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Peoria County reports attendance gains after targeted truancy interventions; summer supports planned
Summary
Regional education leaders and truancy staff reported attendance improvements for at least one severely truant student following home visits, tailored school interventions and a truancy advisory board; summer programs and partnerships are planned to sustain gains.
Dr. McKenna, Regional Office of Education representative, told the Peoria County committee about arts and education events, staffing changes and upcoming literacy programming before staff presented detailed truancy updates and interventions.
A truancy program staff member (name not specified in the transcript) reported final‑year data were still being compiled but shared a success story from one county school. The staff member said Angelo Parker, a tier‑2 specialist, worked with the student and family and the school to create a phased return‑to‑school plan. "From October 23 until the end of the school year, there were 126 days, and he attended 89½ of those," the staff member said, noting the student's attendance rose from about 4% at prereferral to about 71% after intervention.
The staff member described steps taken: a home visit, a truancy advisory board at the county school (including the principal, assistant principal, counselor and a CIPCO representative for potential special‑education needs), and a phased schedule of attending progressively more class hours. The principal emailed that the school's student support specialist had "made a huge impact" and that increased presence by county staff improved family engagement.
On summer programming, the staff member said the truancy team will run small wraparound groups at their facility with partner FamilyCore, serving an estimated 15–20 students. The groups will be separated by grade: a third‑through‑fifth grade cohort meeting Monday and Wednesday, and a sixth‑through‑eighth grade cohort meeting Tuesday and Thursday. Paul Burse will lead a male‑only series focused on routines, life skills and relationship building; planned activities include field trips such as attending a Chiefs game and swimming.
Dr. McKenna also reported education items unrelated to truancy: the Arts & Education spring celebration served 68 schools and 4,113 students; the Preschool For All program will add a classroom next year; and a literacy summit is scheduled for June 11 at Illinois Central College's Peoria campus with keynote speaker Kwame Alexander. Dr. McKenna said the Peoria Regional Learning Center has hired Dr. Michelle Cruz as principal.
Truancy staff said they will present finalized year‑end data at the next committee meeting and continue summer supports aimed at maintaining attendance gains.
