Truancy - Maricopa County Attorney's Office

Related News

To Curb Truancy, Dallas Tries Electronic Monitoring

New York Times

May 12, 2008

DALLAS Jaime Pacheco rolled out of bed at dawn last week to the blaring chorus of two alarms. Then Jaime, a 15-year-old high school freshman, smoothed his striped comforter, dumped two scoops of kibble for the dogs out back and strapped a G.P.S. monitor to his belt. By 7:15, Jaime was in the passenger seat of his grandmother's sport-utility vehicle, holding the little black monitor out the window for the satellite to register. A few miles down the road, at Bryan Adams High School in East Dallas, he got out of the car, said goodbye to his grandmother and paused to press a button on the unit three times. A green light flashed, and then Jaime headed for the cafeteria with plenty of time before the morning bell. . .

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/12/education/12dallas.html?ref=education

Crack down on truancy, absenteeism nets results for Saginaw County schools

The Saginaw (Michigan) News

May 10, 2008

Two years ago, 16 percent of Bridgeport High School students missed 10 or more days of school during the first semester. That figure has dropped to 3 percent this school year, and educators are beaming that pupils and parents prioritize school attendance. "We have taken a very aggressive posture toward increasing student attendance," said Superintendent Desmon R. Daniel. "Improving attendance was a part of every building's School Improvement Plan for the year. We realize that our students cannot succeed if they are not in attendance." Last week, the Saginaw Intermediate School District released its study to the Saginaw County Crime Prevention Council that compiled student absenteeism, including illness, and truancy for the first semester since the 2004-05 school year. . .

http://www.mlive.com/saginawnews/news/index.ssf/2008/05/crack_down_on_truancy_absentee.html

Out of school, risking violence, Shooting victims had poor attendance, system's data show

Baltimore Sun

May 9, 2008

Baltimore students who were murdered or shot had poor school attendance before they fell victim to the violence, according to new data released yesterday by the school system and health department. Between 2003 and 2007, 115 youths in Baltimore were killed, and 405 were victims of non-fatal shootings, Health Department figures show. The school system was able to retrieve attendance data going back to 1999 for 391 of the 520 total victims. The Health Department pooled the data from the two agencies. The youths were absent from school an average of 46 days annually, and more than two-thirds of them had been suspended or expelled at least once. The data are intended to illustrate the public health implications of truancy and suspension as city schools chief Andres Alonso tries to get the entire community involved in improving Baltimore's educational system. Alonso also is urging principals to find alternatives to suspension for nonviolent offenses to keep students off the streets. . .

www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltimore_city/bal-te.md.ci.homicide09may09,0,1973308.story

Early look seems to say KEY effective in cutting truancy

Columbus (OH) News

May 5, 2008

For some, playing hooky means beating boredom. For others, it's about dodging bullies or overwhelming schoolwork.

Student have their reasons for cutting class, but some local officials think they may have found a remedy in the pilot program Keep Engaging Youth. The truancy mediation initiative, which began in December is winding down its first season in operation with a evaluate this week of its success rate using figures compiled by Community Research Partners. . .

http://www.snponline.com/articles/2008/05/05/multiple_papers/news/coltruancy_20080505_1139am_1.txt

Woman convicted of not sending child to school

Springfield (MO) News-Leader

April 23, 2008

A Greene County jury on Wednesday found a Walnut Grove woman violated the state’s compulsory attendance law by allowing her 13-year-old son to miss nearly half the 2006-2007 school year. As a result of the class C misdemeanor conviction, Kathleen Casteel might serve seven days in jail, a sentence recommended by jurors. The verdict ended a trial in which Casteel claimed she wasn’t responsible for her son’s 51 percent attendance from August 2006 to April 2007, when Reed Middle School revoked his enrollment. The boy, who was born prematurely and has a low IQ, lashed out when told to go to school, at times becoming violent or running away, Casteel testified. She said she could not control her son. “He has really bad anger problems,” Casteel said Tuesday. . .

http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080423/BREAKING01/80423049/1007/NEWS01

