Truancy Definitions

Truant (EC §48260)

A student is truant after 3 unexcused absences or 3 tardies of more than 30 minutes each, or any combination thereof, in one school year.

Required action: The school must notify the parent/guardian by first-class mail or other reasonable means.

Habitual Truant (EC §48261)

A student is a habitual truant when they have been reported as truant 3 or more times in one school year and interventions have not resolved the problem.

Chronic Truant (EC §48262)

A student is a chronic truant when they are absent 10% or more of school days without a valid excuse.

Intervention Steps

After 1st Unexcused Absence

• Contact parent/guardian by phone or letter
• Document the contact attempt

After 3rd Unexcused Absence (Truancy)

• Send the official truancy notification (required by law)
• Schedule a meeting with parent/guardian
• Develop an attendance improvement plan

After Habitual Truancy

• Refer to the school's Student Attendance Review Team (SART)
• Intensify interventions (counseling, mentoring, family support)
• Consider a referral to the School Attendance Review Board (SARB)

After Chronic Truancy

• Mandatory referral to SARB or district attorney mediation program
• SARB may recommend services, or refer to the district attorney

AB 461 (2025) — Truancy Amendments

Effective January 1, 2026, AB 461 makes adjustments to truancy notification and procedures, including:

• Updated notification requirements for parents/guardians
• Clarification of the SARB referral process
• Emphasis on supportive interventions before punitive measures