Transcript Department of Justice 2012 Coordinated Tribal Assistance

Office of Juvenile Justice and
Delinquency Prevention
Effective Tribal Truancy
Prevention Strategies
Opening in a good way…
Vision
Vision is not analytic;
it is intuitive.
It is knowing in your
bones what can or must
be done.
Vision isn’t forecasting;
it is creating the future by
taking action in the
present
Truancy and School Dropouts
Student
non-attendance is a
problem that extends
much further than the
school. It affects the
student, the family, and
the community.
Facts

80% of dropouts were chronically truant before dropping
out.

90% of youth in detention for delinquent acts were
chronically truant.

Truancy is one of the early warning signs that a student is
headed for a variety of problems.

A nation-wide study found that 75% of truant middle and
high school students failed to graduate.
Please Type into the Chat
What truancyrelated challenges
are you facing in
your community?
Graduation among Native Youth


82% of AI/AN students graduate from high school
(cf. 90% of students in the general population).
65% of AI/AN high school students complete
freshman year (cf. 76% of all students in the
general population).
Reading Skills


81% of AI/AN 8th graders read below grade level
(cf. 62 % of Caucasian 8th graders).
74% of AI/AN 12th graders read below grade level
(cf. 57% of Caucasian 12th graders).
POLL
Check all truancy reduction activities you
are currently engaged in.
Truancy code development
 Truancy prevention plan
 Early warning system
 Mentoring
 Positive physical, social, and/or cultural activities
 None of the above

Reasons for Truancy
In broad terms, the reasons
for youth truancy can be understood from
four perspectives: personal, family,
school, and community.
http://www.aidainc.net/monograph.pdf
Student Factors for Truancy
Lack of personal and educational ambition
 Poor academic performance
 Retention / overage for grade
 Poor relationships with other students
 Gang involvement
 Unmet mental health needs
 Alcohol and drug abuse

Family and Community Factors
Negative peer influences
 External pressure to stay home to help with family
 Child abuse and neglect
 Family disorganization
 Teen pregnancy or parenthood
 Lack of family support
 Violence
 Differing culturally-based attitudes toward
education

School Factors for Truancy
Inconsistent and ineffective school attendance
policies
 Poor record keeping
 Unsafe school environment
 Poor relations with teachers
 Inadequate identification of special education
needs

Cultural Conflict

Cultural disconnect between average public
school and AI/AN communities that it serves is
partially to blame for the gap between AI/AN and
Caucasian students’ academic achievement.

Civil rights and cultural identities of AI/AN
students are often not supported in the
classroom.
Truancy and Bullying

An OJJDP study found that if bullying results in
the victim becoming less engaged in school,
then the victim is more likely to cease attending
school and trying to achieve.
(Seeley, Tombari, Bennett & Dunkle, 2011).
Consequences of Bullying
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Truancy
School shootings
Low self-esteem
Depression, loneliness, &
anxiety
Suicidal thoughts
Please type into the
chat
 What
types of school engagement
strategies are currently being
employed in your community?
Effective Program Strategies
Collaboration: creating a broad-based
multidisciplinary partnership
 True family involvement: active parent
engagement
 A comprehensive approach

Effective Strategies
Effective programs:
meaningful consequences for truancy and
meaningful incentives for attendance
 A supportive context
 Rigorous evaluation and ongoing assessment

Guiding Principles for Working with Youth
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Help youth develop a meaningful
relationship with a significant adult
Expose youth to a healthy lifestyle
Develop job skills
Participate in positive physical,
cultural and social activities
Provide the opportunity to give
back to the community through
community service
Restorative Practices
Restorative Practices such as Talking Circles and
Family Group Decision Making Conferences
(FGDMC) are proving successful in Indian
Country, as these practices
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•
•
•
•
are asset-based.
involve the family.
empower the youth and family.
are culturally responsive.
include shared responsibility to solving the issues at
hand.
POLL
What partnerships do you currently have
that are focused on reducing truancy?
Schools
 Law Enforcement
 Social Services
 Mental Health Agencies
 Community-based Organizations
 None of the above

BUILDING EFFECTIVE
PARTNERSHIPS
Spiritual
Leaders
Tribal
Court
Schools
Community
Youth
Parents
Tribal
Council
Treatment
Police
WHO ARE YOUR PARTNERS?
Strategies for Engaging Law
Enforcement (an example)
Up to 68% of daytime crime has been reduced through
effective intervention and identification of truant youth.



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Get buy-in from the Chief/Captain of Police
Focus on what CAN be done
Recognize that police work is not an isolated activity;
community members must share responsibility for
solving community problems like truancy
Approach younger officers who may be willing to
donate some time to project activities
Key Practices
1.
2.
3.
4.
Focus on building trusting collaborative
relationships
Recognize, respect, and address families’
needs as well as cultural differences
Embrace a philosophy of partnership
Be “strength-based”
 Embrace a mindset of “what CAN we do?”
versus “what we CAN’T do”
Sample Options for Connecting and
Engaging Youth in Schools and Communities
Tutoring
 Meaningful community service
 Clubs and extracurricular activities

PROMISING
APPROACHES TO
TRUANCY
PREVENTION IN
INDIAN COUNTRY
Seneca Nation of New York
"Growing Good Minds” youth group
 Grandparents Club
 Community members teaching each other how
to make rattles, drums, and other cultural arts

Seneca Nation : Summary
Community involvement
 Youth participation in field trips and volunteering
activities
 Prevention Specialist works closely with school

Shingle Springs Band of Miwok
Indians - California

Truancy program

The County Student Attendance Review Board
(SARB) process: codified and being refined

Developing Education Code for Tribe, including
jurisdiction over truant tribal member youth
Lac Courte Oreilles Tribe Boys
and Girls Club - Wisconsin


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Truancy Prevention Project
72% reduction of chronic truancy for Native students
population in past 3 years
Empowering students to "tell their story" and providing
them with new self-empowerment tools
DISCUSSION
Additional Resources
National Center for School Engagement
www.schoolengagement.org

Center for Delinquency Prevention and Youth
Development
www.delinquencyprevention.org

National Dropout Prevention Centers
www.dropoutprevention.org

EDC Tribal Youth Training & Technical
Assistance Center serving OJJDP Tribal
Youth Programs
www.tribalyouthprogram.org
CLOSING…