6 Feb 2002
Tuesday Evening Parent Forums Have Had Significant Impact On Truancy In District
DALLAS—Martha Hawkins and her staff in the Attendance Improvement and Truancy Reduction division, a division of Alternative Programs of the Dallas Independent School District, know when any one of 164,000 students has three unexcused absences in a four-week period in any particular class.
And because of an aggressive districtwide program to hold weekly Tuesday night forums at the district's administrative building for a potentially truant student, their parents know, too.
According to state law, a student is truant after having three unexcused absences for any class in a four-week time span. The law leaves a caveat for a school district to wait until the tenth absence to turn the matter over to the courts, but DISD's leadership doesn't believe in waiting.
"After the third unexcused absence, there is a letter automatically generated and sent to the student's parents 'inviting' them to come to the Tuesday evening parenting forum at the administration building downtown," Hawkins said. "We have found that once the parents know that their child is in danger of having legal action taken against them for missing classes, the problem gets solved real fast."
And the program has been met with success. Before beginning the truancy program, the district's average attendance rate was 94.8 percent in 1999-00. This past school year, according to Hawkins, the rate had risen to 95.43 percent.
"We decided we needed to get aggressive with this issue and we took aggressive steps," Hawkins said. "Attendance affects the district because our funding from the state and federal government is dictated by student attendance, but what's more important, students aren't getting an education if they are not in class. As a school district, we have an obligation to the students to ensure they get a good education and by being on top of who is making it to class and who is not, we're doing them a huge favor."
Hawkins also said that the district's Tuesday evening forums are beneficial also when there are social problems involved.
"When we meet with the parents, if they suggest that there may be additional problems associated with their child—whether it is a social problem or something else that is not being handled by district professionals, we have the ability to refer them to the proper social services agency that can help," Hawkins said. "This referral system can and has gotten those students the help they might not otherwise have received until it was much too late."
Hawkins said DISD also has developed other programs that help emphasize the advantages of getting an education as well as alternative programs for those who have dropped out of school and decided to return to complete their education.
"We have clearly seen a difference in the past seven years and know that the programs we have in place are making an impact," Hawkins said. "Have we eliminated truancy in our district? No, but we have certainly taken some aggressive action that is making a difference and that is something that we, as a school district, have to feel good about."
Hawkins said she has found that many students have been surprised to find themselves in trouble with truancy for missing as few as three classes.
"With our three-absence notification program, we're identifying students who might fall into a spiraling pit and never come back out," Hawkins said. "The parents who have become involved in this effort have thanked us from time-to-time because they would not have found out about their child's activities until it had almost become too late."
Hawkins said that if a student's performance is not improved following a Tuesday night forum and a student has three more unexcused absences within a four-week period, an affidavit is completed. It is then considered for administrative action and documents are sent to the courts system.
She said that most first-time offenders are ordered to do community service work and tutoring, but fines are rarely assessed. Once they complete their community service and there are no further absences, the case is placed on hold and no further action is taken. If additional absences are registered, there is the potential for fines, possible boot camps and other measures.
"With our efforts, we have cut down the number of students we would have been required to go through this process within the past," Hawkins said. "If we can keep students out of the courts system by getting their parents involved like we are doing, we are benefiting all involved."