Truancy Intervention Protocols in Olmsted County

Truancy has historically been dealt with through punitive measures and associated with specific social groups. Contemporary research has shown that truancy is a complex issue that is not necessarily associated with any group and has a variety of underlying causes. These causes can include mental or chemical health issues, child protection issues, other family factors, or problems within the school. Participants from schools within Olmsted County, Minnesota were interviewed to assess the effectiveness of their truancy intervention protocols. Based on these reports, successful protocols incorporate flexibility into a standard process to benefit the student, the family, and the school. Successful programs understand the needs of each individual student and do whatever is necessary to support the student and family. Effective programs require a commitment of a team of school and county staff. A significant amount of time, teamwork, and communication goes into the process—from first identifying the at-risk students through finding a viable solution to each case and aim to avoid excessive punitive measures. This type of program was effective for both suburban and rural schools and should be considered by any schools continuing to experience issues with truancy