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START works to keep kids in school Coalition of human service and law enforcement agencies helps parents solve problems that cause truancy By JILL BRISKEY It's not easy to rattle off simple solutions when it comes to chronically absent students in the Rogue Valley. Sometimes it's a case of head lice that keeps children out of the classroom for weeks on end. Local schools have a "no-nit" policy that prohibits children from attending classes until all louse eggs are gone. Oregon law requires that children receive education Parents and guardians have a legal responsibility to make sure their children attend school. According to Oregon Revised Statute 163.577, a parent or lawful guardian must provide children between the ages of 7 and 15 with basic sustenance, care, nutrition and medical care. The statute also requires a parent or guardian to provide for their child's educational needs by making sure they miss no more than 20 percent of their classes. Law enforcement can cite a parent or guardian for failure to supervise a child if the student has missed too much school. Although not a criminal matter, the citation can carry a $1,000 fine if the accused adult is found guilty. Except for those who qualify for specific exemptions, children in Oregon are required to attend at least 80 percent of the school year. Tardy students often receive half-day absences on their record for each time they are late. Finding the root of chronic school absences is a job that takes persistence and hard work, said Carl Erickson of Jackson County Community Justice. It's the reason the local Student Attendance Review Team (START) was formed, he added. START began in Medford almost six years ago, and has expanded to include schools in Ashland, Eagle Point, Rogue River, Phoenix and Talent. The agency is made up of police officers, Jackson County Community Justice workers, school staff and employees from the Oregon Department of Human Services. Since its inception, START members have identified a number of recurring problems that keep kids out of the classroom. Common factors include a lack of child care that forces older siblings to stay home and care for their younger brothers or sisters. Other times, parents have no transportation and school buses aren't available. "A lot of children aren't able to get to school," said Erickson, who serves as deputy director for the county's juvenile services. "(START members) sit down with the family and go over what are our options, what are our parameters?" START members select at-risk students through a review process, targeting kids who miss between 30 and 60 percent of the school year. The group works with the child's entire family individually and hammers out a plan that involves immediate and long-range solutions, Erickson said. Follow-up visits are required. START receives no funding. Erickson said each agency volunteers its employees' time and the agency's resources. The services are free to the hundreds of families who need help. "We've seen in most cases that families respond," said Tom Ettel, Jackson Elementary School principal. "Most respond really well to problem-solving and getting their kids to school." An estimated 600 children and their families have worked with the START program. The relapse rate is almost nil, said Erickson. He estimates that only eight citations have been issued to parents or guardians of students in the START group for "failure to supervise a child," a noncriminal charge handed out when a child misses more than 20 percent of the school year. Erickson said the START program keeps parents out of the court system and keeps kids in school where they belong. "It's not a punitive measure. It's not something we want to punish people for, but rather point out that these are the issues," he said. Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.