(a) (1) A county school attendance review board may be established in each county. The county school attendance review board may accept referrals or requests for hearing services from one or more school districts within its jurisdiction pursuant to subdivision (f). A county school attendance review board may be operated through a consortium or partnership of a county with one or more school districts or between two or more counties.
(2) A county school attendance review board, if established, shall include, but need not be limited to, all of the following:
(A) A parent.
(B) A representative of school districts.
(C) A representative of the county probation department.
(D) A representative of the county welfare department.
(E) A representative of the county superintendent of schools.
(F) A representative of law enforcement agencies.
(G) A representative of community-based youth service centers.
(H) A representative of school guidance personnel.
(I) A representative of child welfare and attendance personnel.
(J) A representative of school or county health care personnel.
(K) A representative of school, county, or community mental health personnel.
(L) A representative of the county district attorney’s office. If more than one county is represented in a county school attendance review board, a representative from each county’s district attorney’s office may be included.
(M) A representative of the county public defender’s office. If more than one county is represented in a county school attendance review board, a representative from each county’s public defender’s office may be included.
(3) Notwithstanding paragraph (2), for purposes of conducting hearings, the chairperson of the county school attendance review board is authorized to determine the members needed at a hearing, based on the needs of the pupil, in order to address attendance or behavioral problems.
(4) The school district representatives on the county school attendance review board shall be nominated by the governing boards of school districts and shall be appointed by the county superintendent of schools. All other persons and group representatives shall be appointed by the county board of education.
(5) (A) If a county school attendance review board exists, the county superintendent of schools shall, at the beginning of each school year, convene a meeting of the county school attendance review board for purposes of adopting plans to promote interagency and community cooperation and to reduce the duplication of services provided to youth who have serious school attendance and behavior problems.
(B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A), for purposes of conducting hearings, a county school attendance review board may meet as needed.
(b) (1) Local school attendance review boards may include, but need not be limited to, all of the following:
(A) A parent.
(B) A representative of school districts.
(C) A representative of the county probation department.
(D) A representative of the county welfare department.
(E) A representative of the county superintendent of schools.
(F) A representative of law enforcement agencies.
(G) A representative of community-based youth service centers.
(H) A representative of school guidance personnel.
(I) A representative of child welfare and attendance personnel.
(J) A representative of school or county health care personnel.
(K) A representative of school, county, or community mental health personnel.
(L) A representative of the county district attorney’s office. If more than one county is represented in a local school attendance review board, a representative from each county’s district attorney’s office may be included.
(M) A representative of the county public defender’s office. If more than one county is represented in a county school attendance review board, a representative from each county’s public defender’s office may be included.
(2) Other persons or group representatives shall be appointed by the county board of education.
(c) A county school attendance review board may elect, pursuant to regulations adopted pursuant to Section 48324, one member as chairperson with responsibility for coordinating services of the county school attendance review board.
(d) A county school attendance review board may provide for the establishment of local school attendance review boards in any number as shall be necessary to carry out the intent of this article.
(e) In any county in which there is no county school attendance review board the governing board of a school district may elect to establish a local school attendance review board, which shall operate in the same manner and have the same authority as a county school attendance review board.
(f) A county school attendance review board may provide guidance to local school attendance review boards.
(g) If the county school attendance review board determines that the needs of pupils, as defined in this article, can best be served by a single board, the county school attendance review board may then serve as the school attendance review board for all pupils in the county, or, upon the request of any school district in the county, the county school attendance review board may serve as the school attendance review board for pupils of that school district.
(h) This article is not intended to prohibit an agreement on the part of counties to provide these services on a regional basis.
(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 303, Sec. 102. (AB 731) Effective January 1, 2016.)