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Regional Office of Education shares truancy data; longtime official announces retirement
Summary
The Regional Office of Education reported about 700 active truancy referrals as of April 9 and said nearly 200 students have been exited for improvement; the speaker also announced her impending retirement next month.
Beth, the Regional Office of Education representative, told the committee the office’s audit from the Illinois Auditor General had no findings and that she has submitted a retirement letter, with her last report to the committee expected in May.
On truancy, Beth said the data current to April 9 show roughly 700 active referrals and nearly 200 students exited for improvement. She provided a breakout (Peoria Public Schools only) to show the percentage of students with 10 or more unexcused absences and noted that larger schools naturally generate higher raw referral counts. "Glen Oak has done an outstanding job of referring their truant students to us," she said, adding that not all districts’ referrals are included in the handout and that the office serves 16 other districts as well.
Committee members asked why some eligible students are not referred; Beth said practices vary by school and some schools apply internal interventions before sending referrals to the regional office. Beth also said the office is coordinating on truancy work with staff who are ‘‘knocking on doors’’ to reach students and families.
Why it matters: committee members framed stable housing and community supports as contributors to school attendance, linking housing and public-health efforts discussed earlier in the meeting.
