Charles County officials are rolling out a new effort to keep students in class through support rather than punishment.
What’s Happening: The State’s Attorney’s Office, Charles County Public Schools, and Stella’s Girls Inc. have teamed up to launch the Chronic Absenteeism Termination Program. The 10-week pilot program started this month at Glymont Middle School in Indian Head.
What’s Important: Students who miss too much school will work with a support team—including facilitators, counselors, and mentors—to tackle whatever is keeping them out of class. The program sets weekly goals and aims to help students succeed without legal consequences.
Between the Lines: The initiative marks a shift from punishing truant students to understanding and solving the real problems behind their absences. Each student gets a personalized team to work through barriers in what officials call a “judgment-free environment.”
The Big Picture: Chronic absenteeism is a problem for school systems beyond Maryland. Several other states have reported an uptick in chronic absenteeism since the pandemic. The Charles County solution to the problem could shape policy in other states if it is successful.
The Sources: State’s Attorney’s Office for Charles County
Discover more from The Free State Press
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.