Schools can't keep up with students skipping.

[QuietTruth]

Schools can't keep up with truancy
Tuesday, April 25, 2006

BY RANDY JAMES


Copyright © 2006 Republican-American

WATERBURY -- Chronic truancy is a "humongous" problem in city schools, but its solution is frustratingly elusive, education leaders said on Monday.

A lengthy discussion at a Board of Education workshop focused on truancy at Kennedy, Wilby and Crosby high schools, where nearly 400 students are said to have surpassed 18 absences this school year. Students with more than 18 unexcused absences receive no credit for the academic year. The three schools have a combined enrollment of 3,900.

The schools' administrators said they have worked diligently to track down those with excessive absences, but many have moved away, developed medical conditions or simply refuse to return.

"It's tough in an urban district to reach all kids and all parents," said Kennedy Principal Anthony Azzara. "It just doesn't register that school is a job" for young people.

Budget restraints holding each school to one attendance counselor limit their ability to address the problem, the administrators said, as does a permissive attitude toward truancy among some parents.


Alternately commiserating with school officials and prodding them, board members expressed dismay that many chronically truant students are still advancing by successfully appealing their absences.

"What about the kids that are out 50, 60 days, and somehow move on? ... How does that happen?" asked board President Patrick Hayes, who said the attendance policy has become "a joke" to some students.

Hayes requested written explanations for recently granted attendance waivers.

Last year, 26 percent of city students had 18 or more absences, according to an analysis by board member John Theriault. Of those 4,700 students, 67 percent successfully requested waivers and advanced.

Waivers "seem to be given out carte blanche," said Theriault, a former city principal.

Students can appeal their absences once every four years, at the end of the school year. School principals have wide latitude in granting waivers, which follow a hearing with parents, an attendance counselor and possibly others.

"When you listen to the circumstances that happen to them, they're very extenuating," said Crosby's attendance counselor, Jackie Locklear-Tyson.

Earlier Monday, she said, she met with an often-absent student who spoke poor English and couldn't afford school clothes. "Short of buying him clothing, what do you expect us to do?" she asked.

Theriault commended Locklear-Tyson's compassion, but suggested excusing such absences is a mistake. "It's a grueling world, it's a tough world, and we have to prepare the kids."

Police vow crackdown on school skippers

Tuesday, May 9, 2006

BY RANDY JAMES


Copyright © 2006 Republican-American

The police want to spoil your fun.

Responding to vocal concerns over absences in the schools, the police department is boosting its truancy enforcement. Officers will intensify their weekday patrols of the Brass Mill Center and city parks, where young people like to hang out, and more readily ask students why they're not in class, Police Superintendent Neil O'Leary said Monday.

"We're going to take a little more aggressive approach," O'Leary said. "We've committed to use whatever resources will allow us to help with this problem."

The heightened police attention comes amid continued frustration at absence rates as high as one-third in city schools. Police officials and school attendance counselors are scheduled to meet this afternoon to discuss other strategies to persuade -- or compel -- students to attend class.

Education leaders are also planning a "blue-ribbon" commission to focus on attendance issues, and the district's attendance policy is being rewritten and strengthened in time for the fall.


Truancy is a growing concern in schools nationwide, particularly in urban areas. Administrators here note that this year's overall school attendance rate of 92 percent is an improvement over last year, when students missed an average of 13 days each.

Still, attendance in Waterbury is below the state average, and officials agree that absences in the alternative education program and among a small number of hard-core truants is a persistent dilemma. State Street and Enlightenment schools, which serve students with behavioral issues and special education needs, have attendance rates of 67 percent.

Waterbury Youth Services Inc. has been referred 260 students this year for truancy counseling and other services, a one-third increase over last year.

Increasingly, some board members are directing at least some blame at parents. Board President Patrick Hayes has spoken approvingly of enforcing a daily fine of $25 for parents whose children skip school.

"Maybe some of these parents need to be scared straight, as well," Hayes said at Monday's board meeting, his voice rising in frustration. "Their first responsibility is to get their children into school."

The $25 fine is authorized under state law, but not enforced in Waterbury or in most other communities, education officials say. But it could be back on the table here if other alternatives don't get results, O'Leary said.

"One option, without question, would be to issue the infraction to get them to go to school," he said.

Police officials also intend to explore compelling parents and students to perform community service for skipping school.

Assistant Superintendent Anne Marie Cullinan, who oversees attendance issues, said it's important that any such measures not be interpreted as punishment for families.




I think its funny how teachers all of the sudden care. Number one its not their grade or life. Number two how are you gonna have to pay $25 for not going to school? 

http://www.rep-am.com/story.php?id=6688
http://www.rep-am.com/story.php?id=6003

[gav09]

Schools neva been able 2 keep up with students skippin, man we did it all the time wen I woz at skool. They aint never gonna stop it!

[QuietTruth]

Thats why they should just quit while they ahead..

And if I gotta pay money for not going I'm going to be pissed! What a wack law!

[[sepehr]]

They lose money when kids aren't there, buddy.

[Don Rizzle]

they should tag school children to keep check on them

[J Bananas]

fuck school it teaches u the wrong way to live

[evan the dude]

fuck school it teaches u the wrong way to live

 

[QuietTruth]

They lose money when kids aren't there, buddy.

That explains alot.

[WestCoasta]

I was a master ditcher, I'm in tha Hall

[Diabolical]

I liked school.

[mistershow]

I went pretty much everyday through 11th grade....which made it ok to cut every once in a while when I got older and wanted to go to the beach or into the city