Parents who think “hard labor” is waking their teen to get her to school on time should consider the wording of state truancy laws: Those who don’t get kids to school regularly “shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction be fined not more than $100 and may also be sentenced to hard labor for the county for not more than 90 days.”

Harsh? Yes. In reality, very few parents spend time in jail for truancy.

But educators defend the stern wording, saying it is intended to ensure that parents know the law and to catch potential repeat offenders.

The Alabama Department of Education requires schools to notify parents after one unexcused absence, although each school staff decides how to handle notification, whether by phone call or letter. Legislation requiring immediate notification was passed in late 2004; previously, notification was required after five unexcused absences.

Systems began the first-offense notification this school year.

Dwayne Clark, truancy officer for Limestone County Schools for 12 years, said some parents do not realize the importance of attendance and the letters may shock them into making better decisions.

“A lot of parents I deal with say they’re just not aware of the laws or say they’re not aware their kids are missing school,” he said. The letters also provide a paper trail so schools can prove they have attempted to notify parents of a potential problem, Clark said.

Truancy is declining in Limestone County schools, Clark said, attributing increased attendance to early warnings and aid of school resource officers. County schools provide an officer at each high school; officers also spend time at feeder schools each week.

“They’ve been invaluable to us,” Clark said.

Despite the decrease, unexcused absences continue to be a problem in city and county schools.

During the 2002-’03 school year, 134 county students were taken to juvenile court for truancy. In 2003-’04, 86 students were taken to court; in 2004-’05, 80 students went to court and until February of this year, 76 county students have gone to court.

Of 811 Athens High School students, 51 (or 6.2 percent) have more than five unexcused absences to date this school year, said Chris Hamilton with Athens City Schools.

But system-wide, average daily attendance through March 10 is 96 percent, said Lucinda Bassham, attendance officer for Athens City Schools.

Although several people recently wrote anonymously to The News Courier to complain about receiving notification or having to provide excuses for each absence, administrators at Athens and Limestone County schools say parents are made aware at the beginning of each school year what attendance policies are. They must sign forms stating they have read the policy and return them to school.





Holding parents accountable







Clark said the reason schools stress attendance is that researchers have correlated missed school days to higher dropout rates and increased delinquent behavior. While many parents receiving notices are those of non-problem elementary students who were kept from school for trips to their grandparents’ house or a long weekend vacation, Clark said it is better to let parents know early the value of school attendance.

“Research has proven the more kids miss, the more likely they are to end up in juvenile court,” Clark said. “A kid who is truant a lot will more likely end up in trouble.”

The state DOE also cites research on truancy:

“Costs of truancy are multi-faceted and involve corrective measures taken by schools and courts; academic failure; and juvenile delinquency often leading to adult criminal behavior,” the DOE Web site states. “Data from the 2000 census show that high school dropouts had only a 52 percent employment rate in 1999, compared to 71 percent for high school graduates, and 83 percent for college graduates. Of those who worked full-time year-round in 1999, high school dropouts earned only 65 percent of the median earnings.”

Clark said students who miss school, and therefore do poorly on schoolwork, will not enjoy learning.

“If they establish interest in school early, the more they succeed,” he said.

Bassham said poor attendance has far-reaching implications.

“If a child is in school every day, the child can develop as a whole child, not only academically but socially, emotionally and recreationally,” she said. “It helps them become a part of social group.”

Class time is also necessary to ensure children do well on standardized tests.

“I feel it is extremely important students are kept in school to keep up on the standards required in the Alabama course of study,” she said. “In standardized testing, if they’re not there, they will not have been exposed to the test items.”

Clark said truancy laws generally pertain to students ages 7-16, but an amendment states that any child registered in school must abide by attendance laws.

“That has helped a bunch,” he said. “We can see a big improvement.”

Parents of younger students in particular may not feel attendance is important.

“The parents of many 5 year olds say they don’t have to go and then they are not prepared for first grade because they have so many absences,” he said.

State law states that children do not have to be in school until age 7, but most children are enrolled at 5 for kindergarten.

All parents are notified of attendance laws at the beginning of each school year. Athens City Schools’ form states:

“Parents who 1) fail to enroll their child/ren in school or 2) do not require them to attend regularly shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction be fined not more than $100 and may also be sentenced to hard labor for the county for not more than 90 days. Students who are absent without a legal excuse shall be considered unexcused. Students who are unexcused on more than three occasions will be considered habitually truant.”

“Legal” excuses include: Personal illness, death in the immediate family, inclement weather which would be dangerous to the life and health of the child as determined by the school principal; legal quarantine or subpoena, emergency conditions as determined by the principal or prior permission of the principal and consent of the parent or legal guardian.

Excuses must be sent to the teacher within three days for the absence to be excused, Bassham said.

School systems statewide now keep attendance using Software Technology Inc., a software program recommended by the state DOE, Hamilton said.







Facing judgment









The first warning, which comes after one unexcused absence, is in the form of a letter or phone call. It reiterates truancy laws.

In city schools, the second warning comes from Bassham’s office and the third requires an appearance in Limestone County District Court for an Early Warning meeting.

Parents will be summoned to court via a sheriff’s deputy if they do not attend Early Warning or if absences continue, Bassham said. At that time, the judge decides punishment for the parent, if any.

“If parents fail to attend court after receiving the warning, an alias warrant is issued for their arrest,” Bassham said.

Clark said parents of students in Limestone County schools are contacted by a school resource officer, who are also sheriff’s deputies, after five unexcused absences.

“The resource officer explains the truancy law,” Clark said. “If the unexcused absences persist, parents are called into truancy court and face up to 90 days in jail, court costs and fines.”

In addition, high school students face what, for many, is severe punishment: loss of their drivers licenses.

In Athens City Schools, students who have 10 consecutive or a total of 15 unexcused absences, or those who drop out, may lose their licenses.

In county schools, loss of license occurs only when a student drops out of school and does not provide proof that he or she is working toward a GED, providing sole transportation for a disabled parent or employed full time.

They also may not graduate on time, Bassham said.

“At Athens High School, if you have five unexcused absences, you will not receive any credit for the course,” she said.

Generally, students in city and county schools are allowed 10 excused absences per school year, but because Athens High School is on a block schedule, when those absences occur determines if students get course credit.

Whether or not a doctor’s excuse is required rather than a parent’s note depends on the number of absences the student has to date and what the individual situation is.

Also, more absences may be approved in the case of a documented, long-term illness. In extreme cases, children are provided a tutor at home so they can receive credit and not stay behind a school year.

The state Legislature making truancy requirements stricter has helped schools have an impact, said Limestone County Schools Superintendent Dr. Barry Carroll.

“It’s been helpful in reducing truancy,” he said. “Working with the court system for those who are truant certainly is a deterrent. It’s not just a school officer saying you need to have your child here and have them here on time.”