State to begin collecting data on students who are chronically absent | EdSource

By Jane Meredith Adams

California will begin its first statewide collection of data on students who are chronically absent, a key indicator of academic trouble, the California Department of Education said Thursday.

The need for a statewide pool of absenteeism data long has been disputed by Gov. Jerry Brown, who in 2014 vetoed two attendance-collection bills and wrote, “Keeping children in school and learning is a priority, but collecting more data is not the primary solution.”

The change is the result of the new federal education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act, signed by President Barack Obama in December, which requires states to collect and report data on chronic absenteeism.

via State to begin collecting data on students who are chronically absent | EdSource.

Kindergarteners: The most “truant” students? | EdSource

By Erin Brownfield

The recently released scores on the Smarter Balanced assessments underscore enduring achievement gaps that decades of previous reforms have failed to close. But one contributor to the achievement gap has recieved little attention: The fact that large numbers of the youngest and often most disadvantaged students are frequently absent from school.

In California, kindergarten students are the most likely of any elementary school students to be “chronically absent,” defined as those missing at least 18 days, or 10 percent of the school year, according to “In School & On Track 2015,” a new report from Attorney General Kamala Harris that looked at absenteeism rates in the 2014-15 school year.

via Kindergarteners: The most “truant” students? | EdSource.

Solano truancy up; costs districts millions – Daily Republic

By Todd R. Hansen

Solano County school districts lost nearly $11.5 million in state student funding due to increased truancy at its elementary schools during the 2012-13 school year, the state Attorney General’s Office reported.

The countywide truancy rate for 2012-13 was 22.01 percent, up 3.41 percent from the previous term, the state reported, for a loss of $189.96 per elementary school pupil.

Those figures are up from $182.77 per pupil in the 2011-12 school year, totaling nearly $11.128 million, the report states.

via Solano truancy up; costs districts millions.

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

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.

California report says truancy may cost state billions, includes Solano County numbers – The Reporter

By Robert Jablon

California must act to reduce rampant truancy that saw an estimated 1 million elementary students absent in the last school year and may cost the state billions of dollars through increased crime and poverty, according to a study released Monday by the state attorney general’s office.

“The empty desks in our public elementary school classrooms come at a great cost to California,” the report said.

via California report says truancy may cost state billions, includes Solano County numbers – The Reporter.

Torlakson Addresses Truancy Report – Year 2013 CA Dept of Education

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson issued the following statement today after taking part in the release of California Attorney General Kamala Harriss report, “In School and on Track,” examining the issue of truancy and absenteeism in Californias elementary schools.

via Torlakson Addresses Truancy Report – Year 2013 CA Dept of Education.

Truancy rules represent tyranny at its finest – Daily Republic Letter

Brenda Ledbetter

Fairfield

I am one of the chosen ones on Solano County District Attorney Donald Du Bain, Solano County Office of Education and Fairfield-Suisun School District’s truancy witch hunt.

If you read the letter posted on the Solano County Office of Education website (Oct. 16, “Solano County superintendent calls on students, parents and community to boost school attendance”) they are cracking down on “attendance” problems in the district, including valid “excused” absences.

Truancy rules represent tyranny at its finest Daily Republic.

School district, police to meet with students, parents about truancy – Daily Republic

By

FAIRFIELD — Truant students and their parents or guardians are invited to speak Thursday with representatives from the school district and the police.

They will meet at 5 p.m. in the Fairfield-Suisun School District’s office at 2490 Hilborn Road in Fairfield.

All those rounded up in a sweep in May were sent a letter inviting them to the talk, said Angie Avlonitis of the district’s Student Services Department. Included in that May 14 sweep of 43 students were two students in possession of marijuana, two in possession of alcohol and one with a no-bail warrant.

School district, police to meet with students, parents about truancy Daily Republic.

Suisun City Patch: 44 Kids Found Skipping School in Fairfield

Posted by Cody Kitaura

Police issued 44 citations to juveniles in violation of the daytime curfew ordinance in a sweep conducted during school hours on Tuesday in Fairfield, police said.

The sweep was conducted in partnership with the Fairfield Suisun Unified School District. Most of the daytime curfew violators were located and released into the custody of their respective schools. Their parents were then notified of the citation, police said.

via 44 Kids Found Skipping School in Fairfield.

The Reporter: Solano County joins program to fight truancy

By Richard Bammer/ RBammer@TheReporter.com

In an effort to improve graduation rates, Solano County educators continue to call on students, parents and communities to boost school attendance by focusing on chronic absenteeism.

In October, educators signed on to a comprehensive effort, “School Attendance — Every Minute Matters: From Awareness to Action,” in hopes of stemming the problem. California has a graduation rate of 71 percent, ranking 42nd out of 50 states, based on the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Education.

Chronic absences occur when a student misses 10 percent or more of classroom instruction days, or about 18 days in a year, for any reason, including excused absences, noted Jay Speck, Solano County superintendent of schools.

via Solano County joins program to fight truancy.

The Reporter Opinion – Ernest Kimme: Let’s remove obstacles to truancy

By Ernest Kimme/

Our high school graduation rates in Vacaville Unified School District are abysmal.

Officially, most graduation rates are above 90 percent. Unofficially, if you compare the size of incoming freshman high school classes with the number of students who make it to their senior year, you’ll see that several hundred students are missing. This has been the pattern as long as I have been teaching.

Those missing students are more likely to end up in prison or on welfare. Without a high school diploma, they are unlikely to climb out of poverty.

via Ernest Kimme: Let’s remove obstacles to truancy.

EdSource Today: Report: Truancy is taking its toll

By Susan Frey

Having trouble getting your teenager up in time for school? Ask Whoopi Goldberg to help. The celebrity wake-up call is one of many successful strategies employed by New York City to try to get kids to school on time.

A report based on a nationwide survey of truants — Skipping to Nowhere — released Tuesday by Get Schooled emphasizes the importance of developing new strategies to convince both parents and students that being in school on time each day is important.

via Report: Truancy is taking its toll – by Susan Frey.