Anti-truancy efforts are not new, but there are powerful new incentives which are now spurring school officials' interest in keeping students in class and their school. Not only does the "No Child Left Behind" Act require schools to boost student attendance and lower dropout rates, schools will never be able to succeed in meeting the law's Annual…

Based on surveys of 125 school trustees and administrators and 186 student dropouts and truants in California, this guidebook examines the causes of student attendance problems, discusses guidelines and ideas for programs to combat these problems, and presents exemplary programs in three California school districts. A profile of a hypothetical…

Describes the Mercy Tutoring Services Program, which provides individualized instruction in basic academic and life skills for high school dropouts, suspended or expelled students, those assigned to the program by Juvenile Court, or students with chronic truancy or behavioral problems. Suggests ways of implementing the model elsewhere. (AYC)

In October 2006, a collaborative of cross-sector leaders launched Project U-Turn, a citywide campaign to bring much-needed attention to Philadelphia's dropout crisis and to build the collective will to resolve it. In addition to increasing public awareness of the issue in a variety of ways, Project U-Turn's work has resulted in significant…

This resource handbook was developed to provide constituent school district personnel with a variety of strategies for improving student attendance and for reducing the dropout rate. A significant number of studies completed during the last 5 years have identified attendance as the critical issue confronting school administrators. Further, recent…

To furnish constituent school district personnel with a number of alternative educational programs for reducing the dropout rate, this resource handbook was published by the Oakland Schools (Michigan) Department of Pupil Personnel Services. Provided within this second handbook discussing various strategies for improving student attendance and for…

This study examined the form and availability of alternative education programs in suburban Cook County, Illinois, public secondary schools. Alternative education was defined as any special program that is directed to specific academic, emotional, and/or work training needs of students. A survey was submitted to school districts to gather…

Today and every day, in neighborhoods and communities throughout Philadelphia, young people are making decisions that will change their lives forever. Some will decide to stay in school, graduate, and prepare themselves for college and careers. Others, who left school without a diploma, will summon the courage to seek out educational programs they…