Truancy and Attendance

  • Truancy and Dropout Prevention

    Galena Park I.S.D.'s Truancy/Dropout Prevention program aims to increase students' attachment to school and help them overcome personal and family impediments to school attendance. Campus Truancy/dropout clerks combined with Campus Attendance clerks, Counselors, and Administrators, as well as the PEP Self-Sufficiency Specialist, and Early Head Start Family Specialists collaborate and corroborate with the students, parents, other school staff, and the community at large to provide students with other supports for attendance, such as outside counseling, health care, assistance from social services professionals, prenatal and child care, transportation, clothing, etc. Through Health and Intervention Services, truancy/dropout clerks are given opportunities to receive training and direction for assisting students who are chronically absent and are potential dropouts. The truancy/dropout clerks, having a close relationship with parents, provide information such as the following:

    • The consequences of truancy for students, educationally and legally;
    • The consequence for families, who may be held legally liable and suffer economic sanctions;
    • Ways to communicate realistic expectations about school achievement and respect for school and educators;
    • Signs of children's disengagement from school;
    • Strategies for getting children to school.

    In monthly meetings, truancy clerks look at goals, objectives, and barriers in managing student attendance. Attendance clerks are familiar with best practices in student attendance accounting as suggested by Region IV Education Service Center's PEIMS staff. Four secondary schools have this service available.

    Program Components
    • Truancy and Dropout Prevention
    • Staff Development
    • CHAMPS
    • Mediation