Valerie Fruge is an experienced advocate for the decriminalization of truancy in schools. Most recently, Ms. Frugé completed a ten-year tenure as the juvenile case manager for Travis County Justice of Peace Precinct 1, where she worked primarily with students and families attending Title 1 schools who experienced a wide range of challenging circumstances. Driven by a tireless commitment to helping all children engage and complete primary and secondary education, Ms. Frugé served as a loyal mentor, advisor, and accountability partner to hundreds of families in public and charter schools across Travis County. Certified and trained in trauma-informed care and adolescent brain development, Ms. Frugé also provided a vital role in the launching and facilitating of the Effective Parent & Child Engagement Training Program, a comprehensive intervention/prevention training series designed for the reduction and prevention of school truancy, drug abuse, and other habits leading to youth delinquency or incarceration, created by the Texas Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Center at Prairie View A&M University.
Ms. Frugé hails from Austin, Texas and graduated from the University of Houston with undergraduate degrees in political science and ethnic studies. She also attended the University of Houston Law Center (formerly known as the Bates College of Law. Ms. Frugé has been married for 44 years to Justin Frugé, but the love of her life is her precious fur baby Iggy, an eight-year-old rescued Schnauzer.
