TRUANCY INTERVENTION PROJECT
TIP Update
by Caren Cloud
Truancy Intervention Project Georgia
[email protected]
10,000! That is the number of chronic absentee youth
who have been helped by the Truancy Intervention
Project Georgia (TIP) volunteers and staff since 1991.
8,600! That is how many were diverted from the
juvenile justice system and no longer involved with
truancy. 86%. Amazing! Thank you TIP volunteers
and staff.
To quote Terry Walsh, co-founder, “TIP children are
broken: They are chronic absentees, average age is
eight and it is estimated that over 40% have disabilities
and behavioral health problems. If they respond to
our trained volunteers’ committed efforts–and almost
86% of our first 10,000 children have–they will be di-
verted from the juvenile justice system, have a chance
to be Summer Law Intern Project (SLIP) participants
down the road, and possibly, attend law school and
become judges.
On the other hand, if they are among the 14% who we
are unable to repair, the chances are overwhelming
that they will end up in jail/prison like all BASICS
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participants: 75% of all crimes are committed by drop-
outs and over 82% of Georgia state prison inmates are
school failures. These children are the epitome of the
‘school to prison pipeline.’ But this does not have to
happen and TIP volunteers have proven over a 25-year
period that with their help–and yours–it will not. “
Terry provided an update on TIP to the former presi-
dents of the Atlanta Bar Association prior to their an-
nual dinner. At least once a year the former presidents
gather to celebrate the current programs and activi-
ties of the Association as well as to receive updates
on programs and projects that were initiated in the
past. The congeniality among the group provides
the perfect environment for reminiscing and good
natured boasting.
Terry, along with then Chief Judge of the Fulton Coun-
ty Juvenile Court, Glenda Hatchett, founded TIP to
increase school attendance and provide opportunities
for success through legal and family advocacy. TIP
strives to decrease chronic absenteeism by pairing
trained volunteers with children and their families
to provide them with the advocacy, resources and
services necessary to ensure good attendance and
success in school.
Over 2,000 volunteers, typically Atlanta lawyers, have