EXCLUSIVE: One-on-one with Mayor Donna Deegan on truancy program

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Only Action News Jax sat down with Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan for exclusive details on a city-wide effort to make sure local students are going to school just as a new school year begins.

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It’s a follow-up to an Action News Jax investigation in May, where Anchor Tenikka Hughes exposed how students in Duval County are missing weeks of class. Now Mayor Deegan is responding and says conquering this crisis will be a team effort.

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Intervention through education. That’s the core of a new city-wide effort Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan will unveil Wednesday morning, focused on making sure Duval students are showing up for school.

Deegan said, “It makes me concerned that they’re not engaged enough to really become successful students. And if they can’t be successful students, then, then it’s hard for them to be successful adults.”

In May, Action News Jax investigates looked at the problem of chronic absenteeism, which is when students miss at least 10 percent of days in a school year, excused or unexcused.

READ: ‘We are very excited:’ Nearly 40,000 students in Clay County go back to school

According to numbers from the Florida Department of Education, roughly 41 percent of students in Duval County fell into this category for the 2022- 2023 school year. The problem is often more prevalent for minority students and those in economically disadvantaged communities.

Mayor Deegan says under this new initiative, the city will essentially serve as a connector bringing together the school district, nonprofits, the justice system, faith-based organizations and more to make sure families understand the gravity and impacts of the students missing class. Plus, provide resources to minimize barriers for those struggling to get kids in school and keep them going back.

Mayor Deegan said “People will grab onto those resources if they know they’re available. But, you know, as I’ve said, so often a confused mind says no. And if you are in a scenario where you’re having an issue and you’re trying to juggle this over here and this over here, and, and you can’t -- it’s really tough if you don’t know what resources are there.”

The initiative will also include a pilot program that will provide specialized resources to three elementary schools to help kids and parents get on the right track early. Another key component of this new effort are incentives. Finding creative ways to reward children and families for good attendance from discounts and deals at local retailers to parties prizes or special events at schools and in the community.

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Mayor Deegan said, “In everything in life, 90% of it is what just showing up. So we’ve gotta make sure that both our parents and our kids understand that the showing up is going make a big difference in terms of their overall success and the success of our community.” Deegan added, “We want them to know we’re here for them. That whatever we can do to remove whatever impediments there may be, we want to help to do that.”

Mayor Deegan says this campaign does not involve city dollars or taxpayer dollars. The full details of the program will be revealed Wednesday morning. Action News Jax will be there.

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