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Ohio Bill Calls for School Intervention in Truancy Cases
By: Associated Press
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Legislation approved by Ohio lawmakers calls for decriminalizing truancy and forcing schools to try and get truant students back to class before taking the issue to juvenile court.
The Plain Dealer reports students will be declared “habitual truants” under the bill if they miss at least five or more consecutive school, seven days in a month or 12 days in a year. A team of school staff and a parent or guardian must also look for ways to keep those children in school.
If the student doesn’t make any progress after two months, school districts must then file a complaint with the juvenile court and treat the absences as a delinquency issue.
The bill awaiting the signature of Gov. John Kasich also prohibits suspending students for skipping school.