NCJ Number
239036
Date Published
July 2012
Length
27 pages
Annotation
Findings are presented from an evaluation of the District of Columbia Public Schools' (DPS') Case Management Partnership Initiative (CMPI), which is an intervention program intended to reduce truancy by linking truants and their families to services and case management.
Abstract
The evaluation findings indicate that the CMPI interagency partnership has had significant implementation successes as well as challenges in significantly reducing truancy rates. CMPI has created the service linkage intended for participating students and families; and the families of chronic truants have received needed services. It is less clear that the program is appreciably reducing truancy. Participants varied significantly in the level of prior-year unexcused absences. The linkage model may not be addressing all of the key factors related to the students' chronic truancy; for example, the program does not directly address academic issues that may contribute to truancy, and the existing partnership does not include mental health services. The evaluation's forthcoming final report will report on the outcomes of program participants during the current academic year. This should provide a more definitive view of the academic outcomes for current participants, as well as the implications of the outcomes. The current evaluation offers a number of recommendations for improving the program. First, the program may be starting too late to increase the chances for improved attendance among truants in the ninth grade; consideration should be given to starting months to a year earlier. Second, consideration should be given to identifying key factors causing truancy before participation in the program. Third, additional program components may be beneficial; for example, the program's family focus could be supplemented with an intensive focus on each student's academic performance; family mental health needs may also warrant more attention. 1 table, 1 figure, and 7 references