About
The Attendance & Truancy Intervention /Prevention Supports (ATIPS) Model is a comprehensive strategy developed by the School District which includes partnering with Community Based Organizations, Stakeholder Groups, Communities of Faith, Parents and other community members to increase school attendance and reduce truancy throughout the Philadelphia School District. The School District will continue to work in collaboration with various city agencies, including but not limited to, the Department of Human Services, Family Court, and eight law enforcement agencies. In addition, we have developed significant relationships with a network of communities of faith.

Direct community-based family support service programs are provided through contract by DHS/Office of Truancy Prevention. Although, the School District is charged with increasing school attendance and reducing truancy, their mission is broader and perhaps more complex. The School District views truant behavior as an early warning that alerts formal support systems that the child, family and/or community is experiencing some measure of dysfunction requiring intervention that empowers and provides the resources for families to manage their lives.

The goal of the ATIPS Model is to build on the existing networks in order to provide interventions to children and families before they reach the truancy court threshold. Students targeted through this initiative will be identified by the School District of Philadelphia as having three or more unexcused absences.

Purpose
The School District of Philadelphia is responsible for implementing a comprehensive strategy to increase school attendance and reduce truancy throughout the district. Specifically, the School District of Philadelphia (SDP) seeks:

• To increase attendance & academic achievement
• To adhere to attendance & truancy policies and mandates
• To increase community and parental involvement
• Enhance cross-systems collaboration in the fight against truancy

Outcome
Through this initiative, the School District seeks to achieve the following outcomes:

• Increase participants’ school attendance and performance by addressing related individual and family issues;
• Prevent future or further delinquent behavior by participating youth;
• Improve the functioning of a mutually supportive relationship among the participating youth, family, school, and immediate community;
• Improve the ability of participating youth to comply with the law and to avoid behaviors that become barriers to education, safety, health, and
  self- sufficiency;
• Improve participating youths’ life skills, social, civic and employment competencies;
• Improve youths’ sense of belonging in and responsibility towards his/her school community.

Program Contacts
Martha Sierra, Director of Administrative Services
Joanne Esquilin, ATIPS PTO Coordinator