PRINCETON —
Mercer County’s school administrators are seeing better student attendance, and they are attributing it to a judicial program that focuses on chronic truancy.
In January, the Mercer County Board of Education updated the county’s attendance policy to address other attendance concerns including tardiness and early dismissals, said Kellan Sarles, public information specialist with Mercer County Schools.
Since the program was implemented, monthly attendance rates have increased, on average, by a full percentage point, Sarles said. The school system has approximately 9,500 students, so a percentage point can represent 95 students. In the fifth month of this school year, there was 93.7 percent attendance. A year ago that same month, the attendance was 92.7 percent.
Under the new policy, three unexcused tardies to school will count as one unexcused absence in referrals made to the courts and to the Department of Health and Human Services. Students who leave school early three times without the proper excuse or documentation will also receive another unexcused absence.
Unexcused absences caused by tardies or early dismissals will be added to the student’s number of days truant. Students who amass 10 or more unexcused absences in a school year may be referred by the county attendance director for circuit court or DHHR intervention, Sarles said.
“It is vitally important that students are in school, that they arrive on time, and stay until the school day is complete,” said Superintendent Deborah Akers. “One of the proven predictors for a student dropping out is poor school attendance.”
The district acknowledges that students have legitimate reasons for being absent, and that parents cannot entirely avoid scheduling doctor or dental appointments during the school day, Sarles said. Attendance Policy (J-10), posted on the Mercer County Schools web site and available at each school, spells out acceptable circumstances for which an absence, tardy, or early dismissal is excused.
Through a recent collaboration with the judicial system, students in grades 6-12 are being called before a judge when unexcused absences reach an unacceptable level – usually more than 10, Sarles said. Circuit court judges have the authority to charge them as status offenders, require a personal recognizance bond, and impose penalties including supervised probation. When truancy is especially severe, students can be relocated to a facility with a school on campus.
Judge Omar Aboulhosn said approximately 90 cases have been heard in Mercer County Circuit Court. Judge William Sadler has also been hearing truancy cases. The county’s third circuit judge, Derek Swope, is currently presiding as a special judge over a case in Putnam County.
“About 65 are status offenders sixth grade and above, and about 25 are abuse and neglect cases for children in fifth grade and below,” Aboulhosn said. “We’re going to have our first review next week and see how the kids are doing.”
So far, the courts have seen a good response to the program.
“I’ve seen a positive response in the courtroom from the parents who see we are helping their kids get back to school and stay in school. We have said from the beginning that this is not about punishing students. It’s about providing them with the services they need to be a successful student and to stay in school.”
The hearings are closed to the public because they involve juveniles, but Aboulhosn said that there have been cases when the judges learn that students are not absent simply because they don’t want to be in school. In some instances, problems such as difficulties at home or health issues are keeping them out of class.
“There have been some real issues we’ve helped these kids with. “We have found that there are kids who are behind and don’t have a realistic chance of graduating ” he said. “Here I have to sing the praises of the Mercer County Board of Education. I have seen (Attendance Director ) Terry Hughes go above and beyond the call of duty.”
Students with issues that are keeping them out of school are helped by getting them into alternative programs that will help them graduate or earn their GED certificate, Aboulhosn said.
Data indicate that in America, 7,000 students drop out of school every day, and the biggest predictor of dropping out is poor attendance. Eight out of ten dropouts end up in prison at some point in their lives. Dropouts are also far more likely to be unemployed or underemployed, live below the poverty line, and become involved with illegal substances.
“The goal is to help children earn a high school diploma so they can live a life outside of poverty,” Aboulhosn said.
Local News
February 10, 2012
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