1. Using the FGDM Model to Decrease and Eliminate Truancy
The unique approach to decreasing chronic absenteeism

2. Why Does Family Group Decision Making Work?
Family Group Decision Making increases family’s investment in addressing concerns about their children’s safety, permanency and well-being
Family Group Decision Making increases the communication between the family and the referral source and/or agency
Family Group Decision Making promotes “team work” between the family, their identified supports/extended family, the referral source and/or agency
Family Group Decision Making values people
Family Group Decision Making empowers families to lead the decision making process
Family Group Decision Making strengthens families
Family Group Decision Making provides families with a unique and personalized plan to address the issues they are facing

3. The Problem in Pennsylvania
In 2002, U.S. Congress passed the No Child Left Behind Act of This legislature expanded the federal role in public education and required all federally funded schools to develop and establish measurable assessments in basic skills at various grade levels. These assessments would be measured annually through statewide standardized testing.
This placed increased emphasis on student achievement and attendance, prompting Pennsylvania to monitor the effect of absenteeism and truancy on overall achievement.
Chronic absenteeism and truancy were identified as significant challenges in many of Pennsylvania’s school districts. Truancy was linked to higher rates of school dropout, substance abuse, violence, teen pregnancy and increased juvenile delinquency.
A task force was then created to study the efforts to reduce truancy. The Task Force identified a need for to consistently identify the protocol in implementing quality truancy reduction efforts throughout the Commonwealth.

4. Educational Success and Truancy Workgroup (2012)
Educational Success and Truancy Workgroup (2012). Report to the Pennsylvania State Roundtable.

5. What is truancy?
The Pennsylvania Department of Education states that truancy is any unexcused
absence from school.
In Pennsylvania all children of “compulsory school age” must attend school. “Attend school” means that the child must go to a regular public school, a charter school, a licensed private or religious school, or an approved homeschooling program.
Under the Pennsylvania School Code and Compulsory Attendance Law, every principal or teacher must report to the superintendent, attendance officer, or the secretary of the school board any child who has had three (3) unexcused absences in a school year.
Habitually truant behavior is unacceptable and unlawful. A child is considered habitually truant when they accumulate more than three (3) unexcused absences in a school year.
*Compulsory school age refers to the period of a child’s life from the time the child enters school, which may be no later than eight years of age, until the age of seventeen or graduation from a high school, whichever occurs first.

6. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is committed to improving school attendance rates.
In 2015, the Pennsylvania Department of Education issued a new truancy Basic Education Circular, BEC 24 P.S , Compulsory Attendance and School Attendance Improvement Plan, a cross-agency collaboration with the Department of Human Services and the Juvenile Court Judges’ Commission, which aligns state agency efforts and provides comprehensive guidelines for schools, families and communities.
The PA Department of Education recognized that true collaboration between schools and county children and youth agencies is needed to ensure that services are made available to meet the needs of truant students and their families.
The introduction of Truancy Elimination Planning along with the implementation of various truancy reduction intervention services can be seen throughout the state.

8. School-Family Conferencing and the Truancy Elimination Plan
The Truancy Elimination Plan (TEP), as described in Section IV (A)(3) BEC 24 P.S , is designed to serve as guidance. The TEP is developed cooperatively with involved stakeholders through a school-family conference, which is required upon the school’s notice to the student’s parent/guardian upon the third unlawful absence.
Pursuant to the BEC 24 P.S , schools are required to notify the parent/guardian regarding the need for a joint conference upon the third unlawful student absence. The school- family conference engages all participants involved in the student’s life to explore possible solutions to increase the student’s school attendance. With the hope that maintaining open communication between the student and adults will facilitate positive outcomes.
The purpose of the school-family conference is to discuss the cause(s) of the truancy and to develop a mutually agreed upon plan to assure regular school attendance.
During the school-family conference, a Truancy Elimination Plan (TEP) shall be developed cooperatively with the student and other meeting participants as described in Section IV (A)(3) BEC 24 P.S

9. School-Family Conferencing and the Truancy Elimination Plan Cont.
The Truancy Elimination Plan is a collaboration between the school, the student’s family and other vested third parties to develop a comprehensive plan to identify and address the root cause(s) of truancy.
The Truancy Elimination Plan substantiates efforts made by the school, the family and other vested third parties to assist the student in addressing and resolving school attendance issues.
The Truancy Elimination Plan provides documentation of the “good faith” effort between the school and the student’s family to identify and address the student’s truancy concerns. Furthermore, the Truancy Elimination Plan provides documentation of the schools efforts to collaborate with the students family should future action be required (e.g. citation to the magisterial district judge and referral to the county children and youth agency upon the fourth unexcused absence).

