Working Together: Attendance Board
Truancy is a serious concern of parents and teachers since it leads to school dropout and failure. In today's society, the opportunity for employment and a career is severely limited without an education. The Attendance Board was established by legislation in 1988 to help students who were developing a record of truancy.
| When a student who is under 16 years of age fails to attend school as required by law, the school board may ask for a panel of the Attendance Board to deal with the matter. |
Truancy is often the first visible sign of other problems a student may be experiencing. In most cases, truancy problems are resolved at the local school level where students, parents and school board employees can work together before there is a need to involve the provincial Attendance Board. Where a truancy problem cannot be resolved locally, school boards may refer the matter to the provincial Attendance Board for assistance and a ruling.
Who Is On The Attendance Board?
The Attendance Board is made up of members chosen throughout Alberta by the Minister of Education. Members come from many walks of life; they may be parents, lawyers, school board employees, school superintendents, members of the general public, retired educators, business people and other professionals. Attendance Board panels of two to five members are convened to hear an attendance case.
What Is The Authority Of The Attendance Board?
The Attendance Board and the panels drawn from it, has the same power as the Court of Queen's Bench to summon witnesses and obtain information and records. The panel may direct the student to attend school or to take an education program or course. The panel may direct the parents to send the student to school. And, the panel may impose a fine on parents not exceeding $100/day up to a maximum of $1000. The panel may give any direction to the student, parent or school that it considers appropriate, and enforce that ruling by registering its order in the Court of Queen's Bench. The order then becomes an order of the Court, and failure to obey the order may result in contempt of court charges being brought against the student or others.
What Does An Attendance Board Panel Do?
A panel, acting in a quasi-judicial capacity, will subpoena the truant student, parents, social worker, school administrator, counsellor, teachers, and anyone whom the panel feels can shed light on why the student is not attending school. The panel may also subpoena documents such as the student’s school record, psychological or medical reports, etc. On a date set for the hearing, the panel will question the parties and witnesses and study the documents. After obtaining all the details of a particular case, the panel will explore options and strategies, decide what the best course of action will be, draft an Order, and order the student, parents and other to obey this decision.
What Rulings Are Issued?
The panel may decide that the student will return to the same school as originally attended. Or the panel may direct the student to attend a different school or, with the agreement of the parents, a home education program. The panel may order through a referral under the Child, Youth and Family Enhancement Act that Children’s Services intervene in some way, or that other agencies become involved: for example, Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission (AADAC). The Attendance Board panel will decide, on the basis of all the facts before it, on an education program or direction which in the best interests of the student.
Related link: Promising Practices for Keeping Kids in School Newsletter
