Truancy Prevention and Diversion Program

Students are considered truant if they have:

• 3 unexcused absences in a row 
• 5 unexcused absences in a semester
• 7 unexcused absences in a year

Baldwin City - USD 348
Eudora - USD 491
Lawrence - USD 497
Perry-Lecompton - USD 343

Children who have been enrolled in grades Kindergarten - 12th grade.

• Douglas County Youth Services
• Douglas County District Attorney’s Office
• Kansas Department for Children and Families
• SupportED Center for Supportive Communities
• O’Connell Children’s Shelter Inc. 

• Volunteers work with truant students as mentors
• Douglas County Juvenile Services Truancy Officer, Kate Holman, supervises the volunteers

• To stay out of the court system
• To learn coping strategies and social skills
• To find community agencies to help with family issues

• Volunteers monitor assigned students attendance and grades
• Volunteers meet weekly with students
• Volunteers encourage and assist truancy students in completing homework
• Volunteers encourage motivation by using behavioral contracts
• Volunteers provide weekly progress reports and updates to The Truancy Officer at DCYS
• DCYS and Volunteers provide reports to the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office
• Volunteers testify in Review Hearings and Child in Need of Care Court proceedings