Each school district in Florida is tasked with developing a truancy prevention and punishment program for its public schools. Miami-Dade Public Schools (MDPS) has numerous initiatives to prevent and handle truancy in school-age children but also relies on parental involvement to minimize the occurrence of unexcused absences.
One of Miami-Dade’s programs is the truancy hotline (305-371-7547) which is staffed during school days from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Anyone in the Miami-Dade county area can call this hotline to report a truant student. A truancy officer or designated school official will respond to the call to retrieve the student and return him or her to the appropriate facility. To help in this initiative, MDPS has purchased new vehicles to make truancy sweeps during school hours and help with the truant transportation.
Another program to combat truancy and promote overall juvenile crime prevention is the Miami-Dade County Prevention Initiative. This 90-day program deals with issues of anger management, disruptive behavior, family issues, drug abuse, and negative peer association as well as truancy and poor academic performance.
The initiative connects at-risk youths with programs dedicated to helping individuals in these trouble areas. Upon completion of the program, some youths become program speakers, mentors or role models for future participants.
Individual schools within the Miami-Dade County school district may also have unique truancy rules and their own individual task forces or programs to combat this problem. It’s important to have a truancy defense attorney in Miami who’s familiar with your area if you or your child is charged with truancy violations.
Contacting a Truancy Defense Attorney in Miami
You are entitled to know all your legal rights before prosecution for any suspected criminal activity – including your right to legal representation. If you or your child is facing criminal charges in South Florida, your legal team is your best defense. Contact the truancy defense legal team at Falk & Ross to discuss your case – 877-663-5110.