Facts About Truancy
Did you know?
1.In the state of Virginia five days of unexcused absences is considered a truancy problem.
2.Truancy is an issue in elementary school as well as middle& high schools.
3.Truant students are more likely to be involved with drugs, alcohol & crime.
4.75% of habitually truant students never graduate.
What Else Should I Know?
According to VA state law a child must attend school until he/she reaches age 18 or until he/she completes an approved program. No one under the age of 18 can legally "Drop Out" of school.
WHAT CAN THE SCHOOL DO?
Each principal will insure that teachers are accountable for the following:
1.) Checking the roll each day in every class;
2.) Communicating with a student's parent if poor attendance is affecting the student's progress and keeping a log of those contacts;
3.) Including participation, which may be affected by attendance, in their student evaluation procedures; and
4.) Offering vital, stimulating instruction each day which necessitates and encourages student attendance. School Board Policy # 408-R
WHAT CAN I AS A PARENT DO?
Stay involved with your child and his/her teachers and school staff.
Be aware of changes in your child's grades, appearance, and behavior.
Know who your child's friends are and where they are spending their free time.
Get your child involved in a school sport, club or activity.
Schedule family trips and doctor's appointments when school is not in session.
Support the school by setting consequences for your child if he/she goes to school late or is absent from school.
Go to work on time. If your child sees you going to work on time, he/she will understand it is important for him/her to be at school on time.
Talk with your child about the importance of an education. Tell how a good education has helped you with your job.
All these things can be useful in the fight against truancy. Also your school as well as your community offer many helpful resources to assist you in dealing with difficult situations involving your child.
ATTENDANCE IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN SCHOOL SUCCESS.
Harrisonburg City Public Schools
Department of Student Support Services
Albert J Falcioni, Supervisor
620 Simms 101 North Main Street, 4th FloorAvenue
HarrisonburgVA22802
Phone (540) 434-2752
Fax (540) 434-2923
HarrisonburgCity
Public Schools
tRUANCY & YOU
STUDENT ATTENDANCE
Student attendance is a cooperative effort, and the school board shall involve parents and students in accepting the responsibility for good attendance.
Each parent/guardian or person having control or charge of a child within the compulsory attendance age shall be responsible for such child's regular and punctual attendance at school as required under the provisions of the law.
A reasonable effort will be made to contact a parent/guardian of each absent student every day, and a log will be kept of call attempts.
Students who are absent must bring a valid note stating the reason for absence upon return to school unless prior notification of reason by parent/guardian has been received.
Students shall attend school for a full day unless otherwise excused. School Board Policy #408.
How the Truancy process works
Truancy procedures are determined in accordance with VA state law.
1.When a student has been absent from school five days unexcused a school based meeting called an Attendance Improvement Plan is held. The meeting involves the principal or designee, attendance staff, student and parent. At this meeting a plan is discussed to correct the absenteeism.
2.When the student is absent one day unexcused, following the Attendance Improvement Plan Meeting, a referral is then made to the Harrisonburg City School Attendance Officer. An Interagency Truancy Committee meeting is then held to again discuss the attendance problem. This meeting includes the parents, student, attendance officer, school principal, designee, school social worker, and representatives from the Department of Social Services, Community Services Board and the Juvenile Domestic Relations Court.
3.The next unexcused absence following the Interagency Truancy Committee Meeting a petition is filed with the court and criminal charges may be filed against the parent(s)/guardian(s)
Consequences of habitual truancy
A student over the age of 14 can be sent to Juvenile Detention for truancy for as much as 10 days per each day missed from school following their first appearance in court. Students under the age of 14 are not sentenced to detention but charges are filed against their parents.
Parents of ALL truant students can be charged with Failure to Send Child to School, or Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor. Fines as well as jail time could be punishment for not sending a child to school.
Student nonattendance is a problem that extends much further than the school. It affects the student, the family, and the community.
The Los Angeles County Office of Education identifies truancy as the most powerful predictor of delinquency. Police departments across the nation report that many students not in school during regular hours are committing crimes, including vandalism, shoplifting, and graffiti. When Van Nuys, California, officials conducted a three-week sweep for truants on the streets,shoplifting arrests dropped by 60 percent (Garry 1996).
Absenteeism is detrimental to students' achievement, promotion, graduation, self-esteem, and employment potential. Clearly, students who miss school fall behind their peers in the classroom. This, in turn, leads to low self-esteem and increases the likelihood that at-risk students will drop out of school.
Author: DeKalb, Jay
Source: ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Management Eugene OR.
What Causes Truancy
Before determining the most effective means of controlling unexcused absences, the causes of truant behavior must be understood.
In one survey, students cited boredom and loss of interest in school, irrelevant courses, suspensions, and bad relationships with teachers as the major factors in their decision to skip school. On the other hand, most of the school staff believed truancy to be related primarily to student problems with family and peers (ERIC/CEM and Linn-Benton Education Service District 1992).
Author: DeKalb, Jay
Source: ERIC Clearinghouse on Educational Management Eugene OR.
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