By Bea Karnes

More than 23 percent of California elementary school students were truant in 2014-15, with at least three unexcused absences, while about 230,000 of them were chronically absent, missing more than 10 percent of the school year, according to a report released in Los Angeles by Attorney General Kamala Harris.

The persistent attendance problems continue to be financially costly for school districts, which lose funding when attendance drops.

“Elementary school truancy has sweeping implications for our state’s economy and public safety,” Harris said. “When our youngest students are missing more than 10 percent of the school year, we know that they often fall behind and never catch up. This report shows that we are making progress, but we must do more to keep our children in school.”

via Nearly a Quarter of Elementary Students in California Were Truant Last Year | Dixon, CA Patch.