BATON ROUGE (AP) — State budget cuts and a directive from Gov. Bobby Jindal's office effectively ended LSU's involvement with
statewide truancy programs for at-risk youths.
The LSU Office of Social Service Research Development said Wednesday that it will end its 16-year partnership with the Truancy
Assessment and Service Center on July 1. It blamed the move on a $331,000 budget cut handed down from the state late last
month.
An East Baton Rouge Parish school
administrator, Domoine Rutledge, familiar with the program tells The
Advocate removing LSU from the process could compromise anti-truancy
efforts around the state.
East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore III, another vocal supporter of the TASC program, called it one of
the most effective initiatives he's seen and a model for similar efforts. He called LSU's announcement "sad to see."
Kristy Nichols, Jindal's commissioner of
administration, said in a prepared statement released Wednesday night:
"The Truancy
Assessment and Service Center program itself is not ending, the
centers did not get a funding reduction, and the centers still
have $2.4 million in funding to continue their activities and core
functions of reducing truancy and getting kids back in
school in 21 parishes. Part of the midyear deficit plan, however,
included finding efficiencies and savings of $331K in administrative
costs."
Created by the Legislature in 1998 to prevent students from dropping out and diverting at-risk youths away from crime, TASC
targets K-5 students referred to the program by schools after a certain number of absences.
A TASC officer reviews the case and determines if the student is considered a risk for chronic truancy. If so, the officer
works with the student's family to craft a tailored service plan aimed at improving the student's school participation.
Officers also follow up with students and monitor their progress.
When TASC gets involved, 85 percent of the students stay in school, said Cecile Guin, LSU's OSSRD director. The program has
served 82,000 children in 32 parishes over the years, she added.