DCF tells House Education committee it supports chronic absenteeism bill, urges shared definitions and limits on department authority

The Department of Children and Families told the House Education Committee on Feb. 17 that it supports the overall direction of a proposed chronic absenteeism bill while urging clearer shared definitions, clearer limits on DCF authority and more resources for local implementation.

For the record, Erica Radke, deputy commissioner of the Family Services Division at DCF, said the department favors treating chronic absenteeism as a systems issue rather than solely a child-welfare problem and is prepared to partner with the Agency of Education on a model policy. "We really do like the overall direction of the bill," Radke said, while stressing that DCF must remain inside statutory boundaries to avoid alienating families.

Radke and Mindy Boudreaux, director of the Family Services Division Adolescent Services Unit, outlined where existing statutes and DCF policy apply. Radke noted that…