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Other Truancy Programs |
Introduction
As part of our project, we identified as many possible programs related to Truancy Prevention. The following contains our summaries of those programs, as well as information on contacting personnel from those programs.
Table of Contents
Dropout Prevention Programs in Florida Public Schools, 1995-1996 School Year
CINS / FINS Update Part 1: The Process as it Relates to Schools
Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office Truancy Intervention Program (TIP)
DOE Attendance Implementation Team
Children's Literature: A Problem Solving Vehicle
The Use of An Effective Problem-Solving Model
Youth Development Program - M.E.C.C.A.
Improving School Attendance/Collaboration
Collaboration with the American Lung Association Open Airways Program
The Road with the Most Bumps is the One Worth Traveling
Lessons Learned in a City/School Social Service Partnership
Community Collaboration Through Shared Services Network
Palm Beach County Truancy and Interdiction Program (TIP)
Dropout Prevention Programs In Florida Public Schools 1995-1996 School Year
The following programs are programs were identified from the web page
http://www.firn.edu/doe/bin00014/notewort.htm
Educational Alternative Programs
QUIET WATERS ELEMENTARY STUDENT SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SSAP)
Student support and Assistance Program in Broward County has been designed to provide academic and motivational assistance to approximately 90 fourth and fifth grade students who have been identified as at-risk. The students have been identified as disinterested, unmotivated and/or unsuccessful in reading and/or mathematics and need teaching strategies that best fit their learning styles. In addition, these students often lack organizational and test skills and need follow-up on a daily basis.
BLOUNTSTOWN HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATIONAL ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM
This program in Calhoun County is designed to reduce the number of students dropping out of school prior to receiving their standard high school diploma. Utilizing innovative strategies leads to the improvement of the student's academic achievement, attendance, and in general motivates the studen t to achieve full potential as a productive member of society. The program serves 12-16 students in grades 9-12. Students may be served for two to six periods. During program participation, all students are required to enroll in one course that focuses on p roviding them an opportunity to experience success in school while improving their attitudes and behaviors towards learning, self, school, and community. Students are provided many opportunities for relating subject matter content and career opportunities.
ASPIRA/ACCOLADE OF FLORIDA, INC.
This program in Dade County addresses the needs of Latino and other minority youth who are currently at risk of dropping out of school due to low academic achievement, poor attendance, a lack of motivation, poor communica tion skills, poverty, low self-esteem, or grade retention. Students are recruited directly from Dade County Public Schools' computer files of potential dropouts as well as referrals from school administrators, counselors, teachers, parents, and peers. The students are involved in a dropout prevention model that uses a holistic approach, working directly with students and parents to develop self-confidence, leadership skills, educational achievement. This model serves as a transitional bridge back into the mainstream classroom setting. There is also a Parent's Club that advises the counselors on programs for their children and several adult programs coordinated with youth programs.
Disciplinary Programs
STUDENT SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
This consultative disciplinary program in Volusia County provides services to students in their regular classroom setting. These services include behavior modification, attendance and discipline monitoring, and assist the student in school success. This program provides direct services or benefits to both students and their teachers. There is close coordination with parents, student services, and outside agencies.
