HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 8168 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. _ 8168
�pTEq� January 19,i 1999
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
CXSubject:
'87 UNEXCUSED ABSENCES FROM SCHOOL
This report will deal with the truancy problem in the City of Fort Worth and the Fort Worth
Police Department's role in dealing with children suspected of unexcused absences from school
and the crimes committed by juveniles while absent from school.
For the school year 97/98 (August `97 through May `98) the Fort Worth Independent School
District Attendance Control Office reported receiving 651 students who were absent from school.
These students were either truant as defined by the Texas Family Code 51.03 or were not in
attendance as required by the Texas Education Code, 25.085-Compulsory Attendance.
THE TEXAS FAMILY CODE 51.03 classifies the unexcused voluntary absence of a child
from school or the unexcused voluntary absence of a child on 10 or more days or parts of
days within a six month period, or 3 or more days or parts of days within a four week
period without the consent of a parent or guardian, "Delinquent Conduct/Conduct
Indicating a Need for Supervision."
THE TEXAS EDUCATION CODE 25.085-COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE stipulates, a
child who is required to attend school each school day for the entire period the program of
instruction is provided and a child who is at least 6 years of age and who has not yet
reached the child's 18th birthday shall attend school.
Absentee statistics provided by the Attendance Control Office of the Fort Worth Independent
School District include:
• 7,316 warning letters were sent to parents/guardians of students with excessive absences
during the 97/98 school year. This number includes both students with excessive absences
and truant according to the legal definition described above.
• 899 court cases involving attendance were filed with the Justice of the Peace Courts during
the 97/98 school year.
• The attendance rate for FWISD high schools for the first six weeks period of the 98/99 school
year was 93.61%. The second six weeks period indicated an attendance rate of 93.38%.
• The attendance rate for FWISD middle schools for the first six weeks period of the 98/99
school year was 95.71%. The second six weeks period indicated an attendance rate of
93.80%.
i
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH,TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 8168
T 'FO - January 19,1999
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council Page 2 of 3
x
Subject:
UNEXCUSED ABSENCES FROM SCHOOL
The impact on Part I Crime statistics (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, theft,
auto theft, and arson) provided by the Fort Worth Police Department, Youth Section include:
• 2,247 juveniles were arrested for Part I Crimes during all time frames during the 97/98 school
year.
• 656 juveniles were arrested by the Police Department for Part I Crimes occurring during
school hours (8 AM-4 PM) during the 97/98 school year.
• 78 juveniles were arrested in schools by School Security Initiative officers for Part I offenses
during the 97/98 school year.
According to the Fort Worth Police Department, School Security Initiative Section officers
effected 2,691 arrests for all crime categories (Part I and Part II). The total arrests effected
include 73 Part I and 2,613 Part II. Part II arrests includes all categories of detention/citation
offenses, e.g., Disorderly Conduct, Assault, and Disruption of Classes.
Current enforcement strategies include a FWPD General Order directive in effect that instructs all
police officers to stop and investigate juveniles who are absent from school during school hours.
In an agreement with the Fort Worth Independent School District, only those students found off
campus BEFORE 11:00 AM and AFTER 1:00 PM are taken to the Attendance Control Center
located at 3201 West Lancaster. This policy is followed due to different policies at each school
involving off campus lunch privileges.
Students of compulsory attendance age who are not registered in school and students of
compulsory school age who have appeared before a third party hearing and are not enrolled in an
Alternative Education Program are also brought to the Attendance Control Center. A third party
hearing is held before a Fort Worth Independent School District official who determines whether
a student will remain at his or her home school or whether the student will be placed in an
alternative program.
Zero Tolerance teams and Neighborhood Patrol Officers are routinely conducting special absentee
enforcement details in areas that report high numbers of juveniles congregating during school
hours. In conjunction with these details, Zero Tolerance and patrol teams also conduct directed
burglary operations.
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH,TEXAS
INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 8168
January 19, 1999
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council Page 3 of 3
Subject: UNEXCUSED ABSENCES FROM SCHOOL
The School Security Initiative officers will continue current enforcement strategies as described
above. In addition, each new school day the School Initiative officers will check the absenteeism
rate in their respective schools. Those officers discovering an above average absenteeism rate on a
I z:1
given day will contact the applicable Neighborhood Policing District and provide the commander
or designee with the name and address of the school experiencing the problem. Based on the
information provided, the division commander will be able to develop specific enforcement
strategies,
The Police Department will continue to work together with the Fort Worth Independent School
District in an effort to impact the truancy problem.
If you need additional information, please don't hesitate to contact Libby Watson, Assistant City
Manager or Thomas R. Windham, Chief of Police.
Aober It
ity Manager
LISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH,TEXAS
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