TRACK (Truancy Reduction & Attendance Coalition of Kern) is a collaborative project focused on increasing school attendance and decreasing juvenile delinquency. The TRACK Truancy Prevention Campaign has formed subcommittees to tackle the three main elements of organizing the Fall truancy prevention campaign: 1) designing a comprehensive a media campaign; 2) organizing a truancy prevention summit or press conference; and 3) focused truancy round-ups.

1) MEDIA CAMPAIGN ON TRUANCY

Goal: To create a comprehensive media campaign that is focused on increasing student and parent awareness of compulsory attendance laws and raise awareness of community agencies and resources that will support parents in overcoming barriers to getting their children to school; and increase understanding of the consequences of truancy (Fines, community service, loss of driving license or learner’s permit, withholding work permits and jail time, as well the long-range consequences of missing school and dropping-out. The media campaign subcommittee will design a series of TV/Radio PSAs on truancy, create print media materials and website resources for school staff, law enforcement and concerned parents on truancy.

2) TRUANCY PREVENTION SCHOOL ATTENDANCE INCENTIVES/EVENTS

A series of events that would provide the campaign with focal events to draw media and community attention to the campaign. Our goal for these events would be to exhibit the collaborative nature of the coalition as a UNITED Front addressing truancy and to highlight the following key elements of the campaign:

(a) To target various key segments of the population with the message about truancy
     (Elementary kids/parents, middle school truants/parents, and high schoolers);

(b) Multi-agency collaborative to address truancy with a comprehensive approach
     (law enforcement, schools, DA's Office, Courts, Mental Health, business partners).

3) FOCUSED TRUANCY ROUND-UPS

Goal: To show some previously identified habitual/chronic truants and their families that TRACK represents a united front that is serious about truancy by conducting a series of high-profile round-ups of truants/parents of truants in at least two metro Bakersfield areas and in at least two outlying areas. Our aim will be to draw media and community attention to the campaign by involving a multi-agency collaborative in the round-ups.

4) LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY

Goal: To advocate for changes in local ordinances, State Ed. Code, and state laws to help address habitual/chronic truants and their families. Our aim will be to woprk together with schools, community partners and legislators to draft and pass legislative changes to support this multi-agency collaborative.