CINS / FINS Update Part 1:
The Process as it Relates to Schools
The Following is a summary of the above-named program, as presented at the 7th Annual Attendance Symposium December 2-3, 1999 and conducted by Katrina Saggio. Persons interested in more information about this seminar may write to the presenter at:
Katrina Saggio
The Florida Network of Youth and Family Services
2728 Pablo Avenue
Tallahassee, Florida 32308-4211
SUMMARY:
DJJ & CINS / FINS
Summary of laws under CS/HB 751
The CINS Process: Judicial Intervention Handbook
The Florida Network of Youth and Family Services
2728 Pablo Avenue, Tallahassee, Florida 32308-4211
Fred Wagner Pflaum, Editor, First Edition
Katrina M. Saggio, Editor, Second Edition
1999
(Contents)
Introduction
Legislative intent for CINS / FINS Program
Definitions
School Statutory Responsibilities
CINS / FINS Provider Agency Responsibilities and Services
CINS / FINS Non-Judicial Process
CINS Petition
CINS / FINS Regional Attorneys (Contact List)
Parent / Guardian Information Handbook for Runaway, Truant, and Ungovernable Children
(Contents)
Home Free (Greyhound Bus)
Internet Resources for Parents
Statewide Resources
Local CINS / FINS Provider Agencies
Introduction
Services
Tough Love Bill
Parent Responsibilities
Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office Truancy Intervention Program (TIP)
The workshop Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office Truancy Intervention Program (TIP) was presented by Mark Zaher at the 7th Annual Attendance Symposium held in St. Petersburg, FL in December 1999. This program is sponsored by the Office of the State Attorney 11th Judicial Circuit, Florida, Miami-Dade County Public Schools, and Bell South mobility.
Findings from grand jury studies conducted in 1991 and 1993 in Miami –Dade County:
75-85% of serious juvenile offenders are truant
Student population failed to read at grade level
Program Goals:
- Reduce juvenile crime
- Getting students to attend school on a regular basis
Program Objectives:
- Provide effective methods of delinquency reduction by focusing on truancy in the early adolescent stage
- Enforcement of school laws requires a coordinated effort of various agencies
- Students will not acquire basic academic competencies unless they attend school regularly
Enrollment Criteria:
- Computer program database identifies truant students when they reach the minimum number of unexcused absences
- Once identified, the student and parent are required to attend a mandatory meeting at the school
- Four levels of meetings-, which are escalated in the seriousness and in the attendees participating in the meeting
- If parent and student does not show- they are given a "locate" status, and SAO will attempt to locate them and re-schedule the meeting
Training:
- At the beginning of the school year, school personnel are provided with a training session and a training manual
- Additional training is available to individual school sites as requested throughout the course of the school year
Program results:
- 78% of schools participating in TIP for the first time during the 1997-1998 school year showed improvement in student daily attendance while only 66% of all other elementary schools that did not participate in TIP showed attendance improvements
- 81% of the students that required a meeting attended the meeting after one contact from the SAO
- TIP students performed the same or higher in the academics, effort, and conduct
DOE Attendance Implementation Team
Who is responsible for attendance?
- the student, the parent, the school, the superintendent
Enforcement of Attendance
- superintendent – policy
- school – intervention activities
- contact home for each unexcused absence
- child study team for students with 5 unexcused absences within a month or 10 within 90 days
Written Notice
- requires return receipt
Superintendent Policy
- ensures timely response
- requires school to contact parent
- requires parent to justify each unexcused absence
- requires school to evaluate
- requires school to track absences
School Child Study Team
- meet with parent if a pattern exists
- frequent communication/meetings
- mentoring and tutoring
- counseling with a student
- alternative education evaluation
- contracts referral for services
- changes to classroom
Flow Chart
- School District Policy (school contacts home/referral to child study team)
- Child Study Team (parent meeting/interventions)
- If parent refuses (hearing officer/criminal prosecution)
- If student refuses (case staff by superintendent or parent referral)
- If student refuses (superintendent may file a petition in truancy court)
Truancy Court
- Hears case within 30 days and rules
- Student – court order to attend: alternative classes and up to 6 months of service hours
- Parent – must ensure attendance: homemaker or parent aide; crises or mental health services
A CINS Petition
- Follows interventions
- An option for parent or school when a student refuses to attend
- May be completed by the state attorney or must be filed by DJJ if the case staffing committee recommends it
