REGISTRATION ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA (STEP 1)

Newly diagnosed patients with CD-22 positive B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (WHO criteria) are eligible. Patients with Burkitt type ALL are NOT eligible

Patients who have BCR-ABL fusion transcript determined by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) or real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) or t(9;22)(q34;q11) by cytogenetics are not eligible and should be considered for enrollment on studies that incorporate imatinib during induction, please note: flow cytometry is to be performed at the local reference lab and must include assessment of CD20 and CD22 positivity, as well as CD29 and CD22 anti-positivity

Single-dose intrathecal cytarabine is allowed prior to registration or prior to initiation of systematic therapy for patient convenience; systemic chemotherapy must begin within 72 hours of this intrathecal therapy

Patients receiving prior steroid therapy are eligible for study, the dose and duration of previous steroid therapy should be carefully documented on case report forms

Not pregnant and not nursing; for women of childbearing potential only, a negative urine or serum pregnancy test done =\< 7 days prior to registration is required

Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status 0-2

Patients with down syndrome are excluded from this study

Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) =\< 3 x upper limit of normal (ULN), unless suspected leukemic involvement of the liver

Direct bilirubin =\< 3 x upper limit of normal (ULN), unless suspected leukemic involvement of the liver

Calculated (calc.) creatinine clearance \>= 50 mL/min by Cockcroft-Gault

RANDOMIZATION ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA (STEP 2)

Completion of remission induction therapy

Patients with M2 marrow or better are eligible; patients with M3 or M4 marrow (greater than 25% lymphoblasts) will not be eligible to be randomized

Rating: M0, M1; Blast Cells (%): 0-5.0

Rating: M2; Blast Cells (%): 5.1-25.0

Rating: M3; Blast Cells (%): \> 25-50

Rating: M4; Blast Cells (%): \> 50.0

The term "blast cell" includes any cell that cannot be classified as a more mature normal element, and includes "leukemic cells," pathologic lymphocytes, and stem cells

No ascites, effusions or significant edema

Absolute neutrophil count (ANC) \>= 1,000/mm\^3

Platelet count \>= 100,000/mm\^3

Total bilirubin =\< 1.5 x upper limit of normal (ULN), except for patients with known Gilbert's syndrome

Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) =\< 8 x upper limit of normal (ULN)

Completion of first 12 weeks (12+ weeks) of maintenance therapy (Course V)

Patient has at least 24 weeks (24+ weeks) remaining before end of maintenance therapy (Course V)

Patient is in complete continuous first remission at entry into A041501-HO1

Patient is receiving oral anti-metabolite chemotherapy during the maintenance phase of therapy, treatment plan must call for the following doses of antimetabolites: 6MP 75 mg/m2/day orally, methotrexate (MTX) 20 mg/m2/week orally (modification of 6 MP or MTX dosing based on laboratory or clinical parameters is acceptable)

Patient is able and willing to use the Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS) TrackCap (e.g. not using a pillbox)

Newly diagnosed patients with CD-22 positive B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (WHO criteria) are eligible. Patients with Burkitt type ALL are NOT eligible

Patients with M2 marrow or better are eligible; patients with M3 or M4 marrow (greater than 25% lymphoblasts) will not be eligible to be randomized

No prior therapy except for limited treatment (\< 7 days) with corticosteroids or hydroxyurea and a single dose of intrathecal cytarabine

No prior therapy for acute leukemia except emergency therapy (corticosteroids or hydroxyurea) for blast cell crisis, superior vena cava syndrome, or renal failure due to leukemic infiltration of the kidneys; when indicated, leukapheresis or exchange transfusion is recommended to reduce the WBC

Not pregnant and not nursing; for women of childbearing potential only, a negative urine or serum pregnancy test done =\< 7 days prior to registration is required

No ascites, effusions or significant edema

• Oncology (Adult)

• Abortifacient Agents

• Abortifacient Agents, Nonsteroidal

• Alkylating Agents

• Allopurinol

• Antibiotics, Antineoplastic

• Antiemetics

• Anti-Infective Agents

• Anti-Inflammatory Agents

• Antimetabolites

• Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic

• Antimitotic Agents

• Antineoplastic Agents

• Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating

• Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal

• Antineoplastic Agents, Immunological

• Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic Tubulin Modulators

• Antioxidants

• Antirheumatic Agents

• Antiviral Agents

• Asparaginase

• Autonomic Agents

• Cyclophosphamide

• Cytarabine

• Daunorubicin

• Dermatologic Agents

• Dexamethasone

• Doxorubicin

• Enzyme Inhibitors

• Folic Acid Antagonists

• Free Radical Scavengers

• Gastrointestinal Agents

• Glucocorticoids

• Gout Suppressants

• Hematologic Diseases

• Hormones

• Hormones, Hormone Substitutes, and Hormone Antagonists

• Immune System Diseases

• Immunoconjugates

• Immunologic Factors

• Immunoproliferative Disorders

• Immunosuppressive Agents

• Immunotoxins

• Inotuzumab Ozogamicin

• Leukemia

• Leukemia, Lymphoid

• Lymphatic Diseases

• Lymphoproliferative Disorders

• Mercaptopurine

• Methotrexate

• Mitosis Modulators

• Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action

• Myeloablative Agonists

• Neoplasms

• Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors

• Pegaspargase

• Peripheral Nervous System Agents

• Physiological Effects of Drugs

• Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma

• Protective Agents

• Reproductive Control Agents

• Rituximab

• Thioguanine

• Topoisomerase II Inhibitors

• Topoisomerase Inhibitors

• Vincristine

• Neoplasms by Histologic Type

• Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology