Truancy Policies in Regards to MEDMS Enrollment

INFORMATIONAL LETTER: 81
POLICY CODE: JHB/KLL

TO: Superintendents of Schools

FROM: Susan Gendron, Commissioner

DATE: February 6, 2008

SUBJECT: Truancy Policies in Regards to MEDMS Enrollment

Students who meet the definitions of “Habitually Truant” contained in Title 20-A, Subchapter 2 Section 5051-A are those students who have completed grade 6 and have the equivalent of 10 full days of unexcused absences or 7 consecutive school days of unexcused absences during a school year; or are at least 7 years of age and have not completed grade 6 and have the equivalent of 7 full days of unexcused absences or 5 consecutive school days of unexcused absences during a school year.

When a student meets the criteria for “Habitually Truant”, school administrative units must maintain the student’s enrollment and also enter the student into the MEDMS Habitual Truant module while the school follows the necessary protocol for habitual truants. Entering data into the MEDMS Truancy Module requires the user to have the Truancy Update role assigned in MEDMS. The procedure for adding, viewing and updating habitual truant records is located at https://www.medms.maine.gov/MEDMS/usermanual/unit8.htm

For state assessment and accountability purposes, students entered into the Habitually Truant module who are not present for required state assessments (Maine Educational Assessment for grades 3-8 and Maine High School Assessment for third year high school students) under the No Child Left Behind Act will not count as part of a school’s participation rate. These students will automatically be considered students with special considerations and will not be counted for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).

Students who met the criteria for “Habitually Truant”, from August 2007 to February 15, 2008 must be entered into the MEDMS module by February 15, 2008 to meet assessment and accountability purposes. However, students may continue to be added after this date.

Maine Department of Education Contact Information for questions concerning: Truancy/Dropouts: Shelley Reed, 207-624-6637 or shelley.reed@maine.gov
MEDMS: MEDMS Help Desk at 207-624-6896 or medms.helpdesk@maine.gov
AYP: Rachelle Tome at 207-624-6705 or rachelle.tome@maine.gov
MHSA: Dan Hupp at 207-624-6827 or dan.hupp@maine.gov
MEA: Susan Smith at 207-624-6775 or susan.smith@maine.gov