Motion Passed May Change LAUSD Truancy Law

Proposed change would swap hefty fines for community service

A new proposal could eliminate monetary fines for Los Angeles Unified School District students who can't seem to show up to school on time, but they won't be off the hook completely.

Los Angeles City Council's Public Safety Committee on Monday voted in favor of changing current laws that require perpetually late students to pay penalties upwards of $250.

Fines can increase to $800 with added court fees for a single offense, said Councilman Tony Cardenas, who introduced the plan to the committee.

Fines can top $1,000 if students fail to tell their parents of the incident, Cardenas said.

Under the change, students who are cited for truancy would propose a plan to improve attendance. In some cases, students would perform community service. Further penalties are still under debate, Cardenas said.

"Being late to school 10-15 minutes is not a crime," Cardenas said. "Why would we want to give them a fine and make them lose more school time? We should be keeping them on the campus."

The city of Los Angeles has agreed to put together more resources, such as counselors, for children who often show up late, Cardenas said.

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"It's much more efficient," he said. "It's more focused on getting the kid in the classroom."

LAPD would also not be allowed to cite students who are within three blocks of their campus during the first hour of school.

Twice a year, police would be required to publish statistics on how many tickets were issued, including information about the offending students, such as age, ethnicity, race and gender.

The Los Angeles City Council plans to consider the proposal on Feb. 21.

"Truancy is a serious and growing problem that affects families across the economic spectrum citywide," Councilman Mitch Englander said to City News Service. "We have to act, but we must be cautious and fair, and make sure we are not unnecessarily punishing kids and creating undue financial hardships on struggling families."

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