Truancy Abatement Program

Truancy Abatement Program

Truancy Abatement Program

Annual Report

2014-2015

School Year

Submitted By: Steve Leistico

Truancy Abatement

Program Coordinator

Table of Contents

The Program

Truancy Abatement Program Coordinator

Coordinator Duties

Program Design – Truancies

Chain of Events

Program Design – Absenteeism & Tardiness

Chain of Events

2013-2014 Truancy Abatement Program Coordinator Actions

Truancy Abatement Program Yearly Comparisons

Intervention & Prevention

Non-Compliance

Chronic Absences

Truancy (3 + Incidents)

Other Observations

Letters

Attendance Policy Changes

Truancy Abatement Program 2014-2015 Goals

The Program

The Truancy Abatement Program or Project T.A.P. operates at the elementary and middle school levels in the Watertown Unified School District and combines a compassionate problem solving approach to truancy within compulsory school attendance laws. The program currently involves working with all youth in school grade levels K-8, of all ethnic groups and their families, in an effort to provide early intervention to attendance issues before they reach the habitual truancy stage. The program has been incorporated into the WatertownUnifiedSchool District since the 2002-2003 school year and is recognized as a major deterrent to student truancy through placing a high priority on school attendance. The program works in partnership with the City of Watertown Police Department and is a valuable asset in reducing problems in the community that may occur due to student truancy.

Truancy Abatement Program Coordinator

Student truancy issues are dealt with on a case-by-case basis, allowing the Truancy Abatement Program Coordinator (Truancy Officer) to determine the issues involved and to begin working towards resolving those issues where possible. Parent(s) and students are expected to do their part in cooperating to resolve issues related to truancy. The Truancy Abatement Program Coordinator and school principals at the middle and elementary school levels make efforts at the beginning of each school year to contact parent(s) and students with a history of attendance problems. Early reminders are provided concerning enforcement of compulsory school attendance laws. They then continue to work closely throughout the school year identifying and focusing on families that struggle with school attendance. The program is centrally located at RiversideMiddle School but remains responsible for all five elementary schools.

Coordinator Duties

• MonitorRiversideMiddle School attendance on a daily basis.
• Monitor attendance at each elementary school on a daily or bi-weekly basis through contact with attendance staff or computerized attendance records.
• Develop a working relationship with the principals of all buildings and apply Wisconsin State Statutes as warranted on matters concerning compulsory school attendance.
• Contact parent(s) or guardian(s) when student attendance status is unknown or questionable typically by letter, phone call, or home visit.
• Correspond with families in the areas of excessive tardiness, excessive absences, and truancy concerns to ensure families are aware of the Wisconsin State Statutes and school district policies regarding compulsory school attendance.
• Conduct family and individual assessments for strengths and needs internal to the family or individual as well as opportunities and threats outside of the family or individual as part of the Truancy Abatement Program.
• Assist families in establishing plans and goals as part of the Truancy Abatement Program.
• Attend community and school meetings when they are directly connected to youth activities and school attendance.
• Provide consultation to students with identified attendance problems.
• Complete home visits and in school meetings with families struggling with attendance issues.
• Formally cite parent(s) or students for truancy when applicable.
• Initiate county human services referrals for truancy when applicable.

Program Design – Truancies

There is no distinction made between partial or full day truancy under Wisconsin State Statutes. The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction defines truancy occurrences as a few moments, an hour, a half-day, or a full day. However, a greater emphasis is placed on students that miss complete school days and are habitually truant on a consistent basis. Partial truancies, including individual class absence or arriving late for the first class, are dealt with through school disciplinary channels and require Truancy Abatement Program involvement only when a chronic problem exists. In all cases, the Truancy Abatement Program Coordinator will make decisions based on the entire student or family situation when taking action on a specific number of truancies or late school arrivals. The Truancy Abatement Program Coordinator will also work closely with the principals of each building to ensure the best interests of each student or family are taken into consideration.

Chain of Events

When a student reaches three or more truancies, the Truancy Abatement Program Coordinator sends a letter to the student’s parent or guardian informing them of the truancies, Wisconsin State Statutes regarding compulsory school attendance, possible Watertown Municipal Court referral consequences for failing to correct the attendance issue, and asking the parent or guardian to contact the Truancy Abatement Program Coordinator. In many instances, parent(s) and guardian(s) do not contact the Truancy Abatement Program Coordinator. In these cases, the Truancy Abatement Program Coordinator makes an attempt to contact the parent(s) or guardian(s). In many cases, voluntary compliance with attendance laws is achieved at this stage as demonstrated by the student no longer receiving unexcused absences. The family is also warned that if the student receives additional truancies, the case will be referred to the Watertown City Attorney’s office for further action.

