Craven County Schools outlines multiple efforts to curb chronic absenteeism, expand truancy court referrals and use alternative programs

Craven County Schools presented a comprehensive update on student attendance, chronic absenteeism and discipline at the Feb. 10 work session, showing the district remains above pre‑pandemic attendance levels in many schools but that targeted interventions are producing measurable improvements.

District staff said chronic absenteeism rose statewide after COVID‑19 and Craven’s early‑year data placed several schools in an elevated category. The superintendent and staff emphasized that students with fewer than nine absences outperform peers on state assessments and that consistent attendance correlates strongly with proficiency. Presenters also described that Kindergarten, sixth and ninth grades show particular spikes because of developmental and transition‑related challenges.

Truancy court and social‑work intervention The district described a coordinated approach between principals, school social workers and the local court system. Staff said judges have reserved designated truancy dockets and that district social workers now serve as case coordinators and attend hearings. New Bern High School, the district’s largest high school, established a weekly attendance leadership team inside its MTSS framework that meets to review 3‑, 6‑ and 10‑day absences and follow up with parents. Social‑work referrals to court and subsequent monitoring showed reductions in absence rates for many students who appeared in October and returned for hearings in January.

Discipline and alternative learning programs Dr. Greg Monroe presented discipline data showing the top incident categories by school level (disruptive behavior, disrespect, aggressive behavior, inappropriate behavior, insubordination and tardiness). The district discussed use of Alternative Learning Programs (ALP) — largely the district’s Edmentum‑based credit and coursework platform — as both a discipline alternative (long‑term suspension placements) and as a pathway for at‑risk students to continue coursework and recover credits. Staff said ALP placements do not include homebound medical services and that placement decisions follow board policy 03/4800 (alternative learning program).

Local measures and school practices Schools reported varied “carrot” strategies to incentivize attendance — classroom recognition, quarterly perfect‑attendance awards, daily announcements and targeted outreach — and principals highlighted local innovations, such as New Bern High’s attendance leadership team and elementary schools’ classroom recognition systems. The district’s five social workers were restructured geographically to serve feeder patterns and manage follow‑up on truancy referrals; staff noted one social worker planned retirement that will require temporary reassignments until staffing can be finalized.

Board requests and next steps Board members asked staff to publish trend charts showing chronic‑absence counts over time, provide reconciled vacancy numbers for social workers and EC positions, and continue work with the court system. Staff said next truancy hearings are scheduled in April and that the district will continue weekly monitoring and school‑level attendance teams.

Outcome: informational presentation; no formal vote.