EDUCATION
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POLICY BOX Legislature Aims for Truancy Reduction By Ann Jackson, Voices for Children in Nebraska
Nebraska state officials have made truancy reduction a community goal through the passage of legislative bills, LB 800 and LB 463. Governor Dave Heineman, the Legislature, and others are calling attention to the issue of truancy because missing school is linked to lowered academic achievement.1 Nearly 22,000 Nebraska students missed more than 20 days of school last year.2 Students who miss more than 20 days of school have lower test scores on statewide tests compared to their peers who missed less than 20 days.3 Furthermore, truancy increases the likelihood a student will become a dropout and or enter the juvenile justice system.4 LB 463 aimed to clarify and expand upon LB 800, which was passed in 2010. LB 463 called for: • A transfer of $100,000 from the Commission on Public Advocacy Operations Cash Fund to the Supreme Court Education Fund, to assist the juvenile justice system in programming to reduce absenteeism and unnecessary involvement with the system; • A transfer of $300,000, across two years, from the Com mission on Public Advocacy to the Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) fund (see Page 48 for details on CASA); and • Authorization of the Omaha metro-area Learning Com munity Coordinating Council to allocate funds for diver sion programming to reduce truancy.5 Grand Island School District’s truancy program to keep kids in school has gained statewide attention. Often, the hearing becomes a support system in helping address student needs. Grand Island’s program aims to keep students from accumulating too many unexcused absences, and also to solve the problem before the case must be sent to the county court.6 Office of Governor Dave Heineman. “Gov. Heineman and Omaha Superintend ents Outline Plan to Increase Student Achievement,” (August 2, 2011), http:// www.governor.nebraska.gov/news/2011/08/02_student_achievement.html. 2 Paul Hammel. “A battle plan for ‘war on truancy’.” Omaha World-Herald, (July 11, 2011). http://www.omaha.com/article/20110711NEWS01/707119920. 3 Ibid. 4 Office of Governor Dave Heineman. 5 Nebraska Legislative Bill 463, (May 11, 2011). 6 Christopher Burbach. “Team approach to truancy.” Omaha World-Herald, (March 28, 2010). 1
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