Truancy Declines Since Attendance Support Program Began

By Gordon HopkinsJefferson County Schools have seen a dramatic drop in truancy referrals since the county first implemented its Attendance Support Program.The county originally had an interlocal agreement with Seward County, which provided both an Attendance Support Program and Diversion Services. These are problem-solving programs designed as an alternative to incarceration and to keep people from ending up in the court system. In 2019, Seward County opted not to renew the agreement and Jefferson County instead created its own programs.Heather Watson is director of the Attendance Support Program. Peggy Galloway is director of Diversion Services. The two programs work closely together.Jefferson County Commissioners believe there is a connection between school truancy and later criminal behavior. Therefore, the Attendance Support Program focuses on early identification of students with attendance issues and “redirecting” those children. After a student has five days of truancy, that student is referred to the Attendance Support Program.Peggy Galloway gave commissioners an update at a meeting on Tuesday, April 23, 2024. She provided the number of referrals for the last three years, which showed a significant decline: 2020-2021: 292 referrals 2021-2022: 251 referrals 2022-2023: 177 referralsGalloway added, “You got to remember, when she (Watson) started, we were at over 300 referrals for truancy.”Cause of TruancyWhile the decline in truancy is a positive step, Galloway noted the numbers are still high considering the size of the school system. Galloway was blunt in her assessment as to the root cause, “The biggest problem with that is there’s no accountability or responsibility by the parents. They blame it on the kid. It’s always the kid. But that comes from the home. And the school goes above and beyond to try and work with them. And Heather goes above and beyond to try to work with them.”Galloway added, “It’s learned behavior, because the parents don’t value education, or authority, or the rules. And so the kids don’t either.” Whispering AcresSince 2021, the State of Nebraska is receiving a series of annual payments for settlements resulting from lawsuits against manufacturers and distributors of opioids. Galloway hopes to use some of that money for family programming.“I went to the Opioid Settlement Summit. Heather and I did to go listen to what they were going to try and allocate all the funding for, the ways that it can be used, they ways that it can’t be used,” said Galloway. “So I asked for funds. I asked for $9,400. For money to be able to send families to Whispering Acres.”Whispering Acres,owned and operated by Jill Kuzelka, is a non-profit 501(c)3 that provides Equine Assisted Learning (EAL), which is an educational program that is facilitated with individual or small group formats which focuses on activities with horses.“Jill has a great family program where they can learn to communicate better, they can learn accountability, they can learn responsibility, you know, it’s through the animals and through working with the staff,” said Galloway. “We’ve got to try. I mean, we have no family programming that will make them have to sit down and say, it is not just your kids fault. This is on you as a parent.”“So, we’re hoping that by implementing this,” said Galloway. “And, hopefully, we can get them some skills to help them communicate better, do better.”“It’s for their future,” said Galloway. “If they don’t get education now, what are they going to be as adults?”

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