- May result in court order, sanction, contempt of court consequences
School Districts
- Revise current cooperative agreement
- Revise attendance policy and procedures
Dropout Prevention: Student Eligibility Criteria
- Academically unsuccessful
- Pattern of excessive absenteeism or habitual truant
- History of disruptive behavior
DOP Strategies
- Alternative instructional strategies
- Alternative assessment
- Performance-based instruction
- Student support and assistance model
- Case management
- Second chance schools
Supplemental Academic Instruction Categorical Fund - Strategies
- Modified curriculum
- After school instruction
- Tutoring
- Mentoring
- Summer school
Attendance Requirements for Minors to Maintain Their Driving Privilege
- Schools must report to DHSMV students who accumulate 15 unexcused absences within 90 calendar days
- Minors who fail to satisfy attendance requirement will be ineligible for driving privilege
School District Responsibilities
- School must notify school board of minors failing to satisfy attendance requirement
- Superintendent must submit information to DHSMV through electronic transmission to NWRDC
- School district shall establish procedure to schedule hardship waiver hearings
- School district must conduct the hearing and notify DHSMV regarding the outcome of the hearing
- If minor had driving privilege suspended, he/she may submit to DHSMV written verification of 30 days of attendance without any unexcused absences for reinstatement of driving priveleges
Verification of Compliance
- Student must be in compliance for 30 calendar days prior to request for verification of compliance
- The school district must provide verification using a DHSMV form
- Student must submit verification form with either school seal or notarized statement to local DHSMV office to reinstate the driving privilege
Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) - Roles
- Provide technical assistance to school districts
- Process student records
- Serve in a regulatory role relevant to suspension/reinstatement of driving privilege
- Defer policy issues to the DOE
DHSMV – Day-to-Day Operations for Dropout Prevention Program
- School districts transmit student records to Northwest Regional Data Center (NWRDC)
- Student records are retrieved and processed by DHSMV
- Intent to suspend notices are created for licensed drivers
- Driver records are created for unlicensed drivers
- Suspensions become effective for noncompliance with attendance requirements
- Driving privilege is reinstated for compliance with attendance requirements
Educational Settings Affected by Program
- Middle and high schools
- Adult basic education programs
- Junior/community colleges providing a GED program
- Home based education
- Private schools
Verification of Reinstatement for Schools Under District Control
- Schools under district control include middle schools, high schools, and some adult basic education programs
- Verification for middle and high school is based on 30 consecutive days of attendance
- Verification for adult basic education programs is based on school board policy
- School days to be counted may include the previous term and/or summer school
Reinstatement for Schools Under District Control
- Reinstatement procedures are contingent on the status of the minor’s driving privilege
- Procedures include electronic transmissions and the department’s reinstatement form
- Electronic transmissions to cancel are permitted by districts up to 20 days after the date of issuance of the notice of intent to suspend
- Driver license offices cannot accept the reinstatement form unless a suspension order ahs been posted to the minor’s driver record
Documentation Submitted to DHSMV for Reinstatement
- School enrollment forms from educational settings are insufficient to reinstate
- Reinstatement forms without a school seal or not notarized are not accepted
- School registration forms are insufficient to validate satisfaction of relevant attendance requirements
- School confirmation that a minor is scheduled to take a GED test is insufficient for reinstatement
Hardship Waivers
- Waivers can be requested up to 15 calendar days after date of receipt of notice of intent to suspend
- Requests must be electronically transmitted within 24 hours
- Hearings must be held within 30 calendar days request is transmitted
- Outcome must be transmitted within 24 hours of hearing
Children's Literature:
A Problem Solving Vehicle
This is a summary of one of the workshop’s at the 7th Annual Attendance Symposium – Empowering Communities to Make A Difference, December 2-3, 1999 at the Hilton St. Petersburg in St. Petersburg, Florida. This workshop identified and discussed alternative interventions to traditional talk therapies for children who are having attendance and/or social problems. Specifically, these authors use books for students of all ages on a variety of subjects. These books not only portray appropriate ways of problem-solving using relateable stories to children, but they also help students develop listening and critical thinking skills.
