reason leading to truancy (Bracey, 1989b). Student academic performance is another significant reason underlying truant behavior (Kagan, 1988). One survey found that 52 percent of truants were in age-appropriate grades, 69 percent were behind their age levels in reading (Cooper & Mellors, 1990). Other studies have found that students 35 percent behind their age levels in reading are prime drop-out candidates. Such data suggest ôthat à many youths are inappropriately placed, or are not receiving needed servicesö (Lee, Luppino, & Plionis, 1990, p. 6).
Educational programs that are perceived by students as irrelevant to their personal needs also tend to motivate truancy (Cooper & Mellors, 1990). It is often difficult to make education relevant to the needs of all students in a society where universal access to college preparatory programs is the de facto goal of public education.
In recent years, several remedies for the truancy problem in American public schools have been proposed. These proposed remedies may be placed in five categoriesùpenalize the students, penalize the parents, provide greater support for at-risk students, implement more disciplinary measures, and create incentives for school attendance.
Proposals to penalize students to promote school attendance eventually come down to the same thingùdeny driver's licenses to students who either skip classes or drop-out of school (Russell & Fessenden, 1989). A great deal of debate exists concerning the merits of this proposed remedy (Hill, 1990a). The State of West Virginia, however, has made significant inroads against class skipping through the application of such a law (Lemov, 1989).
Penalizing parents for the truancy of students is as controversial as is denying class-skippers and drop-outs driver's licenses (Charme & Whitney, 1988). One sort of penalty imposed on parents of truant students is a monetary fine (Diegmueller, 1989). The State of Wisconsin ...