This article examines various aspects of school physical characteristics relating to problem behavior among students. We hypothesize that an attractive physical environment will be associated with less truancy, cigarette, alcohol, and marijuana use, whereas a negative physical environment will be associated with higher levels of these behaviors.…

This monograph is intended as a guide to support self-evaluation of truancy reduction and prevention programs by those involved in their ongoing operations. It is one of four in a series addressing various aspects of truancy, was published by the National Dropout Prevention Center at Clemson University with support from the South Carolina…

Each school day, hundreds of thousands of students are missing from their classrooms--many without a bona fide excuse. Left unchecked, truancy is a risk factor for serious juvenile delinquency. Truancy's impact also extends into the adult years where it has been linked to numerous negative outcomes. Consequently, it is critical to identify…

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THIS DOCUMENT: For each student day of unauthorized student absence, the district loses $11.95. Last year there were 95,818 student days of unauthorized absence for which the district did not receive any money from the state. This represented a loss to the district of $1,145,025. These appear to be staggering…

Related a high school district's attempt to reduce absenteeism through use of an autodialing machine. Explains the mechanisms of the system and proposes additional uses for it. Indicates that improved attendance rates occurred after its incorporation. (ML)

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THIS DOCUMENT: Operation Stay In School is a program that focuses the combined efforts of parents, law enforcement personnel, probation officers, and school district staff on improving school attendance. Under the leadership of Judge Dennis Adams, following extensive study of effective truancy programs throughout…

Strategies for preventing or responding to truancy and dropping out of school are offered in this resource paper. The document's first few pages draw on statistics from around the United States to illustrate the magnitude of the problem in terms of both its scope and its consequences. The paper then turns to its major focus, strategies to increase…

Timeout use was found to be low to moderate for the majority of 88 severely behaviorally disordered students in an elementary school self-contained program. Little evidence was found of a relationship between timeout use and academic achievement. In contrast, measures of school absence, in particular truancy, were correlated with poor academic…

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THIS DOCUMENT: Positive Attendance for Secondary Schools (PASS) is established to discourage pupils from absenting themselves from high school classes and/or frequently reporting late to class in violation of state law and school policies. This program shall be for pupils who exceed six truancies and/or unexcused…

Reponses to four letters from parents and a teacher of gifted children, relating to truancy in a gifted teenager; development of a regional gifted program; strategies appropriate for a primary gifted program; and instructional activities for a parent to use with her preschool age gifted child. (SBH)

This article describes a pilot program to identify students with irregular attendance and to coordinate follow-up services for them. (SJL)

A three-step plan to improve attendance at Aurora Central High School, Colorado, has successfully reduced truancies to less than 1.25 percent. Students with exemplary attendance are exempt from taking final exams; chronic truants are suspended; and all students are required to do makeup work for all absences. (MLF)

A computerized automatic dialing system that phones parents during the evening has raised the attendance rate at a Texas school to 97 percent. The system documents the numbers called, calls answered, and those unanswered, redials busy signals and unanswered numbers, and is capable of recording parent response. (MLF)

This book offers guidance on dealing with the problem of truancy and non-attendance. It provides examples of the latest ways that schools, teachers, education welfare officers, and local education authorities in the United Kingdom have worked to overcome their attendance problems, identifying 120 short-term solutions and several long-term…

Students at two inner city elementary schools who were consistently truant were divided into six groups according to the reasons they were absent. The school social worker describes techniques used to combat truancy in each category. (HMV)