“I Missed the Bus”

Abstract

Data from a 3-year truancy reduction program operating in Wilmington, Delaware, are analyzed to assess the association of truancy and reasons for truancy with school grade transition points from elementary to middle school and from middle school to high school. Data showed that there was a 95% increase in the number of truants between fifth and sixth grade and a 76% increase in the number of truants between eighth and ninth grade. There was an 87% increase in truancy among youth between 10 and 11 years old and 68% increase in truancy among youth 13 and 14 years old. The study includes analysis of truancy by various demographic variables and makes policy suggestions on how truancy can be reduced by focusing on the two key school transition points, the fifth and eighth grades.