SPOKANE TRUANCY CENTER

A Stay-in-School Program

The Spokane Community Truancy Center is a collaborative community effort designed to retrieve and reconnect truant students, reduce juvenile crime, and reaffirm for families the importance of education in the progress and success of young people.

Process:

During the school day, students on the street, in the malls, and neighborhoods, without verifiable, legitimate reason, may be detained by law enforcement and transported to the truancy center.  Students will remain at the center until arrangements can be made for their families to pick them up.

Passes:

Students at large in the community legitimately, and not truant, can obtain and use an early dismissal pass or a school withdrawal card to identify their status.  It is recommended that students who are suspended from school remain in their homes or other supervised settings as a condition of their suspension.

Parents:

When a student is taken to the truancy center, parents will be contacted and asked to pick up their student before 3:00 p.m.  A referral will be made to the school so that necessary interventions can be made when the student returns with the parent.  A truancy center liaison will assist the student and parent in reconnecting with the school, as well as in seeking other community resources as appropriate.  If a parent is not available, the student may be transported to the crisis residential center.

State Stay-in-School Rules:

State law requires that parents of any child eight (8) years of age and under eighteen (18) years of age are to send their children to public school in the district where they live.  The student is responsible to attend full time when school is in session.

Students are supposed to be in public school when school is in session unless they enrolled in private schools, are receiving home-based instruction, or are attending an educational center.

If a youngster is physically or mentally unable to attend school, or is attending a state-approved residential alternative school, the superintendent or designee can excuse that child from attending regular public school classes.  A student may be temporarily excused at the request of his or her parents for reasons agreed upon by school authorities and the parent.

It is expected that all other students unless excused by school authorities will attend school.

Police Chief Roger Bragdon --   "The new Truancy Program will pay big dividends in terms of more young people who are successful, and in less juvenile loitering and crime during school hours.  It's a win-win."

Superintendent Brian L. Benzel -- "Active participation in school is important for students. We work with parents and the community to assure that school-age youth remain in school. This positive partnership with the City of Spokane, the police department helps us deliver on this community expectation. Regular attendance at school is an important foundation for helping every student reach his or her full potential."

Keith Jones, Manager
Kathy Swanstrom, Community Liaison

Community Truancy Center
Havermale Alternative Center
1300 West Knox Avenue
Spokane  WA  99205
509/354-6458