TRUANCY TROUBLES: TPS, KPS students don't have to deal with absenteeism alone

Feb. 16—Area public school students struggling with chronic absenteeism and truancy don't have to deal with the problem alone, because administrators and educators will lend a helping hand when needed.

Tahlequah Public Schools Assistant Superintendent DeAnn Mashburn said the TPS policy for truancy focuses on attendance. Mashburn said the policy defines truancy as taking place when the child is absent from a classroom without the school or parent knowing, or if the parent does not compel the student to attend school.

"In other words, they are absent, the parent doesn't call in, [and] nobody knows why they're absent, so that would constitute truancy," Mashburn said. "Sometimes at the high school, the parent thinks the kid is here, and the kid might try to skip, but then they'll get that generated call, or we'll call them and say 'Why were they not here?'"

While some may think truancy only takes place with high school students, Mashburn said all students can be considered truant. Mashburn said the district does allow for students to have excused absence under certain circumstances, such as religious holidays, illness, doctors appointments, student activities, etc.

TPS has the schools reach out to parents and guardians when a student doesn't show up for class, but there is also a part-time attendance preventionist at Tahlequah High School. Mashburn said the preventionist touches base with the absent or truant students, and will actually go to some students' homes, depending on the situation. Letters are sent out to guardians about truancy on the third and fifth absences, and on the seventh day, a letter from the school resource officer and the district attorney will be sent. On day 10, officers will be writing tickets for truancy court.

According to the Oklahoma State Department of Education, student are considered chronically absent if they miss 10% of their required school days. TPS has 167 teaching days this year, so if a student misses 16.7 of those days, Mashburn said, he or she will be considered chronically absent. If a student does get labeled as truant, but was gone for medical reasons, Mashburn said a medical exemption can be granted after the proper paperwork is submitted.

Mashburn said about 32% of students at THS and TMS are dealing with chronic absenteeism. Determing the reason why is often the most difficult part, Mashburn said.

"If you aren't there and you don't receive that instruction firsthand, sometimes it is so difficult to really understand. You miss out on the presentation with the teacher, with the teacher explaining things, kids working in groups together; you miss out on those steps in your learning," Mashburn said.

If a student is struggling with chronic absenteeism, Mashburn said, the district can work with individuals students and their situations. Mashburn said the district tries to find out why the student is not successful and attempts to fix the problem or make accommodations, such as switching to a smaller setting at Central Academy or addressing other issues at the particular site.

"Sometimes we need to change their setting to a more positive setting for them," Mashburn said. "For example, we have students who are 16, 17, 18 years old who ... have to work. We might say 'OK, let's have you do work study, and that's so many hours for your electives, and then let's have you do virtual and get your classes through there."

Keys High School Principal Steve Goss said in that district, when a student is marked absent for the 10th time in one semester, the legal guardian is sent a truancy ticket, requiring the individual to attend truancy court at the Cherokee County Courthouse.

Bob Lewandowski, a deputy school resource officer for the Cherokee County Sheriff's Office and SRO for Keys Public Schools, said a student is issued a warning letter at three to five absences, and another is sent at seven.

Goss said one instance of truancy will cause a student to receive in-school suspension. When the issue reaches the court system, Lewandowski said it is seldom to take place, but he has seen where a truancy case that resulted in three days of jail.

"The biggest issue is to not to cost the parents any money, or time, or jail time," Lewandowski said. "It's just to get them to promote the kids to get into to school and attend on a regular basis."

Before a truancy citation is sent out, Lewandowski goes to the homes of the students and talks to the parents about the child's failure to meet the quota. Lewandowski said the face-to-face talks are usually "50/50" in terms of success. Some will attend the sessions, but others will stop after a period of time. Lewandowski said students struggling making it to class need to be in contact with their teachers and counselor to find a solution.

Goss said the school district and judicial system both want students to succeed in their education.

"There can certainly be fines and other punitive measures, but we all want the same thing — the student in class," Goss said.

While KPS does have a 96% attendance rate, Goss said freshmen seem to have the most problems.

"Our biggest issues are freshmen who are adjusting to the new school, and sometimes students from some of the rural schools have transportation issues," Goss said.

Goss said KHS does not have a major problem with truancy, mainly due to Lewandowski's efforts. When it comes to curtailing truancy, Goss said it only becomes an issue when parental support is not involved.

Even if a student misses one non-excusable day of school, Goss said it can be "detrimental" to a child's success.

"One of my favorite quotes is, 'Availability is the most important ability,' which in this case means that a student being at school is of the utmost importance," Goss said. "Oftentimes, truancy issues are the results of issues at home, so we want students and families to know we want to be partnered with them in making their environment better."