Child Welfare & Attendance Services

About Our Program

The Child Welfare and Attendance program develops the Santa Barbara County Plan for expelled students and facilitates the appeal process for students involved with formal district expulsions or interdistrict transfers. 

Santa Barbara County Plan for Expelled Students

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The Santa Barbara County Education Office develops a plan for providing service to expelled students, in accordance with California Education Code Section 48926. The County Superintendent, in conjunction with district superintendents within the county, update the plan every three years. The plan addresses the need for a continuum of educational placement options and services for expelled students.

Plan for Expelled Youth - 2024-27
Plan for Expelled Youth - 2021-2024

Expulsion Appeals

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A statutory responsibility of the Santa Barbara County Board of Education is to serve as an appellate body for expulsion appeals, when a student is expelled from a public school district in Santa Barbara County. The Santa Barbara County Education Office developed an Expulsion Appeal Hearing Guide to assist students and parents/guardians in appealing an expulsion order. 

Expulsion Appeal Hearing Guide - English | Español
Request for an Expulsion Appeal Form - English | Español

How to File an Expulsion Appeal
A student or the student’s parent/guardian has the right to appeal an expulsion to the Santa Barbara County Board of Education within thirty (30) calendar days after the district board’s decision to expel the student.  If thirty (30) days have passed since the date of the district board’s decision to expel, the Santa Barbara County Board of Education does not have jurisdiction to hear the appeal.

To file an expulsion appeal, please submit a Request for an Expulsion Appeal Form in person or by certified mail to the address listed below.

Santa Barbara County Education Office
Attention: Elise Simmons, Child Welfare and Attendance
4400 Cathedral Oaks Road
Santa Barbara, CA 93110

Interdistrict Attendance Appeals

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A statutory responsibility of the Santa Barbara County Board of Education is to serve as an appellate body for interdistrict attendance appeals when either the district of residence or the district of requested attendance has denied a request for an interdistrict attendance transfer. The Santa Barbara County Education Office developed an Interdistrict Attendance Appeal Guide to explain the interdistrict attendance appeal process.

Interdistrict Attendance Appeal Guide - English | Español
Interdistrict Attendance Appeal Request Form - English | Español
 

Requesting an Interdistrict Attendance Appeal
The student’s parent/guardian may request an appeal hearing before the Santa Barbara County Board of Education when any of the following conditions exist.

1. After an interdistrict attendance transfer has been denied by the school district of residence or by the school district of requested attendance AND the appeal process of the denying school district has been exhausted.
    
2. When the school district has failed to provide its written decision within the prescribed timelines.

How to File an Interdistrict Attendance Appeal
An appeal request must be filed in writing, by the person having legal custody of the student, within thirty (30) calendar days of the district’s final denial of the interdistrict attendance transfer request. An appeal will only be accepted upon verification by the County Superintendent or designee that all appeals within the school district(s) have been exhausted.

To file an appeal, please submit an appeal request in person or by certified mail to the address listed below.

Santa Barbara County Education Office
Attention: Elise Simmons, Child Welfare and Attendance
4400 Cathedral Oaks Road
Santa Barbara, CA 93110