Attending or not attending school seems to set a course for one's life. Although truancy seems innocuous, it is an early indicator that a student is headed toward high risk behaviors. Truancy has been identified as a significant risk factor for substance abuse, aggressive or violent behavior (including gang activities), pregnancy and dropping out of school. The Los Angeles County Office of Education, home to the largest school district in the country, concluded that chronic absenteeism is the most powerful predictor of delinquent behavior. Communities not only pay the price for the costs associated with truant student's delinquent behavior, but for the truant behavior as well. School districts lose thousands of dollars each school year in federal and state funding that is tied to school attendance numbers. Taxpayers pay additional law enforcement wages so officers can deal with truant students. They also shoulder the burden of increased welfare costs for dropouts unable to procure employment. Additionally, businesses find themselves having to spend larger amounts of money on training uneducated employees. Engaging troubled teens and empowering teachers, counselors, youth service providers, law enforcement personnel and judicial agencies with the means to reach students at the earliest intervention point is critical to keeping students connected to school. Identifying the underlying issues in a truant student's life is key to successfully reengaging the student in school. The National Center for School Engagement has captured truancy prevention best practices and model programs in Truancy Prevention in Action. Programs in 7 states have long standing [...]
