Board committee outlines 'ARCHES' truancy plan, partners with juvenile court and community services

Miss Andrea Gibbons Moore, co‑chair of the board’s truancy committee, reported a new multiagency approach to reduce chronic absenteeism and speed case processing. The committee convened juvenile court representatives, the attorney general’s office, counselors and district staff to plan interventions across academics, family supports and student wellness.

Moore said the group introduced a framework called “ARChES” — Attendance, Resources, Concern, Counselors, Health, Educational, Emotional, Strategies — that assigns dedicated teams to each area and places “boots on the ground” in high‑need schools. She said juvenile court officials told the committee they can process about 25 to 30 children per month and the committee is exploring daytime or night court scheduling to improve throughput. “We feel real good going into our next school year because the kids also will be able to start,” Moore said.

The committee emphasized wraparound needs: transportation for homeless students, access to meals and quicker referral timelines so truancy cases do not simply carry forward year to year. Members said counselors and local partners offered concrete supports and the district plans to refine court dates and intervention timing. The draft truancy committee policy (policy number 130171) was reviewed; the committee will report periodically to the board and bring items forward when board attention is required.

No formal policy vote occurred during the meeting; committee chairs said they will continue coordination with juvenile court, the district’s student services department and community partners and return with an implementation schedule and specific performance targets.