Truancy crackdown will target parents
Chattanooga Times Free Press (TN)
April 16, 2008
With less than two months left in the school year, Hamilton County parents who let their children skip classes should be punished in a wider variety of ways, judges and law enforcement officials say. Together, they’re on a crusade to educate people about a Tennessee law that allows parents of truants to be charged in General Sessions Court as well as Juvenile Court. “We’re really going outside of the box in doing this, taking on the role of educating the public as to what the laws are in regards to truancy and the role the judiciary might be able to play in that issue,” Hamilton County General Sessions Judge Bob Moon said. . .
http://timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/16/truancy-crackdown/?print

School Dropouts Offered Training and Education
City of Phoenix
April 7, 2008
Now in its 11th year, the city of Phoenix YouthBuild Program is seeking qualified applicants for its full-time construction and occupational training and education program targeted to low-income Phoenix residents who have dropped out of high school or have a GED or diploma but want to increase their basic skills. The three- to eight-month program serves men and women trainees ages 17 to 24. Those who enroll in the YouthBuild Phoenix Program can receive their high school equivalency diploma and will be trained in home building skills that will qualify them for careers in the building industry. . .
http://phoenix.gov/newsrel/0704youthbuild.html

U.S. to Require States to Use a Single School Dropout Formula

New York Times

April 1, 2008

Moving to sweep away the tangle of inaccurate state data that has obscured the severity of the nation’s high school dropout crisis, Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings will require all states to use one federal formula to calculate graduation and dropout rates, Bush administration officials said on Monday. The requirement would be one of the most far-reaching regulatory actions taken by any education secretary, experts said, because it would affect the official statistics issued by all 50 states and each of the nation’s 14,000 public high schools. . .

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/01/education/01child.html?pagewanted=print

Report: Low grad rates in US cities
Associated Press
April 01, 2008

Seventeen of the nation's 50 largest cities had high school graduation rates lower than 50 percent, with the lowest graduation rates reported in Detroit, Indianapolis and Cleveland, according to a report released Tuesday. The report, issued by America's Promise Alliance (), found that about half of the students served by public school systems in the nation's largest cities receive diplomas. Students in suburban and rural public high schools were more likely to graduate than their counterparts in urban public high schools, the researchers said. . .
http://news.yahoo.com/
Related Report: http://www.americaspromise.org/APA.aspx

School's Incentives Slash Rate of Truancy

The Augusta Chronicle

March 31, 2008

ATHENS, Ga. - Every month, Hilsman Middle School students get a reward just for coming to school every day. Some months it's a T-shirt, sometimes it's a certificate, some- times it's a handshake from Principal Tony Price. But a simple gift and short recognition can mean a lot to a 12- or 13-year-old, Mr. Price said, especially if the child hasn't had a lot of success in school. As schools everywhere try to curb truancy, Hilsman's tack seems to work, and the school has cut the number of chronically absent pupils in half. Kids will get the message, Mr. Price said, that sitting in class every day is the first step toward more success. . .

http://www.redorbit.com/news/education/1318517/schools_incentives_slash_rate_of_truancy/#

Second junior high to require school uniforms
The Arizona Republic
March 26, 2008

Mesa Junior High students will begin wearing uniforms next school year in an effort to curb teen crime and behavior problems. School officials tried to pass mandatory uniforms three times in the past four years without success, but on Tuesday, school board members approved the move. Uniforms are rare at Mesa Public Schools. Only five neighborhood elementary schools out of 58 require them: Longfellow, Lowell, Lincoln, Holmes and Eisenhower. . .
http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/articles/0326mr-uniforms0327.html

Low Graduation Rate Draws Florida Lawsuit
The Christian Science Monitor
March 26, 2008

Amid mounting national frustration over high school graduation rates, the School District of Palm Beach County in Florida has been thrust onto center stage. In a class-action lawsuit, the American Civil Liberties Union is demanding that the district boost its graduation rates and reduce the gaps in those rates between racial and socioeconomic groups ...
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0326/p03s01-usju.htm

Policies and Practices Related to Student Failure and Dropping Out: Tools and Resources

National Dropout Prevention Network

March 25, 2008

The National Dropout Prevention Network will be airing a live broadcast entitled Policies and Practices Related to Student Failure and Dropping Out: Tools and Resources on Tuesday, 3/25/08. You can view the webcast here: http://www.dropoutprevention.org/webcast/

