High rates of truancy at some DC schools are receiving considerable attention. The Family Court cannot realistically be a primary response to the chronic truancy of thousands of chronically truant high-school students, Senior Fellow Akiva Liberman of the Justice Policy Center told the City Council. Liberman commented that family-based…

The Virginia Board of Education's "Student Conduct Policy Guidelines" were first developed in 1994 in response to action by the 1993 General Assembly requiring the Virginia Board of Education to establish such guidelines. In 2004, the "Guidelines" underwent a major revision in response to requirements of § 22.1-279.6. of the…

This Wisconsin Legislative Council information memorandum describes 1987 Wisconsin Act 285, relating to truancy and dispositional alternatives for children adjudged delinquent or in need of protection or services based on habitual truancy. Part I of the memorandum lists eight highlights of Act 285. Part II describes statutes not affected by Act…

The Task Force to Develop Standards and Goals for Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention was initiated in the Spring of 1975 by the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (LEAA) of the U.S. Department of Justice. The efforts of this task force resulted in nine reports, each one dealing with one aspect of the Juvenile Justice System. This…

Absenteeism has personal as well as institutional causes. It is increasingly impossible for schools to function as custodians of their student, given changing social attitudes toward both youth and authority. Therefore, schools must respond to students' needs by curricular revision, for example, in order to cut down on absenteeism. Hazell…

State laws pertaining to truants, runaways, and other "status offenders"--as distinguished from delinquents who have committed crimes--are discussed. Characteristics of these youths and their families are noted. Shortcomings of existing programs for them and the need for educational alternatives are pointed out. (PP)

This information memorandum describes Wisconsin laws relating to compulsory school attendance and truancy. It outlines school-attendance requirements, exceptions, and alternatives; the written attendance policy; key definitions regarding truancy and school-attendance enforcement; and information on the truancy-planning committee and truancy plan.…

In an investigation authorized by a 1980 state law, the Legislative Education Study Committee of New Mexico, gathered testimony on student conduct and discipline issues in the local public schools. This report presents a summary of the committee's public hearings, in which parents, teachers, administrators, and community members testified.…

One of the South Carolina Department of Education's foremost responsibilities is to initiate attendance improvement programs. Among the services offered to carry out this responsibility is assistance to attendance personnel in developing professional approaches to absenteeism. This guide contains information on the role and function of attendance…

A review of court decisions indicates that schools may consider absence from class as a factor in overall academic evaluation and may impose academic penalties for absences due to truancy, suspension, or expulsion. However, academic penalties may not be imposed for misconduct that does not result in absence from class. (MLF)

In recent years, provincial laws in Alberta, Canada, have required children of certain ages to attend school. A legal issue related to attendance that is seldom addressed in provincial legislation is the definition of nonattendance. Many jurisdictions in the United States offer statutory definitions of truancy that range from 3 to 10 days' absence…

The LegiSchool Project, a collaboration between the California State University, Sacramento, and the California State Legislature, scheduled a town-hall meeting to discuss areas in which adults feel they must control the behavior of young people. Materials for educating meeting participants are contained in this report. Participants, which…

This procedures manual is intended to provide guidance to Maine school officials for developing strategies and policies to assure regular attendance of students in school. Part 1 examines factors affecting school attendance, noting that the school and home may serve as enablers for the student who becomes unaccountable for attendance. These…

This handbook details methods Pennsylvania school districts might adopt in order to meet State attendance regulations. Following a brief introduction, a list of general topic references in the law is given as an aid to awareness of the variety of issues addressed by statute and regulation. Next, guidelines are presented for developing school…

This report contains an explanation of the Wisconsin laws relating to school truancy; a review of truancy statistics, procedures, and penalties in selected Wisconsin school districts; and a sampling of alternative programs and procedures from other states to deal with truant pupils. Effective procedures for dealing with truant pupils and effective…