III
110th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. RES. 624
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 25, 2008
Mr. Whitehouse (for himself, Mr. Hatch, Ms. Klobuchar, Ms. Mikulski, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Sanders, Mr. Cardin, and Mr. Leahy) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
July 31, 2008
Reported by Mr. Leahy, without amendment
August 1, 2008
Considered and agreed to
RESOLUTION
Designating August 2008 as National
Truancy Prevention Month
.
Whereas public schools in the United States are facing a dropout crisis, with approximately 1,200,000 students not graduating from high school on time and only 70 percent of students earning high school diplomas;
Whereas truancy has been shown to be the first and best indicator that a child will drop out of school, use marijuana for the first time, and commit juvenile crimes by the age of 15;
Whereas the incidence of truancy in a recent national survey found that 11 percent of eighth grade students, 16 percent of tenth grade students, and 35 percent of twelfth grade students reported skipping 1 or more days of school during the previous 30 days;
Whereas chronic truants often miss more days of school than they attend;
Whereas absentee rates relate directly to graduation rates and are highest in public schools in urban areas;
Whereas truant eighth graders are more likely to say they do not believe they will graduate from high school or attend college than their peers who attend regularly;
Whereas truancy has been found to be a risk factor for substance abuse, teen pregnancy, and school dropout;
Whereas the average annual income for a high school dropout in 2005 was $17,299, compared to $26,933 for a high school graduate;
Whereas it has been demonstrated that when truancy is addressed, there is a reduction in the rates of daytime crime, juvenile crime, drug use, and delinquency;
Whereas effective truancy reduction programs can take many forms and can be implemented in many different settings, including in schools, courts, and through community programs;
Whereas truancy prevention programs focused on middle grade students are key to preventing future dropouts; and
Whereas truancy reduction programs are highly cost effective, reduce juvenile and adult crime, and save taxpayer money: Now, therefore, be it
That the Senate—
designates August 2008 as National
Truancy Prevention Month
;
recognizes the significant harm of chronic truancy to the youth of the United States;
acknowledges the work being done by truancy prevention programs throughout the United States to help at-risk youth; and
encourages law enforcement, school officials, the judiciary, community leaders, and the business community to work together to address truancy.