Lawmakers Weigh How To Help Truant Students

There can be a host of reasons for a student to have unexcused absences from school – from conflicts with classmates or untreated learning disabilities to parents who need support or those who are hiding abuse.

Supporters say House Bill 4656 turns punitive measures against students who miss school into preventative measures that can be offered earlier. 

But those who work to get kids back to class told the Senate Education Committee Wednesday that the bill removes courtroom referrals that are needed to help in the hardest cases. 

“The kids need assistance. The families need assistance, and we want to be able to offer them that assistance. And sometimes that assistance is not available without a court order, without a judge or someone saying this needs to occur,” said Cynthia Hedrick, director of attendance for the Fayette County Board of Education. 

“Sometimes we find that when we go into our truancy diversion program that opens up other doors and avenues and other services that need to be offered,” Hedrick said.

In the most troubling cases, “This new bill takes away the ability for the court to take that juvenile and put them with a family member in the community, or something along those lines, to help jumpstart their attendance and then eventually return them back home,” said Zachary Trainum, school-based probation officer in Greenbrier County.

He said he is concerned that without the support services and the watchful eye of a court case, students will fall through the cracks.

“Essentially, I feel that we’re going to have juveniles left in homes that are unsafe for them,” Trainum said.  

Taylor County assistant prosecutor Allison Iapalucci told the committee she referred 62 cases to court last year.

“Approximately a third of those cases were actually tied to underlying abuse and neglect actions. So we use the mechanism of a truancy case to open up opportunities and to open up services for children,” Iapalucci said.

The committee ran out of time – so with the clock ticking toward the end of the legislative session on Saturday, the bill has been re-referred back to the committee for further consideration.