WSSWA Truancy
Survey Results
• What is effective?
1. Warning letters/phone calls
2. Frequently monitoring attendance
3. Incentives
4. Programs that go to the homes for students who miss the bus
5. In-district truancy boards focusing on the underlying causes
of truancy
6. Clear procedures
7. Attendance check-in system with attendance coaches
8. Personal connections with students and parents
9. Comprehensive plans/holistic approaches to address truancy
10.Teacher involvement
• What is not effective?
1.
2.
3.
4.
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
5. Inconsistent attendance taking
6. Lack of immediate intervention or consequences
7. Lack of time and resources
8. Lack of communication in-district, with families, and with
community agencies
9. Lack of involvement by parents
10.Lack of tiered interventions
• Why are consequences/services not
effective?
1. Lack of economic resources- family cannot pay fine
2. Very long and tedious court process
3. Parents do not prioritize attendance or follow up with
resources
4. Bigger picture issues (mental health, substance abuse) are not
addressed; consequences are emphasized rather than services
5. Students/parents don’t see a connection between the
ticket/citation and their behavior
• What consequences/services are most
effective?
1. Referral to Human Services
2. Services addressing the root causes of truancy
3. Judge taking possession of concern (phone, game system,
skateboard, etc.)
4. Finding most appropriate consequences, rather than an
automatic fine (revoking hunting license, etc.)
5. Discussing appropriate consequences for student, then asking
the court for the consequences to be stayed, while developing
and implementing an individualized attendance improvement
plan
• Examples of Early Interventions:
1. Phone calls
2. Warning letters
3. Meetings with principal, school social worker, etc.
4. Home visits, including from police liaison if student is absent
5. Forming individual attendance plans
6. Talking with students at school regarding reasons for absences
7. Incentives
8. Teachers contacting home
9. Identifying and reducing barriers to attendance
10. Lunch detention for secondary students