Mount Vernon Chronic Truancy Reduction Initiative How an Inner-City School District Cut Absenteeism by 19.8% in Two Years - With No Additional Grant Funding

Mount Vernon Chronic Truancy Reduction Initiative Sponsored by: The City of Mount Vernon Mount Vernon City School District Westchester County Department of Social Services

Chronic Truancy Hurts Communities Chronic Truancy is linked to: Educational Failure Increased Juvenile Crime Other Risky Teen Behaviors Child Abuse Increased Adult Crime Long-Term Poverty

The Bottom Line If you care about: Helping at-risk kids Reducing crime Making sure schools succeed Protecting kids from child abuse Alleviating poverty or Strengthening our community We share a common stake in addressing chronic truancy.

How Can We Address Chronic Truancy? PROBLEM: Dwindling resources SOLUTION: Better use of existing resources Maximize use of under-utilized resources Target limited resources to highest-need youth

How Can We Address Chronic Truancy? Enforce the law on mandatory school attendance Use Child Protective Services’ educational neglect reporting process to: trigger an investigation and assessment of the family situation, followed when necessary by support services and/or court intervention

Overview of New Mount Vernon Educational Neglect Reporting Process 1. Report all students with 20+ unexcused absences 2. Report them sooner (as they occur) 3. Document the educational impacts 4. Provide follow-up data when needed for CPS and Family Court 5. Target community-based support services to chronic truants, especially (but not exclusively) those referred by CPS

What We’ve Accomplished Clear Lines of Responsibility Clear Definition of Local Expectations Improved Tracking Data-Driven Accountability Staff Training and Support Increased Utilization of CPS Mobilization of Community Partners District-Wide Decrease in Absenteeism

Clear Lines of Responsibility PROBLEM: When everyone is responsible, no one is responsible. SOLUTION: Clear lines of responsibility. Each school has a Truancy Liaison to track data, encourage attendance, and file CPS reports Principals have ultimate responsibility for managing the process in their school

Clear Definition of Local Expectations How Many Absences Are Too Many? Safety Net: Ensure CPS Reporting at 20 Unexcused Absences Protocols for Early Intervention Supplemental Reporting Form Monthly Monitoring & Data Review

Improved Tracking

Data-Driven Accountability Truancy Liaisons meet monthly to review their data: how many students with 20+ unexcused and how many unreported Liaisons (and Principals) compete for best results Schools must account for every student

Staff Training and Support Monthly Progress Review and Problem Solving Session with all Truancy Liaisons, Administration, CPS & Service Providers Truancy Liaisons Trained to Directly Access Attendance Data Refresher Training in Legal Requirements for CPS “Mandated Reporters”

Increased Utilization of CPS

Mobilization of Community Partners Student Advocacy Family Services of Westchester Student Assistance Services Family Ties Community Networks Mount Vernon Communities That Care Faith Communities

Reduced Absenteeism % 8.89%9.15%11.09% Total District % 16.36%16.61%20.33% High School % 8.02% 8.88% 12.74%Middle School % 5.43% 5.56% 6.22% Elementary School % Change

Karl Bertrand, L.M.S.W., President Program Design and Development, LLC 47 Wayside Drive White Plains, NY (914)