Orange County Public Schools resumes new absence notification policy in wake of Madeline Soto's death
OCPS absence notification policy returns
A recently-approved absence notification policy starts up at Orange County Public Schools on Monday, Aug. 19. The new policy alerts parents if their child is absent earlier in the day, rather than at the end of the school day. It was a change brought about by the disappearance and death of 13-year-old Madeline Soto.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - An absence notification policy that went into effect in the weeks after the disappearance and death of 13-year-old Madeline Soto is back in effect at Orange County Public Schools on Monday.
Orange County students are entering their second week of the 2024-25 school year.
The policy, which was approved in March and began after students returned from spring break, was brought about amid the investigation into Soto's disappearance.
[Previous coverage] Orange County schools start new absence policy
This week was the start of Orange County Public Schools' new absence alert policy. Now, parents will be alerted earlier in the day if their student is absent from school. The new policy was implemented in the wake of Madeline Soto's death.
The late Hunter's Creek Middle School student was first reported missing on Feb. 26 after she was supposedly dropped off at school by her mother's boyfriend. The teen's mom wasn't notified about her daughter's absence until she went to pick her up from school and learned she hadn't been in class all day.
Days later, Soto's body was found in rural Osceola County. Stephan Sterns, the mother's boyfriend, was eventually charged with first degree murder in the teen's death. The State Attorney's Office intends to seek the death penalty.
Before this policy went into effect, parents were notified via automated phone call after their child missed more than half the school day, which was how long it took the district, at the time, to consider a student absent. That meant parents weren't alerted to their children's absence until near the end of or after the school day.
For example, Orange County middle schools release students just after 4 p.m., and the final cut-off for teachers to submit attendance was 3:30 p.m.
Madeline Soto memorial coming down at request of property owner
After Soto's death, parents started an online petition asking the school district to update its absence notification policy to notify parents earlier in the day.
"While this petition was prompted by Madeline's disappearance, we now know that it couldn't have saved her life, but it can make a difference in the life of a child in the future," said Sarah Terrell, a Hunter's Creek Middle School parent, in the petition's description. "Every minute counts when a child is missing!"
Within days, the petition received over 12,000 signatures.
"Up to 10 hours from drop off to that 5 p.m. notification call. Those 10 hours can be very impactful in finding a person," Terrell previously told FOX 35.
Here's a look at when parents will know whether their child is in school under the new absence notification policy:
- High school: 8:55 a.m. (school starts at 7:20 a.m.)
- Elementary school: 10:05 a.m. (school starts at either 8:15 a.m. or 8:45 a.m.)
- Middle school: 11:05 a.m. (school starts at 9:30 a.m.)
Parents will also get a call later in the day, typically in the afternoon, if their child wasn't in class for more than half the day.
Orange County Public Schools said parents can also opt in for text notifications – in addition to automated calls or emails – by texting "YES" or "Y" to 68453.