An Important Update from TIP’s Executive Director

Why Every Presence Matters, Now More Than Ever

Dear TIP Community,

You’ll be hearing a lot more from us in the coming months as we ramp up our marketing, outreach, strategic planning, and community partnerships. Before we jump into all the exciting work ahead, I’d like to formally introduce myself.

My name is Tonya Malone Ferguson, and I’m TIP’s executive director. While I may be new to this role, I’m certainly not new to this organization.

My journey with the Truancy Intervention Project began in 2000, when the organization was known as “Kids in Need of Dreams.” As a young professional just starting my career, I worked directly with youth—listening to their stories, supporting their growth, and opening doors to new opportunities. I spent 16 years helping TIP grow, and now, I’m honored to return to lead this organization into a bold new chapter.

I didn’t always see myself in the nonprofit world; I once dreamed of becoming an attorney. But an internship with Tennessee’s Intensive Adolescent Probation Services changed the course of my life. There, I encountered stories that stayed with me—like the young girl whose family was housing insecure, bouncing between homes. She wasn’t in school regularly, not because she didn’t want to be, but because she lacked clean clothes. I remember visiting her home to assess washer/dryer hookups, and realizing in that moment how many invisible barriers shape a child’s life and limit their future.

That experience lit a fire in me. I realized that “just stay in school” is far easier said than done.

Today, one in four children in Georgia is chronically absent. Beyond the statistics are countless stories of young people facing housing instability, food insecurity, mental health struggles, and a lack of basic resources. Public education is supposed to be an equalizer, but how can it be when kids are simply trying to survive?

At TIP, we believe there’s a better way forward. A way that replaces punishment for truancy with compassion and second chances. That listens instead of labels. That meets families where they are.

We remain committed to providing pro bono legal advocacy for students facing truancy charges, along with early intervention services for young people experiencing chronic absenteeism, to ensure every child has a voice and a champion. We’re also thinking bigger.

We’re building partnerships and community support to address the root causes of absenteeism like housing insecurity, unreliable transportation, unmet basic needs, and the need for alternative education paths like GED programs. As we grow, we’re focused not just on the numbers, but on meaningful, personal outcomes. Every small victory—a student showing up for class, a teen enrolling in tutoring, a family avoiding eviction—is a step toward lasting, systemic change.

Ultimately, our goal is to create a scalable model that can be adapted across rural Georgia communities, where absenteeism remains an urgent, though often quieter, crisis. We’re developing a new strategic vision that we can’t wait to share with you soon.

This effort will take a village of advocates, partners, educators, and supporters who believe in the potential of all students. I’m incredibly proud to lead TIP during this pivotal moment and look forward to what we’ll accomplish together by showing up and advocating relentlessly for our youth.

Because, in the end, every presence matters.

With gratitude and hope,

Tonya Malone Ferguson
Executive Director
Truancy Intervention Project (TIP)