Slow Economy Quickens Dropout Rate
Bradenton Herald (Bradenton, Florida)
March 23, 2008

Even before the school year is over, Mike McCann is predicting the number of high school dropouts has surpassed last year. And McCann, the district's dropout prevention supervisor, has a ready explanation - the economy. "What we are hearing is they left the state ...... "
http://www.bradenton.com/699/story/483451.html

Trouble with Truancy: Crackdown on Absenteeism Not Only Answer to Problem
Journal-World (Lawrence, Kansas)
March 7, 2008

Lawrence schools overall have a good track record on student attendance compared with other districts in the state. But school administrators, staff and law enforcement still aren't shy about flexing their muscles when it comes to truancy ...
http://www.redorbit.com

School Truancy Falls
The Starr (Sheffield) U.K.
February 29, 2008

Sheffield schools are making progress in their battle against truancy -- with fewer pupils "wagging it" in the last academic year. Government figures for 2006-2007 show the number of school days due to unauthorized absence fell by 1.11% compared with the previous year ...
http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/School-truancy-falls.3827949.jp

Roots of truancy targeted in Troy, State grant helps establish outreach center for kids

By Bob Gardiner - Albany Times Union

February 27, 2008

TROY -- Sometimes parents are surprised to find out their kids are skipping school, and other times they don't care, but the reasons behind truancy will get attention at a new outreach center in the North Central neighborhood.

Officials gathered Tuesday in a large room in the Rainbow Center at the Fallon Apartments on River Street to announce that it will soon become the site of the Troy Truancy Reduction Program.

"We know one of the best ways to reduce future crime is helping the child who is 12, 13, 14 years old who is not going to school for some reason and may end up a crime statistic," said city police Capt. John Reigert. . .

http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=667163&category=REGION&newsdate=2/27/2008

Tracking Truancy

Melissa Medalie - WHPTTV.com

February 27, 2008

It's a new idea to solve the truancy problem in York County schools, and it's all about taking a personal approach.

York County Children and Youth Services is placing case workers in several schools across the County. The case worker stands at the door when the kids come into school, checking to make sure problem students show up in the morning. Over the months, the case worker gets to know the kids and their problems, and the students know if they don't show up, that person is going to track them down. . .

http://www.whptv.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=9ce34dd1-23f9-4c90-93ac-6fd009b446ad

Dropout Crisis; CMS, State must tackle this matter more aggressively
Charlotte Observer (NC)
February 13, 2008

A 45 percent jump in the number of dropouts in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is troubling, even with the caveat from Superintendent Peter Gorman that the higher numbers reflect more accurate reporting. Those 2,512 students represent more than 10 percent of all students statewide who dropped out of school last school year. CMS's 788-student increase in dropouts accounted for more than half the jump statewide.

This is serious, and not just for Mecklenburg County. Students here were among 23,550 in North Carolina who dropped out in 2006-07, according to a recent report from the N.C. Department of Public Instruction. That was a 4 percent increase over the year before .....
http://www.charlotte.com/opinion/story/491146.html

Dropout Rate targeted; Panel Recommends raising Minimum Age to Quit School to 18
By Ruma Kumar - Baltimore Sun (MD)
February 11, 2008

Requiring Maryland students to remain in school until they turn age 18 could drastically reduce dropout rates but would cost the state $200 million a year and worsen the existing shortage of teachers, classroom space and other resources, according to a new report. A yearlong study by a statewide task force of 50 educators, community leaders and legislators recommended raising the public school compulsory attendance age from 16. Maryland law allows students to drop out at age 16 with parental permission.

Baltimore lawmakers have been pushing the change for four years, but it didn't get to a vote in the General Assembly because of concerns over what it would cost.

"It's always died because of the cost factor, and I don't get that," said state Sen. Catherine E. Pugh, a Baltimore Democrat sponsoring a bill to raise the attendance age. "When these children start school at 5, we ought to be prepared to pay for them to stay in school until 18.". .
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/annearundel/bal-md.ar.dropout11feb11,0,4548737.story

Dropout Rates, Suspensions on the rise in N.C.

