BEAUMONT — Students in the Port Arthur ISD may want to think twice before playing hooky.

The Jefferson County Commissioners Court approved an Interlocal Agreement between PAISD and Precinct 2 Constable Christopher Bates to perform ASAP services at their regular meeting on Monday afternoon in Beaumont.

The Absent Student Assistance Project is a community-based collaborative designed to increase school attendance rates of students in Port Arthur Independent School District, according to their website.

The ILA read the District wants to have Bates’ office to authorize and direct nine deputies to devote 100 percent of their working time per week to ASAP.

The District is willing to pay the county fair compensation in an amount equal to 100 percent of the cost to the county to supply the ASAP deputies, including salaries and any additional expenses the county may incur in providing the services so as to enable the officer to appoint deputies for such purposes.

The commissioners will consider, too, providing written notice to the PAISD to cancel the contract for the provision of truancy officers effective on a date approved by PAISD.

Through ASAP, deputies and PAISD assigned to visit and investigate unexcused school absences by visiting the homes of absentee students.

The commissioners also approved a Memorandum of Understanding between the county and Lamar State College Port Arthur for using county vehicles in the college’s training program.

The MOU read there are difficulties in recruiting qualified bus and truck drivers and the county has one or more trucks and vehicles they may make available. Also, the county may have one or more licensed and trained drivers LSCPA may wish to hire.