WSSWA Truancy Survey Results

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WSSWA Truancy Survey Results
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• What is effective?
• Warning letters/phone calls
• Frequently monitoring attendance
• Incentives
• Programs that go to the homes for students who
  miss the bus
• In-district truancy boards focusing on the
  underlying causes of truancy
• Clear procedures
• Attendance check-in system with attendance
  coaches
• Personal connections with students and parents
• Comprehensive plans/holistic approaches to
  address truancy
• Teacher involvement

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• What is not effective?
• Inconsistent policies and procedures
• Being reactive instead of proactive
• Inability to reach parents by phone, letters, and
  home visits
• Inability to address larger root issues of
  truancy, such as mental health and substance
  abuse
• Inconsistent attendance taking
• Lack of immediate intervention or consequences
• Lack of time and resources
• Lack of communication in-district, with families,
  and with community agencies
• Lack of involvement by parents
• Lack of tiered interventions

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• Why are consequences/services not effective?
• Lack of economic resources- family cannot pay
  fine
• Very long and tedious court process
• Parents do not prioritize attendance or follow up
  with resources
• Bigger picture issues (mental health, substance
  abuse) are not addressed consequences are
  emphasized rather than services
• Students/parents dont see a connection between
  the ticket/citation and their behavior

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• What consequences/services are most effective?
• Referral to Human Services
• Services addressing the root causes of truancy
• Judge taking possession of concern (phone, game
  system, skateboard, etc.)
• Finding most appropriate consequences, rather
  than an automatic fine (revoking hunting license,
  etc.)
• Discussing appropriate consequences for student,
  then asking the court for the consequences to be
  stayed, while developing and implementing an
  individualized attendance improvement plan

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• Examples of Early Interventions
• Phone calls
• Warning letters
• Meetings with principal, school social worker,
  etc.
• Home visits, including from police liaison if
  student is absent
• Forming individual attendance plans
• Talking with students at school regarding reasons
  for absences
• Incentives
• Teachers contacting home
• Identifying and reducing barriers to attendance
• Lunch detention for secondary students