High rates of school absenteeism and truancy lead to lower student performance and increased daytime juvenile crime. Truancy has been identified by law enforcement agencies and the Department of Juvenile Justice as being a chronic problem in Florida. Before a school can take legal action, it must go through lengthy and often expensive steps. For example, students must receive a comprehensive evaluation before the student or parent can be held accountable. Bureaucratic requirements for enforcing school attendance laws will be reduced and schools will be expected to rigorously enforce school attendance.
Students have to be in school to benefit from programs funded by the state and local taxpayers.
In addition to enforcing school attendance, the plan establishes a pilot program to raise the compulsory school attendance age from 16 to 18. This pilot will be evaluated for possible statewide adoption.