Students may be referred to the MCOE Alternative Education Programs through a Student Attendance Review Board (SARB) meeting/referral. The student may be referred through a district or MCOE SARB for habitual truancy or chronic behavior problems. If a student is already on probation, s/he can be referred directly by a Probation Officer. Students who are expelled may be directly referred by their district of residence.
There are three options for alternative education students: Marin County Community School (grades 7-12) for students needing a smaller, more structured school environment addressing their academic, attendance and behavioral needs; ORACLE, a drop-out prevention independent study program that can serve students who have full time jobs, are pregnant or parenting teens, etc.; and Phoenix Academy (grades 9-12), for students who have a substance abuse issue and are willing to work a program of sobriety with counseling support and family participation in addition to their high school curriculum.
Referral form for MCOE Alternative Education
A student is identified by the school personnel as a habitual truant after 3 or more tardies greater than 30 minutes and/or 3 or more unexcused absences. The parent is notified of these absences by the means of three truancy and/or absence letters and asked to contact school personnel.. If this notification and conference process does not remedy the problem, the student then may be referred for a hearing to the SARB. These reviews are mandatory for the student and parent to attend in order for a working solution to be developed. At the SARB meeting, representatives from the school, juvenile services, law enforcement and community services may be present to discuss and determine the appropriate actions necessary to help the student. Students may also be referred to SARB for chronic behavior problems.
Local school districts may operate their own SARB. The Marin County Office of Education operates the MCOE SARB for districts upon request and for students in MCOE operated programs.
MCOE Confidential SARB Referral form
For additional information you may access the SARB Handbook online: http://www.sbcss.k12.ca.us/adminserv/SARB/StateSARBHandbook.pdf
If you do not have a computer/printer at home, the libraries provide online services.
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