The Cleveland ISD Police Department works with Cleveland ISD and its schools relating to juvenile absenteeism.
Some duties of attendance officers are as follow:
Monitor Attendance Compliance
Investigate Violation of Compulsory Attendance
Conduct Truancy Prevention Measures
Conduct Home Visits or Contact Parents
Escort Student to School with Probable Cause (Peace Officer)
Maintain Investigative Record
Refer students to Truancy Court (when appropriate)
File Complaint Against Parent for Parent Contribution to Nonattendance (when appropriate)
Truant Conduct - The failure to attend school on 10 or more days or parts of days within a 6-month period in the same school year, by a child who is required to attend school.
Truancy - is now a civil matter handled in truancy court under Title 3A (Chapter 65) of the Family Code.
Truant Child - A person who is 12 years of age or older and younger than 19 years of age who is required to attend school.
Voluntary Enrollment of Student 19 and Over - A person who voluntarily enrolls in school after their 19th birthday is required to attend school for the entire period the program of instruction is offered. HB 2398 adds a requirement, that the district shall issue the student a notice(warning letter) after the student’s third unexcused absence stating that the student’s enrollment may be revoked.
Required to minimize referrals to truancy court must include one or more of the following:
1. Imposition of either:
a.) Behavior improvement plan
b.) School based community service
2. Refer student to counseling, mediation, mentoring, teen court program, community-based services, or other services aimed to addressing student's truancy
Parent Contributing to Nonattendance
If CISD- Police Department is able to provide evidence of a parent's criminal negligence, it may file a complaint against the parent for "parent contributing to nonattendance".
Warning Letter
In the warning notice that must be issued at the beginning of each school year, a district must explain that if a student is absent from school on ten or more days or parts of days within a six-month period, the student is subject to referral to truancy court. Parents remain subject to criminal prosecution.
Fine Range
$100 max for first offense
$200 max for second offense up to $500 for fifth or subsequent offense