Mission, Texas- Mission Consolidated Independent School District officials are fanning out across the district in what is part investigation and part search. Right after the beginning of September, the district begins to focus on tracking down students who were expected to enroll, but have not yet shown up for school. Teams of staff members begin the process of tracking down the “no-shows” by first cleaning up student rosters. Once that paperwork investigative work is done, they begin to make phone calls and home and neighborhood visits to find the students.
By the end of September, the district is required to account for these students with the Texas Education Agency (TEA). “This goes way beyond simply trying to meet legal reporting requirements,” said Cynthia Wilson, executive director of secondary education. “This is an important part of trying to keep students from falling through the cracks and helping them prepare for their futures.”
In some cases, the students have enrolled with other districts. In other cases, there may be other issues that have kept them from returning to school. In those cases, the district personnel encourage the students to continue their education. “This gives us an opportunity to make sure the students are aware of the programs that are available to them, especially those who need a more non-traditional school setting,” Wilson explained.
Last week, district staff members focused on cleaning up the student rosters to identify students who are unaccounted for. This week, they begin home visits. Pictured are members of one team at Mission High School as they worked on the paper processes and student rosters.
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