T. Keung Hui -The Raleigh News & Observer
February 8, 2008

RALEIGH - North Carolina high school students are dropping out in increasing numbers despite more efforts to keep them in school, prompting frustrated education leaders to call for raising the minimum dropout age from 16 to 18. A total of 23,550 students dropped out in 2006-07, representing 5.24 percent of the state's high school population, according to a report released Thursday. That is the biggest number in seven years and a 6 percent increase from 2005-06.

Educators couldn't explain why the numbers are getting worse, but said they reinforce the need for the General Assembly to raise the dropout age. More than three-quarters of North Carolina's dropouts were aged 16 to 18, they said. . . .
http://www.newsobserver.com/news/education/story/932010.html

Truancy Court begins in Collier County, Teenagers were sentenced to community service, random drug testing during first round
By Katherine Lewis - Naples Daily News (Florida)
February 6, 2008

Truant Collier County students and their parents had to explain their absences to a judge Wednesday during Collier County’s first session of Truancy Court. The program developed from a partnership involving the Collier County School District, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, State Attorney’s Office, Department of Juvenile Justice, the David Lawrence Center and Lutheran Social Services to resolve truancy issues.

“We are identifying the children who are absent and trying to get to the root of the problem as to why they are absent,” Collier Circuit Judge Daniel Monaco told those in the courtroom Wednesday. “I have a greater reason why I want you to attend school. People who graduate from high school get better jobs and make more money. ... And if you do not cooperate, I will impose sanctions.”. .
http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/feb/06/truancy-court-begins-collier-county/

Beaumont Council votes to make truancy illegal
By Ern Waldner - Press Enterprise
February 5, 2008

The Beaumont City Council on Tuesday night unanimously approved a pair of ordinances that make juvenile loitering and truancy illegal and holds the parents of violators accountable. Beaumont police Cpl. Sean Thuilliez told the council that juveniles have caused problems at Oak Valley Shopping Center, where they've disrupted businesses and shoppers. The Police Department is also concerned about children being preyed upon during the day, he said.

The new laws will go into effect 30 days after a second reading of the ordinances at the Beaumont City Council meeting Feb. 19 ....
http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_B_btruancy06.429ccb5.html