Bibliotherapy helps socially challenged students obtain literature that helps them with issues such as grief, bullying, and many family type situations. This type of therapy is an approach to counseling that is useful for many sensitive issues that children go through as they are developing. There are two types of bibliotherapy: developmental and clinical. Guidance counselors, parents, librarians, and nearly everyone can use developmental bibliotherapy to help children progress through normal stages of development by expressing their concerns and feelings related to their experiences. Professionally trained practitioners use clinical bibliotherapy with children who have more deep-seated problems.
When choosing the appropriate literature for a specific child, look for the following items: the book should a) promote the exchange of information between adults and the child, b) enable the child to make the connection to his/her life, and c) validate the child’s feeling and responses to the crises or issue at hand. The following is a list of some issues that books can help children with:
Abandonment, adoption, aging, death, divorce, fear, handicaps, honesty, hospital stays, individuality, moving, new baby, sexual abuse, sibling rivalry, sleep problems, step families, tolerance, etc.
Books should be used to help:
Develop a child’s self concept, increase a child’s understanding of human behavior or motivations, foster self-appraisal, provide a way for a person to find interests outside of self, relieve emotional or mental pressures, demonstrate that he/she is not the only person to encounter such a problem, help a person discuss a problem more freely, help an individual plan a constructive course of action to solve a problem, etc.
1. Basic procedures for using bibliotherapy strategies…
2. Set the tone for the activity with introductory activities.
3. Provide the time for reading the material
4. Allow time for the message to "sink in"
5. Provide follow-up discussion time, using questions that will lead from simply retelling the story to interpretation, and personal application of new information
6. Evaluate the process – putting emphasis on the fact that it can easily be used again in different life situations
The attached pages are the following:
- Literature assessment form
- Examples of books
The Use of an Effective Problem-Solving Model
This is a summary of four of the workshops from the 7th Annual Truancy Symposium: Empowering Communities to Make A Difference, December 2-3, 1999 in St. Petersburg, Florida.
The Use of an Effective Problem-Solving Model: (Dr. George Batsche at batsche@tempest.coedu.usf.edu)
- Patterns of behavior that result in truancy begin early in life.
- Current approaches to truancy concentrate on consequences.
- This is very limited.
- Better to focus on increasing attendance than decreasing truancy.
- Focus on prevention.
- Social skills and teachability of student are factors associated with success.
- Early intervention, use of school buildings, problem-solving teams, behavior approaches, use of existing resources, and linking home-school with an attendance plan = success in attendance.
- Mentoring, contracts, tutoring, social skills training, peer tutoring, parental contacts, and home interventions are great interventions.
- Non-attendance is an outcome of other problems such as academic problems, peer problems, family problems, etc.
- Teachers, school staff, and parents should watch for signs.
- Multi-teams should be set up to help with interventions for the at-risk student.
- Problem Solving: define problem, identify why correct behavior not occurring, collect information to verify reasons, develop appropriate interventions for specific student, evaluate on regular basis.
- Interventions: specific, positive, objective, clear, concrete, measureable.
Project STAY-Seminole Truancy Alternatives for Youth Center: Providing a Multidimensional Approach to Help Habitual Truants on the Road to Success
(contact-Seminole County Public Schools)
This project is a cooperative effort with Seminole County Public Schools, the Department of Juvenile Justice, and the Juvenile Assessment Center of Seminole County. Their goals are to return habitual truants to a regular pattern of school attendance, conforming behavior and academic success, reduce juvenile crime, and give needed family support to participants in the project. The project has a truancy counselor coordinate activities with all involved-student, teacher, school staff, and parent. There is a center that provides some of the interventions for student training, while other interventions take place in the home for parent training, and in the school for teacher training. Their overall intervention is really a mentoring program for students labeled at-risk by a number of factors for being truant.
Youth Development Program - M.E.C.C.A.