When a student has four or more truancies, the case may be referred to the Watertown City Attorney’s office. Their office then sends a letter to the student’s parent or guardian indicating the dates of the truancy occurrences, Wisconsin State Statutes regarding compulsory school attendance, and also asks the parent(s) or guardian(s) to contact the Truancy Abatement Program Coordinator in a last effort to resolve the issues that may be causing the truancy and avoid Watertown Municipal Court procedures for habitual truancy. Parent(s) or guardian(s) who have not contacted the Truancy Abatement Program Coordinator previously, often do at this point to avoid possible Watertown Municipal Court referral consequences. In many cases, voluntary compliance is maintained without proceeding to Watertown Municipal Court.

When a student has five or more truancies, a City of Watertown Municipal Citation may be issued depending upon the circumstances surrounding the attendance issues. Students with mental health or medical condition often are not issued citations when the condition is known to be the primary or significant cause of absenteeism and truancy.

When students and parent(s) or guardian(s) do receive Watertown Municipal Citations, they are given the opportunity in the Watertown Municipal Court to plead guilty, not guilty, or no contest. The Watertown City Attorney’s office has the authority to enter into a deferred prosecution program with either a student or a parent or guardian who has been cited for a truancy violation. Determination is often based on recommendations from the Truancy Abatement Program Coordinator. Typically, this would involve holding the citation open for a period of thirty school days or longer to insure compliance before the citation is dismissed. This has been effective with past cases. However, if a student has an additional truancy during that time period, the parent or guardian, student, or both will be held accountable for the original citation.

With five or more truancies in a school semester, students may also be referred to the county human services department for the county they reside in. The county human services department evaluates the case and determines whether or not the student is in need of protective services under Chapter 938 of the Wisconsin Juvenile Justice Code for truancy. When this happens, the case is referred to the county district attorney’s office and the county circuit court.

Students who have been referred to circuit court have county appointed social workers who monitor their court orders to attend school and will usually issue some sort of sanction for their continued truancies. The Truancy Abatement Program Coordinator remains in contact with the county human services department on a regular basis concerning students referred for attendance issues.

Program Design – Absenteeism & Tardiness

Absenteeism and tardiness are typically handled at the school level by the school principal. However, there are instances when a referral to the Truancy Abatement Program Coordinator is necessary.

Chain of Events

Excessive absenteeism issues are addressed at the middle and elementary schools for students who have less than 80% attendance or near ten days of absenteeism during any one school year. Excessive absenteeism is referred to throughout the United States by many truancy programs as “silent truancy,” as parent(s) will continually excuse their child from school for minor symptoms or for other occasions that do not involve illness. When a student has less than 80% attendance or nears ten days absent, the school principal will send a letter to the parent or guardian expressing concern over their child’s absences or tardiness from school. When the child continues to be absent and reaches ten total days during the school year, the Truancy Abatement Program Coordinator sends a letter referencing the Wisconsin State Statutes regarding compulsory school attendance, encloses a copy of the child’s attendance record, and informs the parent or guardian that a written medical excuse is required to excuse any further absences their child may have for the remainder of the school year. At this point, parent(s) or guardian(s) often provide documentation as evidence that their child has a medical or mental health condition and allows school officials to have contact with a health care provider.

If verification can be achieved, then the school will continue to work with the health care provider, the student, and the student’s parent(s) or guardian(s). In cases where there appears to be no medical reason for the student’s absences, further absences are treated as truant and truancy procedures previously described are enacted. The Truancy Abatement Program Coordinator must remain in contact with the school officials, school district nurse, and the student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) to ensure the best interest of the student is considered. The primary goal is to keep the student in school and to avoid punitive actions whenever possible. Once again, there is often a high level of voluntary compliance at this point. This remains an area of deep concern to the Watertown Unified School District, as many families do not have the financial resources to take their child to a medical provider every time there is a non-threatening illness such as a cold or flu.

Excessive tardiness issues are also addressedat all school levels. Children learn habits, both good and bad, during these early formative years. Students, who were habitually tardy as elementary students, will most likely continue to be tardy during later schooling years. When a student has been tardy six times, the school principal will send a letter to the student’s parent(s) or guardian(s). The letter will ask parent(s) to contact the school principal to try and resolve any issues relating to the tardiness.

If a student is tardy ten or more times, the Truancy Abatement Program Coordinator then sends a letter referencing Wisconsin State Statutes regarding compulsory school attendance and express concerns regarding how the disruption effects both the child’s day and interferes with classroom learning. This letter also asks parent(s) or guardian(s) to contact the Truancy Abatement Program Coordinator to discuss any problems they may have in getting their child to school on time and seek assistance, especially if transportation is an issue. This letter is sent only after discussions with the school principal occur to determine any underlying factors in a specific family situation.

