Local school districts benefit from truancy court

Truancy court is now in session in the Scott City School District, and it's making a big difference in curbing student absenteeism and bolstering academic performance, school administrators say.

After a full semester in the books, the court has seen 11 students and their parents or guardians, many of whom are getting back on academic track, according to Scott City superintendent Diann Bradshaw-Ulmer.

Districtwide attendance in the fall semester climbed to 96.37 percent, up from 93.5 percent in the 2009-2010 school year, based on district statistics.

"We have seen tremendous growth in attendance, a huge increase in kids coming to school, and that's exactly what we wanted," Bradshaw-Ulmer said, summing up the program's progress to date during the Scott City School Board meeting last week.

The truancy court was born of the district's comprehensive school improvement plan goal to boost a district attendance rate that failed to meet the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's Annual Performance Report standard. While it could take some time to hit the five-year attendance average benchmark, Bradshaw-Ulmer said the district definitely is heading in the right direction.

The district implemented a tougher attendance policy at the beginning of the school year. Students who miss six days of school -- unexecuted absences -- now are referred to an attendance committee. The committee reviews the previous two semesters of attendance. If a student's attendance rate was below 90 percent over the period, he is referred to the truancy court. And students who don't participate in truancy court will lose credit for the semester. Students with attendance rates above 90 percent are monitored for continued absences and can be referred to truancy court at any time.

Habitual absenteeism is addressed on a case-by-case basis, Bradshaw-Ulmer said, noting the committee considers extenuating circumstances.

Truancy justice begins in front of a family court judge in Scott County Court, where offending students and their parents hear the verdict. Truancy court is held at Scott City's public schools. Students meet with the judge once a month in 40-minute sessions. That's where the judge tracks progress in attendance and classroom performance. If the habitually absent show marked improvement in attendance and classroom performance, they receive cash prizes and gift cards.

If they're not complying? That depends on the age of the child. The judge typically holds parents more accountable for elementary school children, Bradshaw-Ulmer said, while older students bear more responsibility.

"There's always the juvenile detention center," the superintendent said, referring to possible consequences for continued attendance trouble. "They could get an invitation there overnight to wake them up. That's the judge's call."

Bradshaw-Ulmer said students for the most part are following truancy court edicts. And she said the court is providing parents with a critical support system.

Michael Umfleet, principal at the Scott City Middle School, said the benefits have been measurable. Attendance at the school climbed to 96.47 percent last semester, up from 93.1 percent for the 2009-2010 school year. While the threat of truancy court may be serving as a deterrent, Umfleet said the incentives programs are helping students achieve their goals.

"We had a girl who did really well after the first month. Her grades and her attendance were up, so she got some gift cards," the principal said. The court can provide tutors and other educational support for students who struggle academically, a big reason for chronic absenteeism.

There's a bigger picture to the attendance question, Umfleet said. The goal of the truancy court, the administrator said, is to try to keep students, and eventually adults, out of the legal system.

"If you get kids involved in their education and having success, that tends to take care of all the other issues and they take care of themselves. We've got to step in as soon as we can to break that cycle, and this has been successful in some of the other schools in the area."

The Sikeston (Mo.) School District, for instance, implemented the Juvenile Court pilot program in the 2002-2003 school year. Within a year of launching, the average attendance for the 100 students in the program climbed from about 80 percent to 93 percent.

The Cape Girardeau School District had considered truancy court but instead opted for strengthening its attendance policy, holding parents legally accountable. Parents of students who miss 10 or more days of school could be charged with educational neglect, or violating the compulsory school attendance law. Penalties include up to 15 days in jail, a $300 fine and the possibility of probation of up to two years on the misdemeanor charge. At least two parents to date have been charged under the policy, most recently Laura J. Hogeland. Hogeland's arraignment is set for Feb. 17, according to Missouri court documents.

The goal of tougher truancy policies, administrators say, isn't to punish parents or students.

"Our goal is to gets kids to school," Bradshaw-Ulmer said. "The more times they are here the better opportunity we have to educate them."

mkittle@semissourian.com

388-3627

Pertinent address:

301 N. Clark Ave., Cape Girardeau MO

3000 Main St., Scott City, MO