LDOE expands 'Power of Presence' after $11.5 million in recent allocations to fight absenteeism

Lexi Pertcher, chief operating officer for the Louisiana Department of Education, briefed judges on the department's Power of Presence attendance initiative and recent funding to support local efforts. She said the program now includes a foundational tier and direct funding for attendance positions in 72 local education agencies.

"We were able to allocate over $6,500,000 specific to defendants in our systems," Pertcher said, describing targeted funding distributed in April and noting a separate $5,000,000 appropriation the Supreme Court secured to support related court‑based work. Pertcher told judges the LDOE team has already made dozens of school visits since the school year began and has worked with the three statewide SIS providers to align attendance reporting.

Department staff said the program's intent is to strengthen local capacity — including dedicated attendance staff in priority districts — and to ensure consistency in data submission and definitions. Judges pressed whether local policy on excused absences might be misused to skew attendance numbers. LDOE staff acknowledged that each LEA sets some excused‑absence parameters and said the department will continue to review reporting practices with districts.

The presentation included invitations for judges to attend upcoming Power of Presence advisory meetings and a small‑team contact path for follow‑up. LDOE distributed handouts summarizing the tiered strategy, funding targets, and next steps for technical assistance.

Why it matters: Attendance data drives early interventions and truancy oversight in juvenile dockets; judges said consistent reporting and local resources are essential to avoid inconsistent enforcement across parishes.