TRUANCY

Truancy can affect a child in a negative way. Some of these kids will end up in our juvenile justice system with some type of criminal background. And others will learn their lesson after getting caught the first time.

Factors that contribute to the truancy problem:

• Negative peer influences
• Disciplinary problems
• Lack of self-esteem
• Poor academic performance
• Being bullied

Truancy increases the risk for:

• Drug/Alcohol abuse
• Gang activity
• Emotional problems
• Incarceration
• Social isolation

How Can We Prevent Truancy?

Preventing truancy requires the support of schools, families, and communities. Truancy prevention efforts are typically school-based, court-based, or community-based. The best efforts incorporate all three components and provide a continuum of prevention and intervention strategies.

Truancy reduction programs may involve one or more of the following components:

• Parent/guardian and family involvement.
• A continuum of support, including incentives and consequences for good, improved, and poor attendance.
• Collaboration among schools, courts, law enforcement agencies, social services providers, businesses, and faith-based and youth-serving agencies.
• Tangible goals to measure program and student performance.
• Effective record tracking improvements in student attendance and truancy rates.
• Establishment of a community standard in which school attendance is valued and expected.

(Source: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention)

For more information on truancy laws, prevention tips and research information, please visit crimefreeaz.com/truancy/

Dropouts

Student drop out for many reasons. Some do it to help their families financially, others for the soul purpose of not wanting to attend school.

Other Reason Given:

• Did not like school
• Poor grades
• Difficult time getting along with teachers/peers.
• Pregnancy

In Arizona, a student can legally dropout at the age of 16.

In the school year 2004-2005 there were 540,382 dropouts nationally. The data included students in grades 9th thru 12th. The graphs below will show where Arizona ranked.

What is the definition of a dropout?

According to the CCD definition, a dropout is an individual who:

• was enrolled in school at some time during the previous school year;
• was not enrolled at the beginning of the current school year;
• has not graduated from high school or completed a state- or district-approved education program; and
• does not meet any of the following exclusionary conditions: transfer to another public school district, private school, or state-or district-approved educational program; temporary absence or school-approved illness; or death.

(Source: National Center for Education Statistics)

What parents can do to prevent their kids from dropping out?

Here are some ways that parents, working with school administrators, counselors, and teachers, can help their children remain in high school:

• Arrange for help with making up missed work, tutoring, placement in a special program, and/or a transfer to another school.
• Help them with personal problems, and/or arrange for professional help.
• Help them schedule work and family obligations so that there is also time to attend school.
• Help them understand that the choices they make, like marrying, becoming parents falling courses, or behaving badly enough to get suspended, can seriously disrupt their ability to finish school.
• If students do become pregnant or parents, help them find schools and social programs that will meet their special needs.
• If all else fails, help them find a GED program and encourage them to stay with it until they get an alternative high school diploma.

(Source: Parents Association.com)

"If we all work on reducing truancy, we will reduce the dropout rate."

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