	Home \| Truancy Defined \| Truancy Laws \| Local Resources \| Tips \| Research \| News
	Related News To Curb Truancy, Dallas Tries Electronic Monitoring New York Times May 12, 2008 DALLAS Jaime Pacheco rolled out of bed at dawn last week to the blaring chorus of two alarms. Then Jaime, a 15-year-old high school freshman, smoothed his striped comforter, dumped two scoops of kibble for the dogs out back and strapped a G.P.S. monitor to his belt. By 7:15, Jaime was in the passenger seat of his grandmother's sport-utility vehicle, holding the little black monitor out the window for the satellite to register. A few miles down the road, at Bryan Adams High School in East Dallas, he got out of the car, said goodbye to his grandmother and paused to press a button on the unit three times. A green light flashed, and then Jaime headed for the cafeteria with plenty of time before the morning bell. . . http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/12/education/12dallas.html?ref=education Crack down on truancy, absenteeism nets results for Saginaw County schools The Saginaw (Michigan) News May 10, 2008 Two years ago, 16 percent of Bridgeport High School students missed 10 or more days of school during the first semester. That figure has dropped to 3 percent this school year, and educators are beaming that pupils and parents prioritize school attendance. "We have taken a very aggressive posture toward increasing student attendance," said Superintendent Desmon R. Daniel. "Improving attendance was a part of every building's School Improvement Plan for the year. We realize that our students cannot succeed if they are not in attendance." Last week, the Saginaw Intermediate School District released its study to the Saginaw County Crime Prevention Council that compiled student absenteeism, including illness, and truancy for the first semester since the 2004-05 school year. . . http://www.mlive.com/saginawnews/news/index.ssf/2008/05/crack_down_on_truancy_absentee.html Out of school, risking violence, Shooting victims had poor attendance, system's data show Baltimore Sun May 9, 2008 Baltimore students who were murdered or shot had poor school attendance before they fell victim to the violence, according to new data released yesterday by the school system and health department. Between 2003 and 2007, 115 youths in Baltimore were killed, and 405 were victims of non-fatal shootings, Health Department figures show. The school system was able to retrieve attendance data going back to 1999 for 391 of the 520 total victims. The Health Department pooled the data from the two agencies. The youths were absent from school an average of 46 days annually, and more than two-thirds of them had been suspended or expelled at least once. The data are intended to illustrate the public health implications of truancy and suspension as city schools chief Andres Alonso tries to get the entire community involved in improving Baltimore's educational system. Alonso also is urging principals to find alternatives to suspension for nonviolent offenses to keep students off the streets. . . www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/baltimore_city/bal-te.md.ci.homicide09may09,0,1973308.story Early look seems to say KEY effective in cutting truancy Columbus (OH) News May 5, 2008 For some, playing hooky means beating boredom. For others, it's about dodging bullies or overwhelming schoolwork. Student have their reasons for cutting class, but some local officials think they may have found a remedy in the pilot program Keep Engaging Youth. The truancy mediation initiative, which began in December is winding down its first season in operation with a evaluate this week of its success rate using figures compiled by Community Research Partners. . . http://www.snponline.com/articles/2008/05/05/multiple_papers/news/coltruancy_20080505_1139am_1.txt Woman convicted of not sending child to school Springfield (MO) News-Leader April 23, 2008 A Greene County jury on Wednesday found a Walnut Grove woman violated the state’s compulsory attendance law by allowing her 13-year-old son to miss nearly half the 2006-2007 school year. As a result of the class C misdemeanor conviction, Kathleen Casteel might serve seven days in jail, a sentence recommended by jurors. The verdict ended a trial in which Casteel claimed she wasn’t responsible for her son’s 51 percent attendance from August 2006 to April 2007, when Reed Middle School revoked his enrollment. The boy, who was born prematurely and has a low IQ, lashed out when told to go to school, at times becoming violent or running away, Casteel testified. She said she could not control her son. “He has really bad anger problems,” Casteel said Tuesday. . . http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080423/BREAKING01/80423049/1007/NEWS01 Truancy crackdown will target parents Chattanooga Times Free Press (TN) April 16, 2008 With less than two months left in the school year, Hamilton County parents who let their children skip classes should be punished in a wider variety of ways, judges and law enforcement officials say. Together, they’re on a crusade to educate people about a Tennessee law that allows parents of truants to be charged in General Sessions Court as well as Juvenile Court. “We’re really going outside of the box in doing this, taking on the role of educating the public as to what the laws are in regards to truancy and the role the judiciary might be able to play in that issue,” Hamilton County General Sessions Judge Bob Moon said. . . http://timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/16/truancy-crackdown/?print School Dropouts Offered Training and Education City of Phoenix April 7, 2008 Now in its 11th year, the city of Phoenix YouthBuild Program is seeking qualified applicants for its full-time construction and occupational training and education program targeted to low-income Phoenix residents who have dropped out of high school or have a