No Show/Missing Student Guidance

“No show” students are an issue, and especially common at the beginning of the school year. If your district policy is that the student shall be dropped if they fail to show at school prior to, or at the time of, student count day, please remember that this does not absolve a district of responsibilities regarding truancy. This action would solely be for pupil accounting purposes.

While there is no mandated process in Michigan for “dropping” or withdrawing a student, there is a process for transferring records to the new receiving school. If a district holds a cumulative file, that student belongs to the district. That district is responsible for making efforts to locate the student and ensuring enrollment prior to referring it to the truancy officer. This does not mean you have to wait until after count day to contact the truancy officer. By dropping and absolving itself of responsibility for the student, no other district or entity is concerned with the education or overall well-being of the child.

Because schools are closer and have more information for their students and families, the truancy officer relies on you for information. Here are some strategies that other truancy officers and school districts have found helpful in locating students:

• If a family notifies a teacher or other school staff that they intend on moving, obtain as much information as you can immediately, such as parent/student phone numbers, new address, new school district information, and full legal names and dates of birth for parents/guardians if possible.

• Treat all no-shows as a truancy case until a records request is received. Attempt to make contact as soon as possible by phone, email, letters home, or even a home visit if possible. Often, landlords, apartment managers, neighbors, etc. can be very helpful with obtaining a forwarding address. Don’t forget to reach out to the listed emergency contact person as well.

• When a parent/guardian comes to enroll new students, they must present an original birth certificate and complete the district's enrollment forms. This includes the student's name, date of birth, address(es), phone numbers, last school of record, and additional parent contact information. If they are unable to produce an original birth certificate, the parent/guardian can submit an affidavit of identity. Talk to known friends of the students as they are often connected via social media, etc.

• If the school has started and a student has not shown up, it is appropriate to contact law enforcement and request a “welfare check” at the last known address. If your district has a School Resource Officer, utilize that individual to conduct a welfare check.

• It may also be appropriate to contact the central intake for CPS and report a missing student if this child has not been seen by any known contacts for an extended period.

• Once the school district has done its due diligence and exhausted all efforts to locate a student, a referral can also be made to the truancy officer. This does not, however, mitigate the school’s responsibility of attempting to locate a student. As long as a school holds the CA-60, it has certain responsibilities for truancy and record keeping.

If contact with the parent is made and they state that they are homeschooling their student (s), although not required by law, you can request that they submit a homeschool notification form to the Van Buren Intermediate School District Office. If you have any questions or would like to discuss a particular student, please contact the truancy officer.