District Will Hire Truant Officer

It should be a little tougher to cut class next school year when the Irvine Unified School District has its first truant officer on duty.

The hiring of a child welfare and attendance supervisor by July 1 and the creation of a school attendance review board were two of several recommendations from a special “Safe Campus Report” issued by police and school officials.

The panel also recommended that school board members create a policy to allow the mandatory transfer of students to the district’s continuation high school.

The $80,000 cost of the attendance supervisor will be shared by both the city and school district, according to Irvine Unified Supt. Dennis M. Smith.

“This particular person would be involved in the administration and enforcement of all those matters pertaining to compulsory attendance, residency, guardianship, open enrollment and transfers,” Smith said. “That person would also be our direct liaison with the police.”

The board’s action brings a new level of sophistication to the district, which has previously relied on a school-by-school accounting of truant students.

“It’s unfortunate that we have to get to this level of involvement on these kinds of matters,” school board member Michael B. Regele said.

Members of the school attendance review board will include representatives from the school district, police department and the community.

“Most of the people who will be a part of that board have a direct link with these types of students,” Smith said.