Orange County Public Schools changing absence notification policy in wake of Madeline Soto's disappearance

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - Orange County Public Schools will make changes to when and how it alerts parents when a student is absent from school, Superintendent Maria Vazquez revealed during Tuesday night's Board meeting.

Orange County schools will now let parents know in the morning that their child has missed class or did not show up to school, Vazquez said. Currently, the district notifies parents via an automated phone call or text message after the student misses more than half of the school day, which is usually sent towards the end of the school day, district officials previously told FOX 35.

"Our team has been working to identify a new notification system. We will be able to implement an additional call that will inform parents that their student was not in attendance at the start of the school day," she said. When that additional call comes for elementary students, middle school students, and high school students would be communicated with parents at a later time.

She said the district is also looking at a way that would let parents see their student's attendance in real time via the district's parent portal, but that would not be implemented until the start of the next school year.

These new changes could go into effect as soon as students return from Spring Break, which runs March 18-22, 2024.

Questions about when Orange County Public Schools' notification system alerts parents of a student's absence were raised following the tragic disappearance – and death – of Madeline Soto. 

Soto, a 13-year-old student at Hunter's Creek Middle School, was reported missing on Feb. 26 after she was supposedly dropped off at school by her mom's boyfriend. Her body was found five days later in a wooded area in Osceola County. Her backpack and school-issued laptop were found discarded in a dumpster at an apartment in Osceola County where she lives with mom and her mom's boyfriend, Stephan Sterns.

According to the investigation, Soto was never dropped off at school. However, Soto's mom, Jennifer Soto, was not notified until she went to pick "Maddie" up – and found out she hadn't been in class all day.

Right now, Orange County Public Schools uses an automated system to alert parents via phone, call and text whenever a student is absent from school.

"The notification is sent to the primary contacts on record with the school and is sent each day if a student is marked as absent," OCPS said in a statement to FOX 35. "The district considers a student absent when they miss more than half of the school day."

The final cut-off for teachers to submit attendance is at 3:30 p.m. Middle schools in Orange County release students just after 4 p.m., while high schools and elementary schools get out at 2:20 p.m. and 3 p.m. (for the most part), respectively. 

"Once attendance is finalized in the system, a report is run and the message is sent to families informing them of their student being absent from school. The district is always reviewing procedures to make any possible improvements," the statement continued. 

Following Soto's death, several parents posted an online petition asking Orange County Public Schools to update its policy – and alert parents earlier in the day. That petition, started by Sarah Terrell, had received over 12,000 signatures, as of last check on Tuesday.

"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.  Every minute counts when a child is missing!" Terrell wrote in her petition.

Stephen Sterns, Soto's mom's boyfriend, has been arrested and charged with more than 60 counts of sexual battery of a child, lewd and lascivious molestation, and unlawful possession of materials depicting sexual performance by a child after alleged photos and videos showing child abuse sex material were found on his cell phone, the Florida State Attorney's Office announced Tuesday alongside a 36-page affidavit.

The affidavit details all 60 counts of what Sterns is accused of, but FOX 35 is choosing not to release the details listed in the affidavit due to their graphic nature. 

Sterns has not been charged in the disappearance or death of Soto, though he is considered to be the "prime suspect" in that investigation, officials said.

"The State Attorney’s Office has been working closely with (Kissimmee Police Department) and received evidence that gave us cause to file formal charges against Sterns," State Attorney Andrew Bain said in a statement. "We appreciate the thoroughness and detailed attention of their investigation and will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to build a strong case against the defendant."