After three unexcused absences, a letter from the school is sent home. After five absences, students and parents appear before a Student Attendance Review Board in conjunction with the school superintendent and the County Attorney General's office. Community volunteers from the police force, food and homeless shelters, employment counselors, and various social service agencies meet with the family and a school representative to identify the problem, emphasize the importance of attending school, and offer appropriate support services. The review board then draws up an individualized and legally binding contract. The contract includes action items and a warning that noncompliance will result in a petition being filed in juvenile court.
Teachers document meetings with parents of students in any academic or disciplinary trouble.
A paid parent liaison calls parents about school meetings or students' disciplinary and academic standing. The Neighborhood Walk for Success allows staff to visit parents on their own territory, and simultaneously familiarize themselves with their students' community. Roosevelt offers homework-help training for parents, free classes in adult and computer literacy, English as a second language, and parenting skills. The compact also says that schools must be flexible with meetings, assemblies, training sessions, and school functions to maximize parent engagement. Encina High in Sacramento is part of the Alliance for Excellence, a collaborative network of four elementary schools, one middle school, Encina High and a group of social service agencies designed to improve parent involvement.