GED or diploma but want to increase their basic skills. The three- to eight-month program serves men and women trainees ages 17 to 24. Those who enroll in the YouthBuild Phoenix Program can receive their high school equivalency diploma and will be trained in home building skills that will qualify them for careers in the building industry. . . http://phoenix.gov/newsrel/0704youthbuild.html U.S. to Require States to Use a Single School Dropout Formula New York Times April 1, 2008 Moving to sweep away the tangle of inaccurate state data that has obscured the severity of the nation’s high school dropout crisis, Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings will require all states to use one federal formula to calculate graduation and dropout rates, Bush administration officials said on Monday. The requirement would be one of the most far-reaching regulatory actions taken by any education secretary, experts said, because it would affect the official statistics issued by all 50 states and each of the nation’s 14,000 public high schools. . . http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/01/education/01child.html?pagewanted=print Report: Low grad rates in US cities Associated Press April 01, 2008 Seventeen of the nation's 50 largest cities had high school graduation rates lower than 50 percent, with the lowest graduation rates reported in Detroit, Indianapolis and Cleveland, according to a report released Tuesday. The report, issued by America's Promise Alliance (), found that about half of the students served by public school systems in the nation's largest cities receive diplomas. Students in suburban and rural public high schools were more likely to graduate than their counterparts in urban public high schools, the researchers said. . . http://news.yahoo.com/ Related Report: http://www.americaspromise.org/APA.aspx School's Incentives Slash Rate of Truancy The Augusta Chronicle March 31, 2008 ATHENS, Ga. - Every month, Hilsman Middle School students get a reward just for coming to school every day. Some months it's a T-shirt, sometimes it's a certificate, some- times it's a handshake from Principal Tony Price. But a simple gift and short recognition can mean a lot to a 12- or 13-year-old, Mr. Price said, especially if the child hasn't had a lot of success in school. As schools everywhere try to curb truancy, Hilsman's tack seems to work, and the school has cut the number of chronically absent pupils in half. Kids will get the message, Mr. Price said, that sitting in class every day is the first step toward more success. . . http://www.redorbit.com/news/education/1318517/schools_incentives_slash_rate_of_truancy/# Second junior high to require school uniforms The Arizona Republic March 26, 2008 Mesa Junior High students will begin wearing uniforms next school year in an effort to curb teen crime and behavior problems. School officials tried to pass mandatory uniforms three times in the past four years without success, but on Tuesday, school board members approved the move. Uniforms are rare at Mesa Public Schools. Only five neighborhood elementary schools out of 58 require them: Longfellow, Lowell, Lincoln, Holmes and Eisenhower. . . http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/articles/0326mr-uniforms0327.html Low Graduation Rate Draws Florida Lawsuit The Christian Science Monitor March 26, 2008 Amid mounting national frustration over high school graduation rates, the School District of Palm Beach County in Florida has been thrust onto center stage. In a class-action lawsuit, the American Civil Liberties Union is demanding that the district boost its graduation rates and reduce the gaps in those rates between racial and socioeconomic groups ... http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0326/p03s01-usju.htm Policies and Practices Related to Student Failure and Dropping Out: Tools and Resources National Dropout Prevention Network March 25, 2008 The National Dropout Prevention Network will be airing a live broadcast entitled Policies and Practices Related to Student Failure and Dropping Out: Tools and Resources on Tuesday, 3/25/08. You can view the webcast here: http://www.dropoutprevention.org/webcast/ Slow Economy Quickens Dropout Rate Bradenton Herald (Bradenton, Florida) March 23, 2008 Even before the school year is over, Mike McCann is predicting the number of high school dropouts has surpassed last year. And McCann, the district's dropout prevention supervisor, has a ready explanation - the economy. "What we are hearing is they left the state ...... " http://www.bradenton.com/699/story/483451.html Trouble with Truancy: Crackdown on Absenteeism Not Only Answer to Problem Journal-World (Lawrence, Kansas) March 7, 2008 Lawrence schools overall have a good track record on student attendance compared with other districts in the state. But school administrators, staff and law enforcement still aren't shy about flexing their muscles when it comes to truancy ... http://www.redorbit.com School Truancy Falls The Starr (Sheffield) U.K. February 29, 2008 Sheffield schools are making progress in their battle against truancy -- with fewer pupils "wagging it" in the last academic year. Government figures for 2006-2007 show the number of school days due to unauthorized absence fell by 1.11% compared with the previous year ... http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/School-truancy-falls.3827949.jp Roots of truancy targeted in Troy, State grant helps establish outreach center for kids By Bob Gardiner - Albany Times Union February 27, 2008 TROY -- Sometimes parents are surprised to find out their kids are skipping school, and other times they don't care, but the reasons behind truancy will get attention at a new outreach center in the North Central neighborhood. Officials gathered Tuesday in a large room in the Rainbow Center at the Fallon Apartments on River Street to announce that it will soon become the site of the Troy Truancy