May 2026 State SARB Meeting Minutes
The preliminary report of actions/draft minutes for the May 21, 2026, State School Attendance Review Board (SARB) meeting.Agenda
Item 01: Call to Order/Roll Call
Item 02: Approval of Agenda and Minutes
Item 03: Update on 2024 and 2025 Recommendations to the Superintendent
Item 04: Chronic Absenteeism Working Group
Item 05:
Understanding Attendance Challenges for Students with Disabilities
Item 06:
Model School Attendance Review Board
Item 07:
Attendance Supervisor Training Guidelines
Item 08: School Attendance Review Board Handbook Subcommittee
Item 09: Recommendations for Future Agenda Items
Item 10: Public Comment
Item 11: Closing Remarks and Adjournment
Item 01: Call to Order/Roll Call
Type of Action: Information/Action
The meeting was called to order at approximately 9:30 a.m. by Facilitator Mike Winters. Roll call was conducted with representation from the California Department of Education (CDE).
Members Present: Korena Hazen
Members Participating Remotely: Elizabeth Bahn, Samantha Blackburn, Bryan Campoy, Angela Chandler, Jane Claar, Jennifer Elenes, Laura Faer, Josh Godinez, Jennifer Gomeztrejo, Sheri Hanni, Cecelia Leong, Melissa Parrett, Jami Parsons, Alisha Schoen, Mike Winters.
Members Absent: Ahmad Bahrami, Anna-Maura Cervantes, Nyeisha DeWitt, Ryan Gallagher, Sherman Garnett, Jeff Harris, Amalia Lopez, Brent Malicote, Christy Miro, Tracie Neal, Lisa Salazar, Tracy Schmidt, Christina Sepulveda, Antonia Torres, De’Shawn Woolridge.
Quorum was established with 16 members participating.
Item 02: Approval of Agenda and Minutes
Type of Action: Information/Action
Facilitator Mike Winters presented the agenda and prior meeting minutes for approval, including the May 21, 2026, agenda and the February 19, 2026, and March 26, 2026, meeting minutes.
Agenda
Members reviewed the materials and discussed minor clarifications.
A motion to approve the agenda was made by Member Elizabeth Bahn.
Member Jennifer Elenes seconded the motion.
Yes Votes: Elizabeth Bahn, Angela Chandler, Jane Claar, Nyeisha DeWitt, Jennifer Elenes, Laura Faer, Ryan Gallagher, Sherman Garnett, Amalia Lopez, Brent Malicote, Tracie Neal, Melissa Parrett, Jami Parsons, Tracy Schmidt, Alisha Schoen, Christina Sepulveda, Mike Winters.
No Votes: None.
Abstentions: None.
Absent: Ahmad Bahrami, Samantha Blackburn, Bryan Campoy, Anna-Maura Cervantes, Josh Godinez, Jennifer Gomeztrejo, Sheri Hanni, Korena Hazen, Jeff Harris, Cecelia Leong, Christy Miro, Lisa Salazar, Antonia Torres, De’Shawn Woolridge.
The motion passed with 16 votes.
Minutes
Due to the departure of a member during the meeting, votes on the February 19, 2026, and the March 26, 2026, meeting minutes could not be conducted. The matter was deferred to a future meeting.
Item 03: Update on 2024 and 2025 Recommendations to the Superintendent
Type of Action: Information
Chairperson Allegra Alessandri, Education Administrator I, Career and College Transition Division, CDE, provided an update on recommendations submitted to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
The update emphasized alignment with statewide priorities to address chronic absenteeism and strengthen system-level coordination across educational agencies.
Members discussed the importance of maintaining continuity between past recommendations and current initiatives to ensure sustained progress.
Item 04: Chronic Absenteeism Working Group
Type of Action: Information
Dominick Robinson, Senior Policy Director, Special Projects Office, CDE, presented on the work of the Chronic Absenteeism Working Group.
The presentation highlighted statewide strategies, policy considerations, and cross-agency collaboration to improve student engagement and attendance outcomes.
Comments focused on the need for systemic approaches that integrate policy, data analysis, and local implementation efforts.
Item 05: Understanding Attendance Challenges for Students with Disabilities
Type of Action: Information/Discussion
Christofer Arroyo, Deputy Director, Policy and Public Affairs, State Council on Developmental Disabilities and Robin Ryan, Coordinator, Seeds of Partnership, Sacramento County Office of Education, presented on attendance challenges affecting students with disabilities.
They emphasized that absenteeism for this population is often driven by complex factors, including unmet educational needs, insufficient accommodations, and gaps in coordination between systems.
They highlighted the role of individualized education programs teams, family engagement, and community-based supports in addressing these challenges.
Members discussed the importance of identifying root causes, ensuring interventions are implemented prior to SARB referrals, and promoting consistent collaboration across systems.Item 06: Model School Attendance Review Board
Type of Action: Information
Vicky Yasenchok from Ventura Unified and Garret Schaperjahn from Palm Springs Unified presented as Model SARB recipients.
Presentations described the implementation of data-driven strategies, multi-tiered systems of support, and coordinated districtwide efforts to address attendance.
Members commented on how these practices can serve as models for other districts seeking to improve attendance outcomes.
Item 07: Attendance Supervisor Training Guidelines
Type of Action: Information
Facilitator Mike Winters and Co-facilitator Jennifer Gomeztrejo provided an update on the State SARB Subcommittee's development of the Attendance Supervisor Training Guidelines.
Discussion highlighted the development of a comprehensive and flexible statewide framework that aligns with statutory requirements while supporting local needs.
Members emphasized the importance of training that reflects the evolving role of attendance supervisors and incorporates best practices in student support.
Item 08: School Attendance Review Board Handbook Subcommittee
Type of Action: Information/Action
A proposal was presented to establish a subcommittee to provide input on updates to the SARB Handbook.
Members discussed the importance of ensuring the handbook reflects current practices and incorporates feedback from stakeholders.
Due to the departure of a member during the meeting, a vote could not be conducted at that time. The matter was deferred to a future meeting.
Item 09: Recommendations for Future Agenda Items
Type of Action: Information/Discussion
Members provided recommendations for future agenda items, including statewide consistency, certification requirements, and support for smaller districts.
Discussion also included improving data alignment and strengthening statewide systems for attendance support.
Item 10: Public Comment
Type of Action: Information
The public was invited to comment. No substantive comments requiring action were recorded.
Item 11: Closing Remarks and Adjournment
Type of Action: Information
Facilitator Mike Winters thanked participants for their contributions and engagement throughout the meeting.
Future meeting dates include August 20, 2026, and November 19, 2026.
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 12:25 p.m.
Note: These meeting minutes were generated with assistance from Microsoft Copilot.