Truancy Law?

[Gary Rice]

Once again,

Let's patiently review the lesson...

City hall does NOT want to control the schools.

The School does NOT want to control City Hall.

Better local coordination and communication regarding enforcement issues results in troublemakers facing the music faster and missing school LESS, not MORE.

THE WHOLE POINT being that students will be quickly back in the building and learning, rather than parading down Frankin with impunity.

Expulsion for a year sounds good to some, and is, at times, necessary, but creates societal problems as well. The miscreant goes from being supervised, to being "at large" in the community during the time of day when many homes are empty and people are away, and problems can, and do happen.

Possible test on this material Friday.

[Charlie Page]

[Stephanie Toole]

"In the current financial situation of our schools, is it really wise to create the position of attendance officer? Does the cost of this new position justify the benefit? Do we have a problem of non-residents attending our schools?" Quote by Charlie Page

I personally think creating this position was very wise and will be worth every penny. My boys have told me many times of students attending LHS from Cleveland. I have know several myself who were caught and asked to leave. They often end up in another city living with a different relative.

Many of these kids are often ping ponged from one aunt/grandma to another. When I have given kids rides home, it's not 'where do you live', it's 'where are you staying'. One boy we know went from LHS, to Shaw, to finally finishing up at Cleveland Heights High School.

[Grace O'Malley]

Stephanie

Your post highlights exactly why this "Truancy Law" is a sham.

This is a SOCIAL problem. An additional, redundant law will do nothing to help.

I posted earlier a study that showed how these well-meaning laws do NOT reduce truancy.

If a parent does not care enough to insure that their child gets an education, what makes anyone think the law or a penalty will change that? The state allows for a $500 fine for parents of truants. How many of them do you really think can pay that? Or even care? Will it ruin their credit? THEY DON'T CARE!

Again, truancy is a social problem. We've seen what little good laws have done in the War on Drugs. You cannot solve a social problem by passing laws. All it does it make people feel like they've tried to do something.

Another smoke and mirrors response to a problem.

[Stephanie Toole]

Stephanie

Again, truancy is a social problem. We've seen what little good laws have done in the War on Drugs. You cannot solve a social problem by passing laws. All it does it make people feel like they've tried to do something.

Another smoke and mirrors response to a problem.

Unfortunatly Lakewoods answer to the "War on Drugs" was the removal of ALL of the outdoor basketball hoops in OUR city.

With no hoops, geese, I can't understand why these kids aren't in school!
Removing ALL of the OUTDOOR HOOPS was to have solved all of the issues with teens hanging out, selling drugs, smoking dope, urinating in public places, etc....

I haven't seen or heard of any dope selling or pot smoking since the last rim was taken down! So surely these truant students aren't selling or doing any illegal substances!

[Scott Meeson]

Attendance is one of those categories that is factored into the overall rating of school districts for the yearly report card. (No Child Left Behind) Attendance rates (all grades) for Lakewood and other school districts:

DISTRICT
_____________________

Rocky River 96.5%

Strongsville 96.2%

Bay Village 96.1%

Westlake 95.5%

North Olmsted 95.3%

Brooklyn 95.2%

Fairview 95.0%

Berea 94.9%

Parma 94.8%

Cleveland Hts 94.3%

Lakewood 94.2%

Lorain 91.3%

Cleveland 90.9%

State Benchmark is 93.0%

Maximize those tax dollars being spent on our students-get them in school!

[Ivor Karabatkovic]

Rocky River tops the list?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

[Danielle Masters]

I received a response to my question about the cost and what not of a truancy officer from Dr. Estrop and I thought I would share.

understand that this may well be very confusing. In my recommendation
to the Board, actually neither the City nor School District will be
directly employing this person. What I am recommending to the Board is
that they approve the employment of this person through the Cuyahoga
County Educational Service Center because this will provide us more
latitude in terms of the services provided. The cost of this person for
a year to us will be under $30,000 total and results from savings when I
chose not to fill a staff position earlier this school year. Thus,
total spending has not been increased.

This is NOT a Truant Officer position. This is an Attendance Officer
position which is much broader than a truant officer position. Very
simply put, the more students attend school, the more they learn. We
want students in school as often as possible and feasible. This person
will assist students and families to improve attendance by working with
them to remove obstacles for their child(ren) being in school and
learning.

