Addressing School Addressing School Attendance in the Middle Attendance in the Middle

CircuitCircuitJudge Tom C. Judge Tom C.

RawlingsRawlings

Judge, Juvenile Judge, Juvenile CourtsCourts

Middle Judicial Middle Judicial CircuitCircuit

Sandersville, GASandersville, GA

(478) 553-0012(478) 553-0012

tom@sandersville.netom@sandersville.nett

Georgia’s Middle Judicial Georgia’s Middle Judicial CircuitCircuit

Five “Persistent Five “Persistent Poverty” Counties in Poverty” Counties in East Central GeorgiaEast Central Georgia Poverty rates > 20% over Poverty rates > 20% over

a a 40-year period40-year period

Not within any Not within any Metropolitan Statistical Metropolitan Statistical AreaArea

2,300 square miles with 2,300 square miles with 100,000 residents100,000 residents

                          

Why do students miss Why do students miss schoolschool??

Parenting IssuesParenting Issues Domestic violenceDomestic violence Abuse/NeglectAbuse/Neglect Substance abuseSubstance abuse Child in controlChild in control ““School’s not important”School’s not important” Mental Health IssuesMental Health Issues A Need for services (student having to work to A Need for services (student having to work to

provide for family members)provide for family members) Sick Parent/GrandparentSick Parent/Grandparent Lack of Food/ClothingLack of Food/Clothing Because students are absent for a variety of reasons, Because students are absent for a variety of reasons,

these issues must be addressed in a team approach these issues must be addressed in a team approach by teachers, counselors and social workers.by teachers, counselors and social workers.

Why Worry About Why Worry About Truancy?Truancy?

"Truancy is our first best flag that a kid will enter the juvenile justice system." --Ken Seeley, who is studying the effectiveness of seven truancy-reduction programs for the U.S. Justice Department .

History of Our Truancy ProjectHistory of Our Truancy Project

History of Our Truancy ProjectHistory of Our Truancy Project

BASIC IDEA: ADDRESS TRUANCY WITH A BASIC IDEA: ADDRESS TRUANCY WITH A TEAM APPROACH USING RESOURCES OF TEAM APPROACH USING RESOURCES OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE COURT, DJJ, THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THE COURT, DJJ, DFCS, MENTAL HEALTH, AND OTHER DFCS, MENTAL HEALTH, AND OTHER AGENCIESAGENCIES

2002-2003: Began Attendance Protocol2002-2003: Began Attendance Protocol 2003-2004: 22003-2004: 2ndnd year year

Fewer Unexcused AbsencesFewer Unexcused AbsencesMore Excuses Turned In To SchoolMore Excuses Turned In To School

2004-2005: Added Tardy/Early Release2004-2005: Added Tardy/Early ReleaseProtocolProtocol

2004-2005 Attendance 2004-2005 Attendance ProtocolProtocol

(Emanuel County)(Emanuel County) 1-5 Unexcused Absences:1-5 Unexcused Absences:

Teacher Intervention: Phone/NotesTeacher Intervention: Phone/Notes 5 Unexcused Absences:5 Unexcused Absences:

Counselor Intervention: Phone/Letters/Counselor Intervention: Phone/Letters/SST/IEP/Agency ReferralSST/IEP/Agency Referral

7 Unexcused Absences:7 Unexcused Absences:Social Worker InterventionSocial Worker InterventionTruancy Court ReferralTruancy Court Referral

Tardy/Early Check-Out Tardy/Early Check-Out ProtocolProtocol

3 Unexcused Tardies or Early Check-3 Unexcused Tardies or Early Check-Outs Or any combination of the two Outs Or any combination of the two would be equivalent to “One would be equivalent to “One Unexcused Absence”.Unexcused Absence”.

Public Relations is KeyPublic Relations is Key Beginning of school year: run newspaper Beginning of school year: run newspaper

articles, television and radio spots reminding articles, television and radio spots reminding parents and children of the truancy court and parents and children of the truancy court and of the schools’ new policies on attendanceof the schools’ new policies on attendance

Beginning of school year: “Cattle Call” Beginning of school year: “Cattle Call” Truancy Calendar with all “problem” students Truancy Calendar with all “problem” students from prior year. Covered by local paper and from prior year. Covered by local paper and radio.radio.

Throughout school year: Judge, DA, DJJ Throughout school year: Judge, DA, DJJ workers, etc. speak to students and parents workers, etc. speak to students and parents at school assemblies about the potential at school assemblies about the potential penalties for absenteeism.penalties for absenteeism.

Referred to Truancy CourtDJJ sends “invitation”

Shows

Court makes preliminarydetermination and

addresses issue

Child 12 or Older:Child At Fault?

Child Under 11 or 12:Parental Fault?

