By: Augusta McDonnell
OKLAHOMA CITY -
Oklahoma City Public Schools attendance advocates reported zero truancy citations issued to students in the spring 2021 semester.
This milestone marks a shift in policy for the district, according to Tracey Alvarez, OKCPS coordinator of attendance advocacy and student supports.
“We’ve really punished a lot of parents just for being poor. We’ve punished a lot of kids for having poor parents and being born into poverty,” Alvarez said. “Instead of really trying to figure out why they’re not in school, what are the root causes for why are they getting in trouble all the time?”