THE COST OF TRUANCY

“It is not only in dollars”

“We must all invest in our children and youth”

Ted Lovato, Chief Juvenile Probation Officer1920 5th StreetSanta Fe, NM505-476-2300

Truancy may be the beginning of a lifetime of problems for students who routinely skip school.

Because these students fall behind in their school work, many drop out of school. Dropping out is easier than catching up.

“WE MUST ALL INVEST IN OUR CHILDREN AND YOUTH”

“Many police departments report that daytime crime rates are rising in part because students are committing crimes instead of going to class”.

Truancy is a stepping stone to delinquent and criminal activity.

Chronic absenteeism is one of the most powerful predictors of delinquent behavior.

Truant students are at higher risk of being drawn into behavior involving drugs, alcohol, or violence.

“We must all invest in our children and youth”

“WE MUST ALL INVEST IN OUR CHILDREN AND YOUTH” Truancy is costly. It

costs students an education, resulting in reduced earning capacity. It costs school districts hundreds of thousands of dollars each year in lost Federal and State funds that are based on daily attendance figures.

“Although truancy's financial burdens are considerable, its cost cannot be measured in dollars alone. For a growing number of youth, truancy may be a first step to a lifetime of unemployment, crime, and incarceration”.

Because truancy often indicates bigger problems in a child's life, many communities are designing truancy reduction programs.

Chronic truancy and absence (which includes excused and unexcused absences) often start early, primary school.

“We must all invest in our children and youth”

TRUANCY REDUCTION CAN ALSO SAVE PUBLIC MONIES. DROPOUTS ARE POORLY PREPARED TO ENTER THE WORKFORCE AND REQUIRE GREATER EXPENDITURES FOR SOCIAL SERVICES AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESSES THAN DO GRADUATES (HEILBRONN 2007).

School factors include:

Inconsistent and ineffective school attendance policies

Poor record keeping

Not notifying parents/guardians of absences

Unsafe school environment

Poor school climate

Poor relations with teachers

Inadequate identification of special education needs

Family and community factors include:

Negative peer influences, such as other truant youth

Financial, social, medical, or other programs that pressure students to stay home to help with family

Child abuse and neglect

Family disorganization

Teen pregnancy or parenthood

Lack of family support for educational and other goals

 Violence in or near the home or school

Differing culturally based attitudes toward education

Much research on truancy and most interventions to reduce truancy have drawn on a risk/protective factors framework.

“We must all invest in our children and youth”

Student factors include:

A lack of personal and

educational ambition

Poor academic

performance

Low school attachment

Retention/overage for

grade

Poor relationships with

other students

Gang involvement

Lack of self-esteem

Unmet mental health

needs

Alcohol and drug use and

abuse

“We must all invest in our children and youth”

Given the multifaceted issues that can lead to truancy, prevention programs need to:

1. Be comprehensive, flexible, responsive, and persevering;

2. View children in the context of their families;

3. Deal with families as parts of neighborhoods and communities;

4. Have a long-term, preventive orientation and a clear mission and continue to evolve over time;

5. BE WELL MANAGED BY COMPETENT AND COMMITTED INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE CLEARLY IDENTIFIABLE SKILLS;

6. HAVE STAFF WHO ARE TRAINED AND SUPPORTED TO PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY, RESPONSIVE SERVICES;

7. OPERATE IN SETTINGS THAT ENCOURAGE PRACTITIONERS TO BUILD STRONG RELATIONSHIPS BASED ON MUTUAL TRUST AND RESPECT. (SHIRR 1997, AS QUOTED IN BAKER, SIMON, AND NUGENT 2001, 7)

How Can We Prevent Truancy?

“Preventing truancy requires the support of schools, families, and communities. Truancy prevention efforts are typically school-based, court-based, or community-based. The best efforts incorporate all three components and provide a continuum of prevention and intervention strategies”.

“We must all invest in our children and youth”

MISSION ATTENDANCE: ENGAGING EVERY STUDENT IN EVERY CLASS, EVERY DAY

Gabe Romero Safety & Security DirectorNovember 18, 2015

DISTRICT ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Policy 300 AR Compulsory School Attendance developed and staff at each site have been trained.

Attention to Attendance (A2A) program successfully piloted at five secondary schools. The program is being expanded District wide SY 2015-2016.

SFPS is a recipient of the NM PED funded truancy coach grant which will place truancy coaches at SFHS, CHS, Ortiz MS, De Vargas MS, and Capshaw MS.

POLICY 300 AR COMPULSORY SCHOOL ATTENDANCE

Each school shall implement an attendance program which contains:

Support- Communication with parents, a continuum of interventions, meaningful relationships with students, engaging learning opportunities.