(contact-Boys Town of Central Florida-Jeff Wood)
MECCA is dedicated to helping all youth in need of guidance, friendship, and leadership. They are committed to the problems of youth, since they are youth themselves. These youth mentor other youth by checking on daily school attendance, after-school activities, role-modeling, being drug and alcohol free, being professional, showing appropriate youth behavior in school and at home, etc. Mentors also tutor or network with other staff members, teachers, or the community in providing solutions to the needs of the youth.
Improving School Attendance/Collaboration
(contact-Mercedes Bustillo Updyke)
This workshop focused on using weekly student services team meetings to watch students with attendance problems. All of the members-teachers, students, guidance counselor, parents, other, suggest and implement interventions to positively impact the student. Minutes are kept each week to record the progress of the team and student.
Collaboration with the American Lung Association Open Airways Program
(contact-Elaine Jordan-#954-467-4815)
The goals of this program are to help third, fourth, and fifth graders who have asthma learn more about it.
The Road with the Most Bumps is the One Worth Traveling
This workshop was presented at the 7th Annual Attendance Symposium in St. Petersburg, Florida on December 9, 1999. The workshop was facilitated by Kim Gorsuch.
Collaborative Partners:
School Board of Broward County
Broward County Sheriff's Office
Psychotheraputic Juvenile Services
Lutheran Services of Florida
Office of the State Attourney
Purpose:
Familiarize all agencies with the Juvenile Intake Facility Truancy Unit's Standard Operating Procedures
Reduce the number of youth who continue criminal activities as adults
Provide immediate professional intervention for the child and family
Broward County Trunacy Intervention Program
A pilot program in Broward County designed to stress the importance of parental responsibility in ensuring regular school attendance and student compliance with state attendance laws.
Pupils Learning to Use Success (PLUS)
Purpose:
A trunacy reduction intervention program that offers an educational opportunity for studens age 10 to 15 years old who have experienced excessive truancy in the previous semester or school year.
Components:
Academic, Behavioral, Theraputic, Transition
Description:
Students are identified by SAT Committee
Initial intake is done at SAAS
Students enter class where initial diagnostic evaluations will be done
Program Beliefs
Program structure will be a collborative of all individuals who interact directly with the school
Classroom Monitor will assist in the classroom, but major focus will be on troubleshooting in areas os student concerns
Data will be documented weekly for each student
Effectiveness:
Designed lower the chronic truancy rate, research this special population, while locking students into something they could enjoy
Aspects of a Successful Truancy Program:
Individual theraputic issues
Need for consistency and structure in their lives
Social skills education
Unconventional approach to learning the curriculum
Short-term and log-term goal focused training
Assertiveness Training
Self-esteem empowerment
Responsibility for self
Developed sense that the educational institute cares for and supports the student and his or her family
Truancy Unit
Assistant State Attorneys
Investigators
Retired Police Officers
Primary Focus: The intervention and prosecution, when necessary, of parents and guardians of children who do not attend school regularly
Process:
Truant children are identified by the Broward Truancy Intervention Program. (A truant child has 3 or more unexcused absences.)
A social worker is assigned to the child.
Assistance is made available to the child and family, such as counseling, transportation, or free English Language classes.
If the child is still absent, SAO is invilved.
SAO truancy unit then monitors truant children who are under the supervision of DJJ.
Lessons Learned in a City/School Social Service Partnership
Nick Carusi, M.S.W., C.I.S.W.
This is a summary of one of the workshops from the 7th Annual Truancy Symposium: Empowering Communities to Make A Difference, December 2-3, 1999 in St. Petersburg, Florida.
CITY/SCHOOL SERVICE MODEL
Purpose of article: To discuss six building blocks that have been utilized in developing and implementing school based family service in educational settings in Phoenix over the past eight years
Project Staff: 17 full time social workers and 20 student interns
School-Based Programs Mission:
...to enhance social and academic success for students and their families through a coordinated delivery of social services...
