Serna said many students skip school simply because they think they won't get caught. They get offended. Sometimes, students might not have proper clothes or school supplies, leaving them too embarrassed to attend classes. One of the main goals of ASAP is to connect families with organizations, such as Caritas of Austin and El Buen Samaritano, that will help students with these easily remedied problems. Other families face more serious problems.
Some students deal with the threat of violence or the pressure to join gangs.
Some parents have lost control of their children. Other students are runaways. The family referral guide that is left at every house during an ASAP visit provides contact information for services from financial assistance to child care to family counseling, drug counseling and youth advocacy groups. I've seen, not miracles, but a lot of turnovers. Then there's some we really just can't do much with.