In addition, this person will also protect the Lakewood taxpayers by
making sure that only residents of Lakewood have children in the
Lakewood City School District. Because of our very good reputation as a
school system, some parents try to send their children to Lakewood
without living in our community and paying the taxes. We want to
strengthen our efforts that only students living in Lakewood are
attending our schools.

Currently we have NO Attendance or Truant Officers in the Lakewood City
School District and have not for a number of years. This responsibility
has been largely left to our school principals and teachers and they
need help. Thus, this person will be the only Attendance Officer in the
Lakewood City School District.

In terms of your statement of low rates of truancies, I believe that
depends on your definition of low. Please note that both the Middle
School and Elementary Student Conduct and School Climate Committees
(composed of staff, students (middle school only), parents, and
community members) recommended adding this position based upon their
analysis of the information. As I look at the information, it appears
to me that while we do not have the numbers of a Cleveland Municipal
School District, the students who are truant miss many days and thus
learn considerably less.

I hope this clarifies the issue for you.

Dave Estrop
Superintendent

[Jeff Dreger]

from the DOJ:

"Although truancy’s financial burdens
are considerable, its cost cannot be
measured in dollars alone. For a
growing number of youth, truancy may
be a first step to a lifetime of unemployment,
crime, and incarceration. As
this Bulletin illustrates, truancy often
leads to dropping out of school,
delinquency, and drug abuse. It may
even be the precursor to adult crime.
Classroom absentee rates in our cities
are as high as 30 percent. Challenged
by this problem’s mounting social and
economic burden, communities are
fighting back. Truancy: First Step to a
Lifetime of Problems describes seven
promising community programs that
are reducing truancy and juvenile
delinquency by enlisting and coordinating
a broad array of local resources.
All of the initiatives emphasize the
need to intensively monitor, counsel,
and strengthen the families and
communities of truant and delinquent
youth. They also recognize that
parents must be involved and held
responsible for their children’s school
attendance. By aggressively intervening
when students are young and
targeting problems before they start,
these programs are making a
significant difference in the lives of
children and the neighborhoods in
which they live."

it seems to me that there's something not insignificant to be gained by reducing truancy and very little to be lost by (at worst) having an extra paragraph in the law books. perhaps I'm missing something, but what exactly is the downside to having a local ordinance like this on the books? i.e. if this is enacted, what bad thing will happen?

[Danielle Masters]

darn edit button. I forgot to thank Dr. Estrop for his quick response, thank you very much.

[Grace O'Malley]

It sounds to me like the proposed Attendance Officer will deal with the problem on the level it deserves. Reaching out to the family and finding out WHY the student is absent can uncover the social issues that contribute to the truancy. There may be a need for counseling, drug counseling, poverty assistance, whatever and hopefully the staff will be in a position to refer the family to the necessary service provider.

This is not a police issue and making it one will NOT make the problem go away.

[Grace O'Malley]

Heres another view of daytime curfews that addresses the Conference of Mayors claim that it reduces crime.


http://www.reason.com/news/show/31171.html

People are quick to accept limits on their freedom in return for a false sense of security. This is a prime example.

[Stephen Eisel]

Heres another view of daytime curfews that addresses the Conference of Mayors claim that it reduces crime.


http://www.reason.com/news/show/31171.html

People are quick to accept limits on their freedom in return for a false sense of security. This is a prime example.

They are minors not adults.. just sayin

[Ivor Karabatkovic]

Heres another view of daytime curfews that addresses the Conference of Mayors claim that it reduces crime.


http://www.reason.com/news/show/31171.html

People are quick to accept limits on their freedom in return for a false sense of security. This is a prime example.

They are minors not adults.. just sayin

Not always. I turned 18 before I graduated, and 95% of kids do too. But if there is a curfew involved, it shouldn't be one that says "here's a misdemeanor for it" but rather one that would put the kids back in their homes. I guess my only opposition would be the crime part of it.

Now if you want to have officers act as school buses all day, then enact the newer law.

[Stephen Eisel]

Not always. I turned 18 before I graduated, and 95% of kids do too.

even the 2nd, 3rd and 4th graders???