If a student is tardy ten or more times, the late arrivals are treated as truant, and the case may be referred to the Watertown City Attorney’s office. The Watertown City Attorney’s office then sends a letter to the parent(s) or guardian(s) informing them of the Wisconsin State Statutes regarding compulsory school attendance and warns the parent(s) or guardian(s) of possible Watertown Municipal Court consequences for failing to get their child to school on time. Subsequent to the Watertown City Attorney’s letter, further late arrivals by the student may result in the issuance of City of Watertown Municipal Citations to the parent(s) or guardian(s). The letter also asks parent(s) or guardian(s) to contact the Truancy Abatement Program Coordinator in an effort to resolve any issues without having to go through court. There is some level of voluntary compliance demonstrated by the parent(s) or guardian(s) getting their child to school on time. Citations issued for habitual tardiness rarely occur, as these issues are the easiest to resolve through meetings between the school, the Truancy Abatement Program Coordinator, and the parent(s) or guardian(s).

2014-2015 Truancy Abatement Program Coordinator Actions

I have completed my 2nd year as the TAP Coordinator and feel like we have made progress in attendance issues at all of the schools I deal with. Again I enjoyed working with Officers Kleppin and Meloy. I appreciated the fact that Captain Kleppin made me feel more at home with the WPD by allowing me to introduce myself to the entire department. I made much more of an effort to build relationships with the families I deal with to make it a more positive than a negative experience. Began a new program at RMS where students were 1st formally warned about refusing classes and skipping detentions and a 2nd offense could result in a simple truancy ticket, the program was successful.

Student attendance issues are handled accordingly with the Wisconsin State Statutes for compulsory school attendance. However, every issue is evaluated on a case-by-case basis within the state and school district guidelines. The following actions were conducted to help families resolve their problems and maximize their child’s attendance in school during the 2014-2015 school year:

• Transported children to school on 45 different occasions throughout the year.
• Conducted over 50 home visits to discuss truancy issues with families or to check on the welfare of individual students. 12 of these were repeat visits.
• An additional 7 home visits were attempted but families were either not available or failed to answer the door.
• Formally met with 11 families at school facilities to discuss truancy issues and establish goals within the formal Truancy Abatement Program. Attempted to meet with an additional 7 families at school facilities but in all cases the family did not appear for the meeting.
• Consulted with 25 middle school students/families and 21 elementary school students/families concerning late arrivals and skipping class.
• Attended community meetings on youth organizations and activities.
• Issued 24 Citations
• 14 Contributing to Truancy (8 RMS 6 Elementary)
• 6 habitual truancy, all at RMS and 4 simple truancy, all at RMS
• Appeared for Watertown Municipal Court for every Habitual Truancy Citation issued. Some citations required multiple appearances.
• Worked with county Social Services on referrals with 4 families all in Jefferson County.
• Consulted or handled 2 cases of truancy at Watertown parochial schools as the duties of the Watertown Police Department Truancy Officer.

The activities listed above were in addition to typical day-to-day actions of monitoring attendance issues, interacting with school attendance and principal staffs, and corresponding with both middle school and elementary school students or parent(s) or guardian(s).

Truancy Abatement Program Yearly Comparisons

The comparisons identified in this report are provided in summary format. All data is presented as a historical annual comparison and reflects the entire 2011-2012 school year. Due to the number of years involved and changes in attendance tracking procedures, it is necessary that some years to be combined.

Intervention & Prevention

This area identifies the total number of students at each level along with voluntary compliance levels. Voluntary compliance is defined as those cases where TAP Coordinator actions were taken, but no citation was issued or county referral made.

Non-Compliance

This area identifies the total number of students and/or parents that were non-compliant with State Statutes and were cited for “habitual truancy” or “contributing to truancy.”

Cases Referred

County Referrals

Student Citations

Parent Citations

ChronicAbsences

This area identifies the number of students that accumulated more than 10 absences whether excused or unexcused.

Prior year versions of this report included excessive absences at the middle school level in comparison with excessive tardiness at the elementary level. Statistically, there is no correlation or a relationship between these figures. In addition, in October of 2012, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction State Superintendent issued letter to all isconsin students in grades 4K-3, about 1 in 12, are chronically absent, missing 10 percent or more of school days each year. The letter continued to define chronic absence as both excused and unexcused absences. For these reasons, this section has been modified beginning with the 2012-2013 school year to show chronic absences from school at both the elementary and middle school levels.