SB 691 in Action: A Mid-Year Check on Truancy Communication

TL;DR

Now that SB 691 has been in effect for a semester, many California districts are using this time to implement best practices and assess the impact of their updated truancy communication. The strongest results come from districts that connect outreach with real-time data, reach families in multiple formats, and view the first contact as the start of an ongoing effort.

SB 691 Updated The Rules So California Districts Can Act

Districts across California revised their first truancy notices to reflect a more supportive tone. The goal was clear: make that first message to families more accessible and collaborative.

Now, halfway through the school year, district leaders are asking what comes next and what best practices they can put in place.

In SchoolStatus districts, family outreach is showing strong early results. In the first half of this school year, nearly half of families who received an initial attendance intervention responded by improving attendance. These results held across grade levels and student groups.

The content of the message matters. So does the timing. And so does how families receive it.

What the First Semester Revealed

1. Multichannel outreach strengthens engagement.

Districts that combined letters with text messages, phone calls, or emails saw stronger family response. Families were more likely to engage when messages reached them in familiar ways and in their home language.

2. Personalized messaging leads to better outcomes.

When letters reference real attendance patterns or include relevant support options, families are more likely to respond. These small details help build trust and clarity.

3. Early outreach improves results.

Outreach sent in the first weeks of school had significantly higher response rates than outreach sent later in the semester. Timeliness makes a difference.

📌Insight: A supportive tone is a strong first step. When combined with actionable data and multiple points of contact, it becomes a strategy that drives attendance gains.

What to Focus on in Spring

Districts are now using the second half of the year to refine their process and implement best practices.

• Reconnect with families who did not respond in the fall
• Re-engage families who did respond with continued support
• Build consistency across schools and departments
• Ensure outreach reflects the district’s broader attendance strategy

Chronic absenteeism decreased by 15.1% from 2023–24 to 2024–25 in SchoolStatus partner districts. These outcomes reflect a systematic approach to attendance: one that is timely, inclusive, and informed by data.