{"id":1474,"date":"2024-03-12T04:12:55","date_gmt":"2024-03-12T04:12:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/cfcc\/?p=1474"},"modified":"2024-03-12T13:27:54","modified_gmt":"2024-03-12T13:27:54","slug":"the-tcap-recap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ubalt.edu\/cfcc\/2024\/03\/12\/the-tcap-recap\/","title":{"rendered":"The TCAP Recap: New Year, New Name, Same Intitiative."},"content":{"rendered":"

By Michele Hong<\/span><\/p>\n

After over 18 years of supporting chronically absent students and families in Baltimore City and across Maryland, the Truancy Court Program (TCP) has\u00a0<\/span>changed its name! Beginning in the 2023-2024 school year, what was once known as the TCP is now the Tackling Chronic Absenteeism Project (TCAP). Despite the new moniker, the program remains the same \u2013 a non-punitive, holistic, and restorative approach to addressing chronic absenteeism in Baltimore City Public Schools (City Schools). During the Fall 2023 Session, TCAP operated in six City Schools, including one elementary school, three elementary\/middle schools, and two high schools.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Global Gardens Students at Collington Square Elementary\/Middle School<\/p><\/div>\n

The Fall 2023 session kicked off with Orientations at each of the six schools in mid-September. During the Fall 2023 session, the TCAP Team served 78 students and families. The TCAP Team consists of a Coordinator, Mentor, Case Manager, and Attorney. Each weekly session includes check-ins with a volunteer judge, restorative circles, and academic tutoring from staff or UBalt students. Throughout the week, members of the TCAP Team work diligently to address any individual or systemic issues that are uncovered in the weekly check-ins, phone calls, texts, and restorative circles. While the issues impacting truancy are myriad, barriers that frequently resonate with our families include h<\/span>ousing insecurity, transportation, food insecurity, violence, trauma, and parental incarceration. Throughout the Fall session, the TCAP Team completed 12-14 weekly sessions at each of the six schools, culminating in graduations held at each school beginning in mid-December.<\/span><\/p>\n

Students who successfully fulfill all program obligations and requirements graduate from the program. TCAP changed its graduation metrics to better align the program with City Schools\u2019 chronic absenteeism efforts. Historically, students graduated from the TCP, if they demonstrated a 65% decrease in absences and\/or tardies. Schools are now focusing on \u201cattendance rates.\u201d As a result, students graduate from the TCAP when at least one of the following conditions is met:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1)<\/span> The student improves their attendance rate by at least 10%, when comparing attendance during the TCAP against attendance in the prior two quarters;<\/span><\/p>\n

2)<\/span> For those students where attendance data from the prior two quarters is not available, the student has an attendance rate of at least 85% while participating in the TCAP; or<\/span><\/p>\n

3)<\/span> At the discretion of the TCAP Judge in consultation with the TCAP Team. Discretionary authority provides an opportunity to \u201cgraduate\u201d those students whose pre-TCAP attendance rate was 91% or higher and thus could not mathematically improve by 10%, but who demonstrate improved attendance, academic achievement, and attitude towards school attendance.<\/span><\/p>\n

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CFCC Executive Director Aubrey Edwards-Luce pictured with Kaylie Ebert, a TCAP Graduate of Maree G. Farring Elementary\/Middle School<\/p><\/div>\n

Applying the metrics stated above, 62 of the 78 students (79%) successfully graduated from TCAP. Historically, the TCP typically attained a 70-75% graduation rate. Graduation rates were lower, however, during Covid\u2019s period of virtual learning, as well as directly after the return to \u201cin-person\u201d learning. We are excited to see an improvement in our graduation rates!<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to our regular weekly programming, the TCAP Team invited members from the community to facilitate workshops for our students. During the Fall Session, the following workshops were provided to students:<\/span><\/p>\n