Preventing Chronic Absenteeism & Truancy

Posted: Tue, 01/28/2014 - 9:23amUpdated: Thu, 07/09/2015 - 1:17pm

The literature provides numerous recommendations to prevent and/or reduce chronic student absenteeism. Many of these strategies have been implemented in small settings. These programs show considerable promise. However, evidence that these programs are effective at scale (i.e., implemented across a school corporation or across the state) remains limited. Based on the existing research, it does not appear that any single strategy is the most effective strategy (Maynard, et al., 2012). Broadly, the review suggests that strategies to reduce student absenteeism generally involve some form of monitoring, prevention, intervention, and as a final step some type of truancy or legal intervention. Within this broad framework, research identifies specific strategies that can be used by schools, parents, and communities to improve student attendance. Given the limitations of the existing research, it is likely that a combination of strategies must be leveraged to fully address student attendance issues.

Based on the results of this review of the existing literature, it is assumed that an effective student attendance program includes monitoring, prevention, and intervention activities. Monitoring activities should provide schools with accurate and timely information to effectively identify students who are most at-risk of becoming chronically absent. That is, these systems should provide educators with information about student attendance before the student becomes chronically absent. Second, schools and school corporations can take steps to prevent student absenteeism. These prevention activities should be broad-based and designed to educate students, parents, families, teachers, and communities about the importance of consistent school attendance while also creating conditions that incentive perfect or near-perfect attendance. More importantly, prevention measures should also include efforts to provide education and information to students – particularly in the elementary grades - so that they develop an understanding of the importance of regular school attendance. Intervention activities should be strategically focused on students whose attendance is not improving. These interventions should include immediate communication with parents about their son or daughter's attendance as well as follow-up supports that effectively assist students in arriving at school on-time, ready-to-learn. As a final measure, the research indicates that school corporations may benefit from partnerships with community agencies that offer broader access to social services and juvenile justice programs than schools alone can provide. These partnerships enable schools to reach students who are chronically absent, truant, or stopped attending school altogether.

http://www.doe.in.gov/student-services/attendance/preventing-chronic-absenteeism-truancy

The Extent of the Elementary Attendance Crisis

Because California lacks important statewide attendance data, since 213 the Attorney General’s Office has commissioned research to estimate the extent of elementary school absenteeism in California. We use multiple sources of data for this purpose, including: 

Data from Aeries client school districts representing over 350,000 K-5 California students 

Data from over 250 California school districts in on our 2015 district leadership survey

Statewide data on truancy and average daily attendance from the California Department of Education (CDE) 

Through a partnership with Eagle Software and the participation of their Aeries client districts, we have access to a unique dataset that provides detailed information about elementary school absenteeism in California. Data from over 350,000 K-5 students in the state indicate that high levels of elementary school absenteeism continue to be a serious problem in California.

Chronic absence rates19 remain just over 8% for K-5 students, meaning that an estimated 230,000 students in California missed 18 or more days of school in the 2014-2015 school year.20 Furthermore, as many as 31,000 students in California are estimated to have missed more than 36 days of school, or 20% of the 2014-2015 school year.

Truancy rates also remain high. Data from the California Department of Education indicate that elementary truancy rates have increased slightly in the state from 21.3% in 2012-2013 to 23.2% in 2013-2014. Data from Aeries similarly suggest that the elementary school truancy rate is 23.8% for the 2014-2015 school year. However, the slight increase in truancy rates over the last three years must be interpreted with caution. Interviews with school district officials and a specialist in attendance information systems suggest that school districts have developed improved systems for tracking and monitoring truancy and chronic absence. Therefore, these increased rates may actually be an indication of better reporting rather than an increase in the number of unexcused absences in the state. Similar to previous years, elementary school truancy represents 40% of all truancy in the state.

