XPost: fl.politics, alt.education, alt.politics.democrats   
   XPost: alt.fan.rush-limbaugh, talk.politics.guns, sac.politics   
   From: democrat-criminals@mail.house.gov   
      
   https://news.yahoo.com/alarming-orange-county-school-leaders-   
   221340148.html   
      
   The number of children regularly missing school is up in Central Florida,   
   and right now leaders are trying to figure out why.   
      
   Data presented to district leaders shows Orange County Public Schools has   
   a problem with chronic absenteeism.   
      
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   Orange County Public Schools says a student is chronically absent if   
   they’ve missed 21 days in a school year. The latest available data shows   
   27 percent of Orange County students met that benchmark in the 2021-2022   
   school year. That’s higher than the state average which was 21 percent   
   that year.   
      
   School board members discussed the “alarming” data during a meeting   
   Tuesday.   
      
   “I think if we understand it better, we can fight the problem,” said   
   Melissa Byrd, the District 7 Orange County Public Schools Board member.   
      
   Read: Former Orange County middle school teacher arrested on child porn   
   charges   
      
   The data presented to OCPS school board members shows the problem spiked   
   during the pandemic, but has not decreased.   
      
   In the 2018 -2019 school year 20 percent of OCPS high school students were   
   chronically absent. In 2020, that percentage climbed. By the 2021-2022   
   school year, 38 percent of high school students were chronically absent.   
      
   A similar trend played out for younger students, including elementary and   
   middle schoolers.   
      
   Read: Orange County students voice concerns about new guidelines   
   restricting research surveys   
      
   “Part of the problem is that students can make up their work and teachers   
   are incredibly liberal with that make-up time,” Superintendent Maria   
   Vasquez said.   
      
   However, this school year the district wants to reverse the trend. They’re   
   hiring a truancy interventionist. Whoever fills that new position will   
   track absences, promote attendance awareness, and work with students and   
   families who are struggling.   
      
   Read: Orange County Schools guidelines restrict AP students surveying on   
   ‘controversial topics’   
      
   The district is also working to change how parents are notified when   
   absences are becoming a problem. Currently, Connect Orange calls are sent   
   at end of the day notifying parents when their student is marked absent.   
      
   When students get five unexcused absences in a month, 10 in 90 day   
   calendar period, or 15 total unexcused absences, a warning letter is   
   placed into the student’s portal and mailed to families.   
      
   But leaders say they are exploring ways to implement more personalized and   
   direct communication with families.   
      
   Read: Orange County Public Schools releases guidance on student pronouns,   
   restroom rules   
      
   “We’ve got to do a better job of communicating directly to the family,”   
   said Executive Area Director Greg Moody.   
      
   An OCPS spokesperson notes that there is already a truancy team in place   
   working with the students and families who are habitually absent. That   
   team is made of over a hundred social workers, a staff attorney, and   
   specialized staff members.   
      
   But this year, leaders want to see it go beyond that team.   
      
   “Families got to know that we care, families got to know that we support   
   them, and families got to know that their kids have got to be in school,”   
   said Moody.   
      
   Read: Orange County schools to work on plan to limit students from using   
   cell phones   
      
   According to Moody, some of the reasons for absences include health   
   issues, personal stress, and adult responsibilities. Some school board   
   members also wondered how an ongoing bus driver shortage was contributing   
   to the problem.   
      
   “We know we as a district are not anywhere near serving the transportation   
   requirements for all of our families,” said District 4 School Board Member   
   Maria Salamanca. “It’s hard if a parent relies on the bus to pick up their   
   kid and they’re not being picked up several times, then those days start   
   to add up.”   
      
   Read: Orange County Public Schools offering bonuses for new, current bus   
   drivers   
      
   School board members directed staff to explore how often transportation   
   issues were leading to absences.   
      
   “If it’s a bus, at least we know what the fix is,” Vasquez said. “Even if   
   we make a small dent in getting students to come back, those are more   
   students that are engaged, that are in our schools, and are getting what   
   they need.”   
      
      
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