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Mr. Schmerelson, Ms. Gonez - September 2025 as Child Welfare and Attendance Month (Res-001-25/26)(Noticed August 26, 2025)
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Whereas, The Compulsory Education Act was enacted in 1903, and the Governing Board of the Los Angeles Unified School District appointed the first Attendance Officer to enforce compliance with the compulsory attendance mandate, creating the Pupil Services and Attendance Division;
Whereas, In September 2017, the National Child Welfare Workforce Institute celebrated
the first National Child Welfare Workforce Development Month, and honored the hard
work of child welfare professionals in improving outcomes for children, youth, and
families;
Whereas, In our schools, Child Welfare and Attendance Counselors are called Pupil Services and Attendance Counselors (PSA Counselors). They focus on children's safety and well-being, strengthening families by providing direct services and referrals, and they reconnect youth to schools;
Whereas, Chronic absenteeism in the Los Angeles Unified School District was at 23.3% in 2024, a 7.7% decline from the previous year, but still above pre-pandemic levels, which were at 18.2% in 2019;
Whereas, The National Child Welfare Workforce Development Month in September
offers an opportunity to recognize and honor the work of Child Welfare and Attendance
Counselors, who help our most vulnerable children and their families. It provides an opportunity to educate the community and policymakers about the effectiveness of truancy and dropout prevention interventions, supported by the California Legislature as outlined in the California Education Code (EC) sections 48240-48244;
Whereas, Pupil Services and Attendance Counselors conduct assessments to identify
issues that may impact attendance and barriers to learning, to facilitate linkages to services that meet the needs of the whole child while simultaneously integrating multi-tiered interventions to promote overall wellness of the fa...
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