More information in ....

https://oag.ca.gov/truancy/2015

Definition of a Truant

The California Legislature defined a truant in very precise language. In summary, it states that a student missing more than 30 minutes of instruction without an excuse three times during the school year must be classified as a truant and reported to the proper school authority. This classification and referral helps emphasize the importance of school attendance and is intended to help minimize interference with instruction. Effective January 1, 2013, the law was amended to authorize school administrators to excuse school absences due to the pupil’s circumstances, even if the excuse is not one of the valid excuses listed in the California Education Code (EC) or the uniform standards established by the governing board of the district. The EC section that defines a truant reads as follows:

EC Section 48260 (a) A pupil subject to compulsory full-time education or to compulsory continuation education who is absent from school without a valid excuse three full days in one school year or tardy or absent for more than a 30-minute period during the school day without a valid excuse on three occasions in one school year, or any combination thereof, shall be classified as a truant and shall be reported to the attendance supervisor or to the superintendent of the school district.

(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), it is the intent of the Legislature that school districts shall not change the method of attendance accounting provided for in existing law and shall not be required to employ period-by-period attendance accounting.

(c) For purposes of this article, a valid excuse includes, but is not limited to, the reasons for which a pupil shall be excused from school pursuant to Sections 48205 and 48225.5 and may include other reasons that are within the discretion of school administrators and, based on the facts of the pupil's circumstances, are deemed to constitute a valid excuse.

Video about Truancy

Truancy

Truancy Among Teens

Children have different rights and obligations under the law than adults. The law recognizes that children, or juveniles, are still developing, and until they reach adult age they must comply with laws that are slightly different than those which apply to adults.

One of the legal duties that the law imposes on a juvenile -- a person under the age of 18 -- is the requirement to attend school every day it is in session. A child who does not attend school on a regular basis is considered truant. Truancy is a juvenile offense that can lead to various consequences for the juvenile as well as his or her parents or legal guardian.

Missing School

States have different definitions of what it means to be truant. Typically, a student is not considered truant until he or she misses a specified number of school days without a valid excuse. For example, a state may define truancy as missing three full days of school in a single month, or 10 full days of school in a single year. States may also consider a child truant if the child is late without an excuse. For example, a child who is more than 30 minutes late for any class three or more times in a single month may be deemed truant.

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Source: http://www.criminaldefenselawyer.com/crime-penalties/juvenile/truancy.htm

Truancy

School truancies lead to rise in prosecution of parents

The number of parents taken to court in England because of children skipping school rose sharply last year, official figures show.

In 2014, 16,430 people were prosecuted for failing to ensure their children went to school, an increase of more than 3,000 - or 25% - on 2013.

Ministry of Justice figures, obtained by the Press Association, revealed more than three-quarters were found guilty.

Head teachers' leaders said good attendance was "absolutely critical".

Crackdown breakdown

The rise follows a crackdown on children missing school, including new rules onterm-time holidays, which were introduced two years ago.

The 2014 figures, gathered in a freedom of information request to the Ministry of Justice, show:

• 12,479 people found guilty of truancy offences - up 22%
• 9,214 fines, averaging £172, issued by courts - up 30%
• 18 jail sentences in 2014 - compared with seven in 2013
• Ten of those jailed and more than half (58%) of those fined for a child missing school were women

Parents can be issued with on-the-spot penalty notices of £60 per child by schools, rising to £120 if unpaid after three weeks, if their child has an unauthorised absence.

Failure to pay, or incurring two or more fines, can lead to parents being referred to the local authority's education welfare service, which has the power to take them to court.

Courts can issue maximum fines of £2,500 or jail sentences of up to three months.

More information in ....

Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/education-33861985

Homelessness

A men Tell about his story

The difference between homelessness and houselessness

This morning, I feel inspired to share the main insight that ignites the Dream Catalyst mission. It is actually more of a question than an answer. The question is, “What is the difference between houselessness and homelessness?” I believe that there is a huge difference between the words ‘house’ and ‘home’. I believe that there are many housed people who are still homeless inside, and on the other side, I also believe that some people who remain houseless truly have a sense of home within.



I believe that if homelessness were truly about solving houselessness, we would have already solved it. Much like if hunger were just about food or calories, hunger, too would be history. Some organizations have evolved to understand that deficiency issues including homelessness, poverty, and hunger are about access to resources that are perceived to be scarce like food, funding and shelter. In Ithaca, where I live, there is less than a one percent vacancy rate in rental housing. How can we attempt to end homelessness with a housing inventory that is so scarce?