Six "building blocks" for success
Building Block 1: Accurate Needs Assessment
percent of children on free and reduced lunch program
mobility rates of families
index of crowding
number of youths ages 16-19 that are not in high school, or not in the labor force
number of single parent households
number of students with limited English proficiency
number of students with school policy violations
school attendance and dropout rates
number of students expelled from school
number of student injuries due to violent acts
curfew violations
number of adjudicated delinquent youth
other special survey data made available for individual school districts
community forums
Building Block 2: Assessment of Customer Buy In
Teachers and administration
Let everyone know that outside resources will compliment existing resources....not replace them.
Building Block 3: Asset Inventory and the Commitment of Resources
Get all the resources together and discuss what they all provide. Look at the overlap and fill all the gaps.
Building Block 4: Intergovernmental Agreements/Memoranda of Understanding
Discusses the responsibilities of each agency along with the method for performing those responsibilities and the standards each agency will meet when performing an activity.
Building Block 5: Accountability
It is essential for members of the social service partnership to state clearly the specific outcomes they intend to achieve and provide a method for holding themselves accountable to the stakeholders.
Building Block 6: Sustainability
The extent to which the partnership(s) have been effective in securing parent, student and school personnel "buy in".
The availability of resources/funding
The extent to which the partnership(s) have been effective in delivering service to clients
The extent to which the benefits to school-aged children and their families have taken place and become known to the "stakeholders".
The degree to which coalition partners ahve maintained open lines of communication and flexible programming sensitve to other systems changes within the school community.
Community Collaboration Through Shared Services Network
This is a summary of one of the workshops from the7th Annual Truancy Symposium: Empowering Communities to Make A Differenc, December 2-3, 1999 in St. Petersburg, Florida
Collaboration will....
Help achieved improved outcomes for childern
Assist schoos in helping students improve academic achievement
Assist communities in helping children achieve their potential
Objectives...
To enhance or create networks for an infrastructure which promotes:
problem solving
service integration
system change
Areas of focus are the schools and the communities
Key Benefits
Maximizes resources; fiscal, human, and facility
Maximizes collaboration; planning, data, and policy
Minimizes duplication; services and staff
Eliminates barriers; promotes needed changes in policies and practices
Proven Impact
Enhancement of mental health services to children and families
Developed strategies to improve delivery of all health and social services
Facilitated a comprehensive health and human services plan
Assisted the Family Reasource Center in obtaining an info-line
Facilitated partnership linking health providers
Facilitated an information sharing seminar
Developed demographic survery, community service inventory, and community needs assessment
Palm Beach County Truancy and Interdiction Program (TIP)
This is a summary of one of the workshops from the 7th Annual Truancy Symposium: Empowering Communities to Make a Difference, December 2-3, 1999 in St. Petersburg, Florida.
The Truancy Interdiction Program (TIP) utilizes a team concept approach bringing together police and county agencies to produce a successful project. The officers assigned to the TIP centers are dedicated to the goals and objectives of the program. They are determined to make their center "user friendly" to local law enforcement officers who deliver truants to the center and to parents who are in need of assistance with their children.
The major goals of the project are to reduce crime theough the reduction of truancy, to place the truant back into an educational environment, and identify through assessment the truants and their families who are in need of counseling in order to be successful in school.
The Truancy and Interdiction Program (TIP) was designed with the primary goal of reducing truancy rates. Major components identified as needed to accomplish this goal were:
A central receiving facility to accept truant students picked up by officers
Immediate notification of parents and schools, with a requirement for parent or guardian response to the receiving facility to take custody of the child
Sworn and civilan staff to meet with parents and truant students to assess their needs and to provide referrals to the appropriate service provider
Parent and student must return to the school together for readmission conference
The student's atendance is then tracked through the remainder of the school year
After the first year of operation, the West Palm Beach TIP Center proved successful in lowering daytime crime committed during school hours in the West Palm Beach area. The foud\nding West Palm Beach TIP Center has handled over 5,000 cases since its inception, lowering daytime burglaries by 69%.