.

That's probably preferable to how many schools attack the problem, via "supportive" phone calls home, said Hopkins' Balfanz. "Who's going to make 150 phone calls a day in a school?" he said. "If you have that one person assigned to it, they literally would be spending the whole day calling."

EdNavigator's Daly says schools should reset the discussion around attendance, urging parents to let their kids miss school as rarely as possible and communicate honestly about absentee rates.

Who's going to make 150 phone calls a day in a school? If you have that one person assigned to it, they literally would be spending the whole day calling.
Robert Balfanz, Johns Hopkins University

Neff, the Montgomery County attendance services director, said transparency "increases the urgency in all of us" and is essential if schools want to get parents on board.

"In order to fully have them understand the gravity of the situation, we needed to show them: 'Here is our data. Here is where it was, here is where it is and where it is for certain groups. We need your help to fix this.' "

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6 Hidden & Not-So-Hidden Factors Driving America's Student Absenteeism Crisis

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From higher-paying minimum wage jobs to missing teachers, students have a lot of reasons to skip school.

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HERE is a link to the CDE SARB site and a direct link HERE to the State SARB Handbook. Chapter 5- SARB Procedures might be the place to start and the appendices might also be of great help

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SB 14 - Any limit on number of excused absences for mental health reasons? 

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SB 14 - Any limit on number of excused absences for mental health reasons? 

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Some districts are requiring documentation similar to physical health absences, like dr note after 3 days out...

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AB 516- participation in a cultural ceremony or event = excused absence

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AB 516- participation in a cultural ceremony or event = excused absence

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How many days are excused? 3? 5? How about a month-long religious journey?

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3 days vs. 30 minute tardies - clarification needed on language