FORT BEND COUNTY, TX – Fort Bend County Juvenile Probation Department’s “Saved by the Bell” program is helping truant students get to school. The program provides support to students who regularly miss school to encourage them to get to class. Of the 1742 students identified for the program since 2008, 86% have improved attendance rates. Better attendance results in a decrease in suspensions and school write ups, and an increase in grade point averages for those students.
“Saved by the Bell” is a partnership with the Fort Bend County Juvenile Probation Department and area schools to provide a truancy reduction program. Juvenile probation officers act as liaisons for truant students for the purpose of coordinating and providing follow up with the judicial system, as well as working with school truancy officers, counselors and community resources to address the social factors behind truancies.
Since the program started in 2008, “Saved By the Bell” has served 1742 students in Fort Bend County school districts including Fort Bend ISD, Katy ISD, Lamar Consolidated ISD, and Needville ISD. The efforts of the program have decreased In-School Suspensions by 81%, decreased out of school suspension by 75% and increased grade point averages by 49% for those students involved. For more information on the “Saved by the Bell” program please visit www.fortbendcountytx.gov : Juvenile Probation Department, Truancy Reduction Program.
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