NCJ Number
242308
Date Published
December 2011
Length
111 pages
Annotation
This study documents truancy levels in school districts across Maryland and the relationship; of truancy levels to other variables, with a focus on Baltimore City and the Lower Eastern Shore.
Abstract
Statewide, 2.25 percent of students (approximately 20,000 students) were identified as habitually truant during the 2009-2010 school year, as measured by being absent without a valid excuse for more than 20 percent of school days. Among the jurisdictions that are the focus of this report, the counties on the Lower Eastern Shore had habitual truancy rates that ranged from 0.29 percent to 1.49 percent; whereas Baltimore City had a habitual truancy rate of 8.00 percent. Although the overall truancy rates for counties on the Lower Eastern Shore were relatively low, in three of the four counties, truancy rates in individual schools exceeded the State average. With a few exceptions, Baltimore City and the counties on the Lower Eastern Shore ranked among the highest in the State in those variables for which positive correlations with truancy were found. Knowledgeable informants including parents, school officials, legal officials, and service providers identified the following factors as contributors to truancy in the five study jurisdictions: the impact of poverty, value placed on education, individual needs of children, inadequate monitoring, transportation challenges, safety, and family difficulties. Although respondents acknowledged the need to hold parents accountable, they generally favored non-punitive solutions to truancy that address the needs of families. The "Dropout Prevention Resource Guide" published by the Maryland State Department of Education identifies 265 initiatives in Maryland schools that address issues that can impact school attendance. Some of these recommendations are included in the current study. 25 tables and 26 references