BATON ROUGE — Educational and community leaders met Wednesday morning at EBR Career and Educational Technical Center to discuss different ways in tackling truancy. 

Superintendent LaMont Cole said truancy is a major issue for the district. 

“East Baton Rouge Parish truancy numbers are above 50 percent,” Cole said. 

Leaders listed the different barriers that would withhold students from going to school. Some of those barriers were transportation, limited access to uniforms and even food.

EBR Juvenile Court judge Gail Grover said twice every month she meets with families concerning truancy. She said her goal is to help students be in the classroom and out of the courtroom. 

“Typically on my docket is anywhere from 40 to 50 cases," said Grover. “We’re there to help them meet that goal. Eventually we see a change in the attitude and the perspective of the parent.”

Cole said as a group they're thinking of different solutions to show support to families to address the problem before families are met with the option of heading to court.

“How do we reach out to families? How do we sit and talk with them? How do we identify what some of the challenges are and provide support so that kids can come to school,” Cole said.

Cole said the next step is to continue the conversation with the community to continue combat truancy in schools.