10. School-Family Conferencing and the Truancy Elimination Plan Cont.
The Truancy Elimination Plan should include (but is not limited) to the following components:
Identification and provision of appropriate academic supports by the school and/or community organization(s);
Identification and provision of appropriate social, emotional, physical, mental and behavioral health supports from the school and/or community organization(s);
Identification of the school environment issues that affect the student’s success and solutions to address these issues;
Explanation of the student’s strengths and responsibilities related to the TEP
Explanation of the family’s strengths and responsibilities related to the TEP
Clarification of method(s) used for monitoring the effectiveness of the TEP
Explanation of the consequences for each stakeholder if the TEP is not fully implemented
Discussion of the benefits for successfully implementing the TEP

11. Family Group Decision Making
Family group decision making can be a powerful ally in the fight to eliminate truancy
Family group decision making is a family-driven, child-focused process that gives families a voice to identify strengths that will assist them in addressing the overall concerns of the referral source
Utilizing the core values of the family group decision making process can enhance and increase the family’s investment in the implementation of the TEP.
The family group decision making process encourages and empowers families because it identifies them as the experts of their family, not the agency
Family group decision making allows the child, their family and their supports to authentically explore the root causes of what is causing the child(ren) to be truant
Family group decision making conference provides the family and their supports with a safe and neutral environment in which to gather
Family group decision making provides the family with private family time in order for the family and their supports to deliberate together and develop their own plan

12. School-Family Conferencing and Family Group Decision Making
The school-family conference provides both parties with the opportunity to identify, understand and explore all issues contributing to the student’s truant behavior.
Participation by the student and family is an integral component for this conference. Representatives from relevant and/or involved community-based agencies, community and school services, and school personnel should be invited to participate.
The participants in the school-family conference should work collaboratively to determine the reason(s) the student is exhibiting truant behavior and have a vested interest in and responsibility for determining an appropriate plan to assist the student to succeed both socially and academically.
The primary goal of the school-family conference is the development of a comprehensive TEP
A family group decision making conference provides families the opportunity to identify strengths to address the issues that may interfere with the safety, well-being and permanence of the children.
Participation by the child(ren), their family and their identified supports is integral to the family group decision making conference. In addition, representatives from relevant and/or involved faith-based organizations, community-based agencies and school services are invited to attend.
The participants in the family group decision making conference work together to identify and address concerns and have a vested interest in and responsibility for developing an appropriate plan to assist the child(ren) and their family remain together
The primary goal of the family group decision making conference is the development of a family plan.

13. Truancy Elimination Plan and FGDM Family Plan
Identifies the academic supports- school and/or community organization(s), social, emotional, physical, mental and behavioral health supports from the school and/or community organization(s) and also the provision of intervention services, if necessary.
Identifies the issue affecting the child’s success
Identifies and documents the students and their families strengths in relation to the issue affecting the child
Identifies and documents the responsibilities of the participants in addressing the issue affecting the child
Provides clarity for all participants as to how the TEP will be executed and monitored for success
Explains the benefits of successful adherence to the TEP as well as consequences for the child and their family if the TEP is not fully implemented
Identifies all participants and their relation to the child and their family along with the contact information of each individual
Identifies the issue(s) affecting the child(ren) and their family (The Purpose)
Documents the strengths of the child(ren) and their family
Documents the concerns for the child(ren) and their family in relation to the purpose
Identifies specific tasks/activities/goals that need to be accomplished
Identifies who will be responsible for ensuring what specific tasks/activities/goals are accomplished
Provides clarity as to how the family plan will be executed and monitored for success

14. “Every effort should be made to keep youth in school and reduce the school district’s referrals to the courts, child welfare or juvenile justice systems in order to effectively intervene and eliminate truant behavior. Children are truant for many reasons and schools should seek to understand and address those issues.”
Taken from the School Attendance Improvement & Truancy Reduction toolkit, February 2015

15. Application of The FGDM Model in truancy elimination planning
Enhancing school-family conferencing and truancy elimination planning through family group decision making

16. Best Practices for Integration of Family Group Decision Making
Initial contact with referral agency
Establish timeline and criteria for referral and conference
Identify school personnel, county Children and Youth agencies and service providers
Referral
Initial contact with family
Coordination and Engagement
Conference preparation/Scheduling
The Coordination Process
Conference structure
Truancy Elimination Planning
The Conference
Monitoring plan for success
Follow up conferencing
Follow Through & Follow Up