Incentives- Quarterly assemblies, certificates, recognition, classroom celebrations, group lunch with a teacher/principal, drawings, etc.

Consequences-Conference of concern with parents at each critical absence (3,5,8), referral to JPO for habitual truancy at secondary level.

ATTENTION TO ATTENDANCE (A2A)

Automatically sends out official letters informing parents that their student has been absent when 3,5, and 8 day truancy has been recorded.

Provides a system to schedule and track parent teacher conferences and provides documentation in case of referrals to JPO.

Tracks the progress of truancy reduction and identifies target populations of students in need of intervention.

TRUANCY COACH GRANT

Each school identified shall hire a

certified Truancy Coach.

NM PED shall provide training beginning September 2015.

Coaches will be responsible for developing a school wide system to reduce truancy.

MONITORING AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Attendance is now a component of each Principal Compact based on prior year analysis of attendance data (STARS). Data is centrally monitored on the 40th, 80th and 120th day NMPED reporting periods.

Conducting attendance audits at every District transformational school and A2A School. Provide comprehensive feedback at each visit with follow up support.

MISSION ATTENDANCE: COLLABORATIONS

Leah O’ShellCommunity Resource CoordinatorNovember 18, 2015

PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED AGENCY COLLABORATIONS

Challenge/Opportunity for Community Partnership

Suggested Agency Action

Person Responsible

ExpectedOutcomes

Current Status August 13, 2015

Next Steps

JPOEstablish an effective system for court referrals.

Train staff from each site in truancy referral process.

Ted LovatoTheresa Baca

Identified trained staff at each site.

School staff at each site have been trained on process and protocols for truancy referrals.

Maintenance training for new staff. Scheduled August 26 & 27, 2015.

JPOInclusion of JPO in formalized meetings with student and parent.

Participate in AST Parent/Student meetings.

Ted LovatoTheresa Baca

Increased awareness/participation of parents & students in process. Heightened accountability and conse-quences.

During SY 2014-2015 representatives participated in two large group truancy intervention meetings for SFHS parents & students.

Increase frequency of collaboration between JPO and schools.

City of Santa FeRegulating city bus utilization of minors during school hours.

Schools and City Transportation develop a policy to deter juvenile bus ridership during school hours

Gabe RomeroTheresa Baca

Reduce truants using city transportation to leave campus.

Unable to reach consensus on this initiative. SFHS now has cameras monitoring bus stops adjacent to the school.

Use bus stop monitoring to direct resources to problem areas.

PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED AGENCY COLLABORATIONS

Challenge/Opportunity for Community Partnership

Suggested Agency Action

Person Responsible

ExpectedOutcomes

Current Status August 13, 2015

Next Steps

City of Santa FeOpportunity to create a “hotline” to report suspected truant students.

Develop a public reporting number for truant students.

Gabe RomeroTheresa Baca

Identify systems for reporting truants

An initial discussion with SFPD Chief parties agreed the concept was worth exploring.

Meeting with new SFPD Chief to process, discuss funding, etc.

City of Santa FeLimit business service to students during school hours.

Promote business collaboration

Theresa BacaGabe RomeroChamber of Commerce

Increase public awareness of attendance expectations.

The Chamber of Commerce agreed truancy was a community challenge, they were supportive, but were undecided how they could make a significant impact.

Return to the Chamber of Commerce to share our accomplish-ments, and explore other opportunities.

Santa Fe PDPolice transport of truant students to nearest school campus.

SFPS and SFPD will develop an agreement to transport truants to nearest school for administrative disposition.

Gabe RomeroTheresa Baca

Immediate response/action to truants in the community.

During SY 2014-2015 when opportunities arose, police collected truants and returned them to their respective schools.

Meeting with new SFPD Chief to continue this partnership.

PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED AGENCY COLLABORATIONS

Challenge/Opportunity for Community Partnership

Suggested Agency Action

Person Responsible

ExpectedOutcomes

Current Status August 13, 2015

Next Steps

School Resource Officer

City of Santa Fe Police Department

Gabe Romero

Provide a law enforcement officer to our two comprehensive high schools

The proposal was tabled by City Counsel.

Discussion has been suspended.

SFPS/Work Force SolutionsExpanding age for work permits to include ages 16-18.

To include attendance monitoring in work permits issued ages 14-18.

Theresa BacaGabe RomeroIn-house Counsel

Collaborate with Work Force Solutions to develop a process for issuing work permits that requires school attendance.

Counselors have been trained that when issuing permits to students under 16, school attendance is a primary consideration.

LET’S GO TO WORK!