Ms. Mayer

Harry S. Truman High School

Holden has a serious case of truancy. He cuts school to hang out in the city by himself, wandering the streets and staying in a hotel. Holden’s not the only one. Students today, especially in New York City, are missing more and more class time. Dropout rates are increasing, and students standardized test scores are lower than ever before. Crime rates rise with truancy, and so does the use of drugs and alcohol. Truancy leads to parent, teacher, and administration frustration.

As a public policy analyst, it’s your job to figure out why this is happening, and fix it. How are you going to bring students back to school? And how are you going to keep them there?!

Overview of the Truancy Problem in American Schools

The basic policy or set of policies forming the foundation of public laws, especially such policy not yet formally enunciated. Basically, public policy involves laws that will come into effect in order to improve some problem in society.

You are the BEST public policy analyst in the New York City area, and the New York City Board of Education has come to you to develop a better, more structured truancy program for the high schools in New York City. Go you!!

1. You will write a 3-page paper that explains your new and improved truancy program, being sure to explain your logic in creating the program. Come up with a name for your program. This paper will include:

Ø Your understanding of the causes of truancy

Ø The societal problems truancy causes

Ø Evidence that your program will work (likely by citing historical past failures and successes)

Ø A final structured new and improved truancy program

2. In addition, you will come up with a visual representation of your program that you will present to the class. The visual may be a diorama, a chart, a web map, a poster, or anything else of your own creativity.

Skim through the following websites in order to EDUCATE yourself about the issue of TRUANCY!! You will go back later to read in more detail.

Best Practices in Reducing Truancy:

http://www.coloradofoundation.org/nationaltruancyproject/pdf/Best%20Practices.PDF

Model Truancy Prevention Programs:

http://www.coloradofoundation.org/nationaltruancyproject/pdf/Model%20Truancy%20Prevention%20Programs.PDF

Urban Policies and Programs to Reduce Truancy

http://eric-web.tc.columbia.edu/digest/dig129.asp

Manual to Combat Truancy:

http://www.ed.gov/pubs/Truancy/

Chicago Public Schools students find ways to be truant–even when in school

http://www-news.uchicago.edu/releases/97/970728.truancy.shtml

Part A

Utilize the following links to help you clarify your process for creating a truancy program. Write your answers to each worksheet on your own sheet of paper (which will be collected).

STEP 1: Identify the problem

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet1.html

STEP 2: Gather evidence -> Use the RESOURCES listed above for your research. Read in more detail.

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet2.html

STEP 3: Identifying the causes of the problem

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet3.html

STEP 4: Evaluate a policy

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet4.html

STEP 5: Develop solutions

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet5.html

STEP 6: Selecting the best public policy solution

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet6.html

Part B

Looking over your notes from the 6 STEPS, begin to think about how you want to structure your new truancy program in New York City. Remember, in your paper you must briefly explain the causes of truancy, the societal problems truancy causes, evidence that your program will actually succeed, and a final structured new and improved truancy program. Whew!

Part C

Make your written paper creative!! Time for the fun part….how are you going to best show your plan to the class in a visual form??

Q. How much can I spend on my truancy program?

A. For the sake of this project, your budget is unlimited.

Q. Which websites are the most crucial?

A. That is up to you. Look through them all, being sure to find supporting facts and details that will help you build your own original truancy program.

Q. What good are the 6 Steps?

A. By answering the questions on the worksheets, you develop a clearer idea of what your issue (truancy) is about, and will better be able to make your own policy.

Q. How should my paper be structured?

A. Your paper should contain an introduction, body and conclusion. It should contain the following elements:

In the beginning of the paper, be sure to have:

v Understanding of the causes of truancy

v The societal problems truancy causes

v Evidence that your program will work (likely by citing

historical past failures and successes)

The real MEAT of the paper MUST HAVE:

v A final structured new and improved truancy program

____ I skimmed all the web pages given to me, using the sites as research for my paper.

____ I took notes on my own paper for all 6 Steps, and they will be handed in with my final paper.

____ I included the necessary information in my paper, listed in the Task.

____ I made sure that the main idea of my paper is about my new and improved truancy program.

____ I have a title for my truancy program, and my name, class, and date at the top of the page.

____ My work is double-spaced, Times New Roman, with one-inch margins.

____ I signed my proof that I did my own work in this project.

____ I completed the visual representation part of my project, and I am ready to present to the class.

Criteria

Points

	4	3	2	1
Research	All questions were answered completely and rationales for the answers were clearly stated.	All questions were answered completely, but rationales for the all the answers were not clearly stated.	Not all questions were answered completely, or greater than 2 rationales for the all answers were not clearly stated.	All questions were not answered completely.	____
Task	All areas of the task were addressed and handled with a high degree of sophistication. The plan followed demonstrated a great deal of thought.	At least one area of the task was not addressed. The plan followed demonstrated a great deal of thought.	At least two areas of the task were not addressed. The plan followed demonstrated a moderate level of thought.	The task is incomplete and/or it is apparent that little effort went into the development of the task.	____
Process: Originality	The ideas expressed by the body of work demonstrate a high degree of originality.	The ideas expressed by the body of work are mostly original. The group may have improved upon a previous idea.	The ideas expressed by the body of work demonstrate a low degree of originality.	There were no original ideas expressed in this project.
Grammar, Format , and Spelling	The final body of work was free of grammar, spelling, and formatting errors.	The final body of work had 1 error related to either grammar, spelling, and formatting errors.	The final body of work had 3-5 grammar, spelling, and formatting errors.	The final body of work had major grammar, spelling, and formatting errors.
				Total---->	____

Congratulations on graduating from public policy school! Using the TIPS PPA to analyze causes for social problems affecting society, you’ve been able to create and analyze your own policy that can help solve societal ills.

You’ve met the following ELA Performance Standards:

Math, Science, and Technology

Standard 2. Students will access, generate, process, and transfer information using appropriate technologies.

Standard 5. Students will apply technological knowledge and skills to design, construct, use, and evaluate products and systems to satisfy various needs.

Standard 7. Students will apply the knowledge and thinking skills of technology to address real-life problems and make informed decisions

English Language Arts

Standard 1. Students will listen, speak, read, & write for information and understanding; they will collect data, facts, & ideas and use electronically produced texts.

Standard 4. Students will listen, speak, read, and write for social interaction.