I believe that none of the answers exist on the scarcity side of the model. I choose to look for abundance based solutions. Instead of searching for new units of affordable housing, I choose to invest time and resources in helping people live into their dreams, even if they don’t yet know what they are. I believe that we were all born with at least one dream inside and it is our sole responsibility to find that dream, make it real, and then share it with the world. It could be that this is the only reason that we are here at this time. We were born to dream and ask questions with undying curiosity. Somewhere along the lines, some of our curiosity died and we started accepting answers to questions that truly had no answer. We started playing this game called life, and we accepted the rules that generations before us created, when the world was flat and there was a chance we could fall off this planet!



I am the first person to admit, that I have no answers. I hope to take my last breath on this planet in a space of curiosity. I also hope to add energy to a generation of youth who may again feel that they need permission to start asking questions that may not ever have an answer. My mission is help people connect with their inner curiosity and passion. This may be located somewhere near the dream still inside of us. Who knows?



Why am I talking about this in relationship to the difference between houselessness and homelessness? Because I think that some of the insight may be found in the questions we have the courage to ask. So, instead of asking questions like, “what does an affordable housing unit look like?”, I choose to ask “What does it mean to be home instead of just housed? Bill Strickland, is one of the most inspirational people in my life and he begins his speeches by declaring that “ALL children are born into the world as assets and not liabilities!” I believe that this is truth and this is how I choose to look at the Dream Catalyst mission.


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Source: http://dream-catalyst.org/the-difference-between-homelessness-and-houselessness/

Who is affected by homelessness

Homelessness affects a wide variety of people, but some people may be more vulnerable to homelessness because they have particular needs.


You may have limited housing rights or be less able to cope by yourself if you are:
a young person leaving home for the first time or leaving care
an offender leaving prison
pregnant, with nowhere to stay when the baby comes
responsible for bringing up children
claiming benefits or living on a low income
affected by housing benefit cuts
an asylum seeker, refugee or person from abroad


Source: http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/homelessness/homelessness_-_an_introduction/what_is_homelessness

Reasons why people are homeless

You could become homeless for many different reasons. 

These could include: 

being evicted because of rent arrears caused by money problems the breakdown of your relationship with your partner, parents or family  having to leave because of domestic violence or abuse 

illegal eviction or harassment by a landlord  a disaster such as a fire or flooding. 

Source: http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/homelessness/homelessness_-_an_introduction/what_is_homelessness

Help for homeless people

You may be able to get help from a local council if you are homeless or threatened with homelessness. Local councils have a legal duty to help some people, but not everyone gets help with housing. Some people can only get help with advice on finding a home.

Social services at a local council may help some people if the housing department of a council can't or won't help. This may happen if a council decides a family is intentionally homeless or a person is disabled or frail.

Some charities for the homeless may be able to help if you are single (or a couple without children) or a young person. Some provide temporary emergency accommodation such as nightshelters or hostels, or practical help in day centres.

A local church or charity may also be able to help with basics like food and clothing through day centres, soup kitchens and soup runs.



Source: http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/homelessness/homelessness_-_an_introduction/what_is_homelessness

What is homelessness?

You may be homeless if you live in unsuitable housing, don't have rights to stay where you are or you're sleeping rough. Find out about help if you're homeless.

Homeless even if you have a place to stay

Even if you have a roof over your head you can still be homeless, if you don't have any rights to stay where you live or your home is unsuitable due to severe overcrowding or other reasons.


You might be entitled to help as a homeless person if you are temporarily staying with friends or family or staying in a hostel or nightshelter.


Even if you have a home, you could be considered homeless if you live in very overcrowded conditions or in poor conditions that affect your health, or you're at risk of violence or abuse in your home.


You may also be considered to be homeless if you:
live somewhere where you have no legal right to stay, such as a squat
live in a home you can't afford to pay for without depriving yourself of basic essentials
are forced to live apart from your family or someone you would normally live with because your accommodation isn't suitable


Source: http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/homelessness/homelessness_-_an_introduction/what_is_homelessness