Santa Monica Police Department

School Resource Officers Program

(310) 458-8474

Dear Parent(s) or Guardian(s) attending the Student Attendance Review Board ("SARB"):

Your child has been brought to the attention of the Santa Monica Police Department because of his/her truancy.  A "habitual truant" can be issued a traffic ticket, which would then require you and your child to appear before a Judge in Juvenile Traffic Court.  It is our hope that the following information will help you and your child understand just how seriously California law, the school district, and the Santa Monica Police Department, regards truancy.

Section 48262. Education Code:

Any pupil is deemed an habitual truant who has been reported as a truant three or more times per school year, provided that no pupil shall be deemed an habitual truant unless an appropriate district officer or employee has made a conscientious effort to hold at least one conference with a parent or guardian of the pupil and the pupil himself, after the filing of either of the reports required by Section 48260 or Section 48261.

Section 13202.7. (a) California Vehicle Code

"Any minor under the age of 18 years, but 13 years of age or older, who is an habitual truant within the meaning of Section 48262 of the Education Code, or who is adjudged by the juvenile court to be a ward of the court under subdivision (b) of Section 601 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, may have his or her driving privilege suspended for one year by the court."

Section 601. Welfare and Institutions Code

(a) "Any person under the age of 18 years who persistently or habitually refuses to obey the reasonable and proper orders or directions of his or her parents, guardian, or custodian, or who is beyond the control of that person's within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court."

b) "If a minor has four or more truancies within one school year as defined in Section 48260 of the Education Code, or a school attendance review board or probation officer determines that the available public and private services are insufficient or inappropriate to correct the habitual truancy of the minor, or to correct the minor's persistent or habitual refusal to obey the reasonable and proper orders or directions of school authorities, or if the minor fails to respond to directives of a school attendance review board or probation officer or to services provided, the minor is then within the jurisdiction of the juvenile court which may adjudge the minor to be a ward of the court."

Courtesy of the Youth Services Division, Santa Monica Police Department

James T. Butts, Jr.

Chief of Police

Santa Monica High School Homepage