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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 624 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 624

   Designating August 2008 as ``National Truancy Prevention Month''.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   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
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) designates August 2008 as ``National Truancy Prevention 
        Month'';
            (2) recognizes the significant harm of chronic truancy to 
        the youth of the United States;
            (3) acknowledges the work being done by truancy prevention 
        programs throughout the United States to help at-risk youth; 
        and
            (4) encourages law enforcement, school officials, the 
        judiciary, community leaders, and the business community to 
        work together to address truancy.
                                 <all>
```