Truancy Court Procedure

No

Sho

ws

Court makes preliminarydetermination:

Summons filed or divert

Interventions: Interventions: PreliminaryPreliminary

Verbal WarningVerbal Warning Warning LetterWarning Letter Holding Complaint in AbeyanceHolding Complaint in Abeyance

Interventions: Parental Interventions: Parental FaultFault

DFCS ReferralDFCS Referral Protective OrderProtective Order Parenting ClassesParenting Classes Family Connections (counseling)Family Connections (counseling) Community ResourcesCommunity Resources FinesFines Incarceration (2Incarceration (2ndnd & 3 & 3rdrd offenses) offenses) Care Partners Referral (Intensive Family Care Partners Referral (Intensive Family

Intervention Program)Intervention Program)

Interventions: Child at Interventions: Child at FaultFault DJJ ReferralDJJ Referral

Informal Adjustment (DJJ)Informal Adjustment (DJJ) Care Partners Referral (Intensive Family Care Partners Referral (Intensive Family

Intervention ProgramIntervention Program Saturday SchoolSaturday School Mental Health ServicesMental Health Services Sunshine House CAC ReferralSunshine House CAC Referral Referral to other Community ResourcesReferral to other Community Resources Court Order to Ride BusCourt Order to Ride Bus ProbationProbation Community ServiceCommunity Service (Last Resort) Detention(Last Resort) Detention

Interventions: “No-Interventions: “No-Fault”Fault” Medical ProblemsMedical Problems

Involve School NurseInvolve School Nurse Check with DoctorsCheck with Doctors Can Medicines or Treatment Be Given Can Medicines or Treatment Be Given

at School?at School? Is Hospital Homebound Necessary?Is Hospital Homebound Necessary? Do Special Arrangements Need to Be Do Special Arrangements Need to Be

Made?Made? Improving Communication Between Improving Communication Between

School and FamilySchool and Family

Tightening the ViseTightening the Vise If If ParentParent continues to be responsible continues to be responsible

for child’s failure to attend or tardiness,for child’s failure to attend or tardiness, Citation for Contempt issuedCitation for Contempt issued..

Parent brought before Court andParent brought before Court and FinedFined JailedJailed Ordered to Do Community ServiceOrdered to Do Community Service Ordered to Take Parenting ClassesOrdered to Take Parenting Classes

Child Placed in Foster CareChild Placed in Foster Care Last Resort: Referral to State Court Last Resort: Referral to State Court

Tightening the ViseTightening the Vise If If Child Child continues to be responsible for continues to be responsible for

child’s failure to attend or tardiness,child’s failure to attend or tardiness, Petition FiledPetition Filed

Child Placed on Probation and:Child Placed on Probation and: Community Service OrderedCommunity Service Ordered Other Obligations OrderedOther Obligations Ordered Privileges Taken AwayPrivileges Taken Away

Repeat Violations = Stronger Repeat Violations = Stronger MeasuresMeasures

Last Resort: DetentionLast Resort: Detention

EMANUEL COUNTY SCHOOLS EMANUEL COUNTY SCHOOLS DATADATA 2003-2004:2003-2004: (Still using 2002-2003 Protocol. No (Still using 2002-2003 Protocol. No

tardy/check-out protocoltardy/check-out protocol))

Tracked: Tracked: 114114 Referred to Juvenile Court: Referred to Juvenile Court: 106106 22ndnd Appearance: Appearance: 22 33rdrd Appearance: Appearance: 11 Protective Orders: Protective Orders: 2525 Child Protective Services Referral: Child Protective Services Referral: 2828 Informal Adjustment (DJJ): Informal Adjustment (DJJ): 3434 Parent Incarcerated: Parent Incarcerated: 22 Student Detained: Student Detained: 11 (violation of probation) (violation of probation) Withdrew/X-fer Adult Ed/Home School/Other Withdrew/X-fer Adult Ed/Home School/Other

Systems: Systems: 1313 Referral to Care Partners/Ogeechee Mental Health C Referral to Care Partners/Ogeechee Mental Health C

& A Services: & A Services: 66

EMANUEL COUNTY SCHOOLS EMANUEL COUNTY SCHOOLS DATADATA

2004-20052004-2005 Tracked: 168Tracked: 168 Referred to Juvenile Court: 133Referred to Juvenile Court: 133 22ndnd Appearance: 3 Appearance: 3 33rdrd Appearance: 1 Appearance: 1 Parenting Classes: 8Parenting Classes: 8 Protective Orders: 80Protective Orders: 80 DFCS Referrals: 16DFCS Referrals: 16 Probation/Informal Adj: 43Probation/Informal Adj: 43 Parent Incarcerated: 3 Parent Incarcerated: 3

Bottom Line: What does Bottom Line: What does the Juvenile Court Bring to the Juvenile Court Bring to

the Table?the Table?1.1. The Teddy Roosevelt FactorThe Teddy Roosevelt Factor

The Bully PulpitThe Bully Pulpit Walk Softly and Carry a Big StickWalk Softly and Carry a Big Stick

Fear and Loathing in _________.Fear and Loathing in _________. Parents Fear DFCS, and Children Fear Parents Fear DFCS, and Children Fear

DJJ, and they All Fear the CourtDJJ, and they All Fear the Court

1.1. ““Don’t Make Me Stop this Car!”Don’t Make Me Stop this Car!” Never Underestimate the Power of a Never Underestimate the Power of a

BluffBluff

2.2. Real Pain for a Few ExamplesReal Pain for a Few Examples Missed Work, Missed Activities, Stress Missed Work, Missed Activities, Stress

and Troubleand Trouble