Reduction Program. "We know one of the best ways to reduce future crime is helping the child who is 12, 13, 14 years old who is not going to school for some reason and may end up a crime statistic," said city police Capt. John Reigert. . . http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=667163&category=REGION&newsdate=2/27/2008 Tracking Truancy Melissa Medalie - WHPTTV.com February 27, 2008 It's a new idea to solve the truancy problem in York County schools, and it's all about taking a personal approach. York County Children and Youth Services is placing case workers in several schools across the County. The case worker stands at the door when the kids come into school, checking to make sure problem students show up in the morning. Over the months, the case worker gets to know the kids and their problems, and the students know if they don't show up, that person is going to track them down. . . http://www.whptv.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=9ce34dd1-23f9-4c90-93ac-6fd009b446ad Dropout Crisis; CMS, State must tackle this matter more aggressively Charlotte Observer (NC) February 13, 2008 A 45 percent jump in the number of dropouts in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools is troubling, even with the caveat from Superintendent Peter Gorman that the higher numbers reflect more accurate reporting. Those 2,512 students represent more than 10 percent of all students statewide who dropped out of school last school year. CMS's 788-student increase in dropouts accounted for more than half the jump statewide. This is serious, and not just for Mecklenburg County. Students here were among 23,550 in North Carolina who dropped out in 2006-07, according to a recent report from the N.C. Department of Public Instruction. That was a 4 percent increase over the year before ..... http://www.charlotte.com/opinion/story/491146.html Dropout Rate targeted; Panel Recommends raising Minimum Age to Quit School to 18 By Ruma Kumar - Baltimore Sun (MD) February 11, 2008 Requiring Maryland students to remain in school until they turn age 18 could drastically reduce dropout rates but would cost the state $200 million a year and worsen the existing shortage of teachers, classroom space and other resources, according to a new report. A yearlong study by a statewide task force of 50 educators, community leaders and legislators recommended raising the public school compulsory attendance age from 16. Maryland law allows students to drop out at age 16 with parental permission. Baltimore lawmakers have been pushing the change for four years, but it didn't get to a vote in the General Assembly because of concerns over what it would cost. "It's always died because of the cost factor, and I don't get that," said state Sen. Catherine E. Pugh, a Baltimore Democrat sponsoring a bill to raise the attendance age. "When these children start school at 5, we ought to be prepared to pay for them to stay in school until 18.". . http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/annearundel/bal-md.ar.dropout11feb11,0,4548737.story Dropout Rates, Suspensions on the rise in N.C. T. Keung Hui -The Raleigh News & Observer February 8, 2008 RALEIGH - North Carolina high school students are dropping out in increasing numbers despite more efforts to keep them in school, prompting frustrated education leaders to call for raising the minimum dropout age from 16 to 18. A total of 23,550 students dropped out in 2006-07, representing 5.24 percent of the state's high school population, according to a report released Thursday. That is the biggest number in seven years and a 6 percent increase from 2005-06. Educators couldn't explain why the numbers are getting worse, but said they reinforce the need for the General Assembly to raise the dropout age. More than three-quarters of North Carolina's dropouts were aged 16 to 18, they said. . . . http://www.newsobserver.com/news/education/story/932010.html Truancy Court begins in Collier County, Teenagers were sentenced to community service, random drug testing during first round By Katherine Lewis - Naples Daily News (Florida) February 6, 2008 Truant Collier County students and their parents had to explain their absences to a judge Wednesday during Collier County’s first session of Truancy Court. The program developed from a partnership involving the Collier County School District, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, State Attorney’s Office, Department of Juvenile Justice, the David Lawrence Center and Lutheran Social Services to resolve truancy issues. “We are identifying the children who are absent and trying to get to the root of the problem as to why they are absent,” Collier Circuit Judge Daniel Monaco told those in the courtroom Wednesday. “I have a greater reason why I want you to attend school. People who graduate from high school get better jobs and make more money. ... And if you do not cooperate, I will impose sanctions.”. . http://naplesnews.com/news/2008/feb/06/truancy-court-begins-collier-county/ Beaumont Council votes to make truancy illegal By Ern Waldner - Press Enterprise February 5, 2008 The Beaumont City Council on Tuesday night unanimously approved a pair of ordinances that make juvenile loitering and truancy illegal and holds the parents of violators accountable. Beaumont police Cpl. Sean Thuilliez told the council that juveniles have caused problems at Oak Valley Shopping Center, where they've disrupted businesses and shoppers. The Police Department is also concerned about children being preyed upon during the day, he said. The new laws will go into effect 30 days after a second reading of the ordinances at the Beaumont City Council meeting Feb. 19 .... http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_B_btruancy06.429ccb5.html
	Home \| Maricopa County Attorney's Office 301 West Jefferson, Ste. 800 - Phoenix, AZ 85003 - (602) 506-3411 Copyright 2006-2007, Maricopa County Attorney's Office