17. Step One: Referral
Each referral is unique to the child, their family and the identified truancy concerns of the school. The referral can be school based, court based or community based.
To effectively address the truancy concerns listed on the referral the FGDM Coordinator needs to obtain the following information to establish timelines and criteria for FGDM intervention:
How many days has the child(ren) been truant?
What criteria has been met for notifications and attendance enforcement?
Has the family been referred for truancy intervention services? If so, what school and/or community based truancy intervention providers are working currently working with the family or were working with the family?
Is the family court involved?
Has the family been cited and/or fined?
Once the unique timelines and criteria for FGDM intervention are established the Coordinator needs to identify the of points of contact within the school and if applicable, the county Children and Youth agency and Community-based Truancy Intervention Service Provider working with the family

18. Step Two: Coordination
The coordination process for truancy intervention varies from general FGDM coordination in following ways:
Expedition of conference – within 10 days of referral
Emphasis on collaboration between family and personnel working to address the truancy concerns of the child(ren)
Emphasis on increasing natural supports through identifying the “key players” in the child(ren) daily life and not necessarily on widening the circle
Emphasis on identifying resources – both natural and professional – to address truancy concerns
Family engagement is obtained through the expression of the urgency of the matter and the consequences that will occur if a Truancy Elimination Plan is not developed and implemented
Pre conference meetings are generally held at the child(ren)’s school in order to allow school personnel to participate and identify their concerns
Less flexibility with choosing a day/time for the conference

19. Step Two: Coordination
Family Engagement
Family engagement is obtained through the expressed urgency in developing a plan to address the truancy concerns in a timely manner
Contact with the child and their family should be made within 24 hours of receipt of the referral
Review and discuss the truancy concerns outlined in the referral or Truancy Elimination Plan with the parents/guardians and if appropriate, the child(ren)
Ask parent/guardians and if appropriate, the child(ren) to identify their concerns with the current situation; compare them to the truancy concerns in the referral
Identification of the natural supports in the child(ren) and family’s daily life (ex: grandparent, babysitter, family friend, etc)
Work with the family to identify the root cause(s) of the child(ren)’s truancy
Assist the parents in identifying any resources they feel they need to effectively address and eliminate truancy

20. Step Three: The Conference
The goal of the family group conference is to develop a comprehensive family plan to address concerns outlined in the referral and/or Truancy Elimination Plan
The family group decision making conference should not exceed 2.5 hours
A clear explanation of the FGDM guidelines establishes positive boundaries between participants
The structure of the conference promotes an atmosphere of compassion
The family is able to perform or participate in any traditions or rituals (ie: prayer, moment of silence, etc)
The TEP provides the framework from which the purpose and bottom lines are developed
The family agrees upon the purpose and bottom lines of the conference
A follow up meeting is scheduled before the conclusion conference

21. Step Three: The Conference Structure
The structure of the school-family conference is as follows:
Information Sharing
Introductions of the participants and their role in the conference
Review of conference guidelines
Review the TEP in order to establish the family’s commitment and agreement of the purpose and bottom lines
Discuss strengths
Discuss concerns
Present resources available to the family to address the bottom lines
Family Meal
Private Family Time
Presentation of Family Plan/Acceptance
Surveys
Schedule the Follow Up Meeting

22. Step Four: Follow Through & Follow Up
The Coordinator will check in with the family weekly to monitor the success of the family plan and identify any potential barriers that would inhibit the child and/or family from following through with the TEP and family plan and report back to school official and/or professional supports
The follow up conference will be held within days
At the follow up conference each responsible party listed in the family plan will report on the progress of their area of responsibility
A 2nd follow up conference may be scheduled between days to allow the family time to successfully execute the goals set forth in the TEP and family plan

23. Ways to Engage School Personnel
Coordinators should meet directly with school guidance counselors and administrative officials to present the benefits of utilizing the family group model to facilitate the school-family conference and TEP
Ask the school administration if you can present at their next staff meeting
Include school personnel in ongoing FGDM meetings in order to introduce them to the Family Group Decision Making process
Speak to your county children and youth agency about participating in school attendance meetings

24. Thank You!!!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me Whitney Berrio JusticeWorks YouthCare 7311 Airport Rd, Bath PA

25. Works Cited
Pennsylvania Department of Education, et. al School Attendance Improvement & Truancy Reduction February Web. 22 February /Safe%20Schools/School%20Attendance%20Improvement%20Truancy%20Reduction_Re v_February% pdf
Educational Success and Truancy Prevention Workgroup. Report to the Pennsylvania State Roundtable May Web. 22 February
What are the rules for school attendance and truancy in Pennsylvania?, Wilkes-Barre Career and Technical Training Center, n.d. Web. 25 February