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1. What does truancy mean?

Truancy is the unexcused or unverified absence of a child who is enrolled in school, from school or class, without the proper approval from the school principal or personnel.

2. What constitutes a student being truant?

Pursuant to the Kansas Statutes (KSA 72-1113 (c)(1) Article 11) once a child enrolls in school they are to attend school every day. The Kansas State law specifically says that a student is truant if they have missed 3 unexcused / unverified days in a row, 5 unexcused / unverified days in a semester, or 7 unexcused / unverified days in a school year.

3. What is an unexcused / unverified absence?

An unexcused / unverified absence is an absence for which a parent or guardian has not communicated to the school a valid excuse. If a student has excessive absences the school has the right not to excuse an absence after the 10th day a student has absences unless the child has seen his/her physician and brings the appropriate documentation to the school.

4. My child has been turned in for truancy. Now what?

The District Attorney’s office receives notice from the school when a student is legally truant. Once the notice has been received, the District Attorney’s office looks to see if the student has been referred for truancy before, and checks to see if there has been any previous court history. If the student qualifies, a letter will be sent home to the parents, and the student will be referred to the Truancy Program. If they do not qualify, then the District Attorney’s office will either forward the information to the appropriate agency, or file a truancy hearing with the court.

5. We received a letter for the truancy program. What do we do now?

You received a letter because your child met the qualifications to attend the truancy program. The truancy program is located at 214 West Central in El Dorado. You will have to attend a formal meeting with the truancy worker and then a truancy monitor will monitor your child’s attendance for a minimum of 90 days. You will have one monthly meeting with the truancy worker in the office, and we will meet with the student at least once a month at the school and check attendance daily. If you do not complete the program, the County Attorney’s office will be notified, and that office will determine the next course of action that may include a truancy hearing will be set with the court.

6. We received a court summons for a truancy hearing. What will happen next?

A truancy hearing has been set and an attorney has been appointed for you. The attorney’s name and phone number should be listed on the summons. Please contact that office in advance of the hearing date on the summons.

7. Can my child stop going to school at the age of 16?

The state laws says that no child can be withdrawn from school under the age of 18 unless the student is 16 and the parent and student have attended a counseling session at the school and the parent has signed a disclaimer consenting for the child to drop out. If the child is receiving special educational services and is under an IEP, the student is not eligible to withdraw at the age of 16.

8. I want my child to go to school but I’m having problems getting him/her motivated to go. What do I do?

Please feel free to contact us and make an appointment. Anyone can participate in the truancy program on a voluntary basis. We will also assist you with community referrals to other programs for assistance.

9. What is the cost for the Truancy Intervention Program?

The fee is $50 per child. However, we can request a reduction in the cost based on household income and number of persons living in the household. Ultimately, the cost of not receiving a diploma or GED can be a lifetime of financial struggles.