118.162 Truancy committee and plan.

(1) At least once every 4 years, in each county, the school district administrator of the school district which contains the county seat designated under s. 59.05, or his or her designee, shall convene a committee to review and make recommendations to the school boards of all of the school districts in the county on revisions to the school districts' truancy plans under sub. (4m). The committee shall consist of the following members:

(a) A representative from each school district in the county, designated by the school board of the school district that he or she represents, who may be a school board member, school administrator, teacher, pupil services professional or parent of a child enrolled in the school district. If the territory of a school district lies in more than one county, the school district shall have a representative on the committee for the county in which the largest portion of the school district's equalized valuation is located.

(am) A representative from each tribal school in the county, designated by the governing body of the tribal school that he or she represents, who may be a member of the tribal school governing body, school administrator, teacher, pupil services professional, or parent of a child enrolled in that tribal school.

(b) A representative of the office of the district attorney, designated by the district attorney.

(c) A representative of the sheriff's department, designated by the sheriff.

(d) A representative of the local law enforcement agency, other than the sheriff's department, with jurisdiction over the county seat, designated by the chief administrative officer of the law enforcement agency.

(e) A representative of the circuit court for the county, designated by the chief judge of the judicial administrative district.

(f) A representative of the county department of social services under s. 46.22, designated by the county social services director, or, if the duties of the department under s. 46.22 have been transferred to a department under s. 46.23, a representative of the county department of human services under s. 46.23, designated by the county human services director.

(g) A representative of the juvenile court intake unit, designated by the county social services director, or, if the duties of the department under s. 46.22 have been transferred to a department under s. 46.23, designated by the county human services director, or designated by the chief judge of the judicial administrative district.

(h) If a county department of human services has not been established under s. 46.23, a representative of a county department established under s. 51.42 or 51.437, designated by the director of the department established under s. 51.42 or 51.437.

(i) Any other member as determined by the committee.

(j) A parent of a pupil enrolled in a private school, who resides in a school district in the county, designated by the county board.

(k) A parent of a pupil enrolled in a public school, who resides in a school district in the county, designated by the county board.

(L) A parent of a pupil enrolled in a home-based private educational program, who resides in a school district in the county, designated by the county board.

(m) A parent of a pupil enrolled in a tribal school located in the county, who resides in the county, designated by the county board.

(2) The district attorney representative on the committee shall participate in reviewing and developing any recommendations regarding revisions to the portions of the school districts' plans under sub. (4) (e).

(3) The committee shall write a report to accompany the recommendations under sub. (1). The report shall include a description of the factors that contribute to truancy in the county and a description of any state statutes, municipal ordinances or school, social services, law enforcement, district attorney, court or other policies that contribute to or inhibit the response to truancy in the county. A copy of the report shall be submitted to each of the entities identified in sub. (1) (b) to (h) and any other entity designating members on the committee under sub. (1) (i).

(4) Not later than September 1, 1989, each school board shall adopt a truancy plan which shall include all of the following:

(a) Procedures to be followed for notifying the parents or guardians of the unexcused absences of habitual truants under s. 118.16 (2) (cr) and for meeting and conferring with such parents or guardians.

(b) Plans and procedures for identifying truant children of all ages and returning them to school, including the identity of school personnel to whom a truant child shall be returned.

(c) Methods to increase and maintain public awareness of and involvement in responding to truancy within the school district.

(d) The immediate response to be made by school personnel when a truant child is returned to school.

(e) The types of truancy cases to be referred to the district attorney for the filing of information under s. 938.24 or prosecution under s. 118.15 (5) and the time periods within which the district attorney will respond to and take action on the referrals.

(f) Plans and procedures to coordinate the responses to the problems of habitual truants, as defined under s. 118.16 (1) (a), with public and private social services agencies.

(g) Methods to involve the truant child's parent or guardian in dealing with and solving the child's truancy problem.

(4m) At least once every 2 years, each school board shall review and, if appropriate, revise the truancy plan adopted by the school board under sub. (4).

History: 1987 a. 285; 1995 a. 77, 201; 1997 a. 239; 2009 a. 302.