Wimberley Independent School District

Updated 04/15/03
Contact Person for more information:  Bob Lorenc at 847-5729 ext. 619 or blorenc@wimberley.txed.net

Keeping Kids in School
Information and District Policies on School Attendance

Thousands of youth skip school each day in Texas.  Frequently, truancy is the first sign of personal problems for a child, whether at home, personally, or in school.

However, those problems quickly begin to affect the community as a whole.  Truancy has been identified as the most powerful predictor of juvenile delinquency.  Police departments across the nation report that many students not in school during regular hours are committing crimes, including vandalism, shoplifting, and defacing property (graffiti).  When Van Nuys, California, officials focused on truancy for three weeks, shoplifting arrests dropped 60 percent.

In addition, truancy is also a leading indicator of failure to graduate from high school.  Failure to graduate from high school often leads to low wage-earning potential and other financial and social problems.

In an effort to focus on preventing truancy, the Wimberley Independent School District has instituted the following programs:   Community In Schools and Students Assistance Programs at the Danforth and High School campus' for individual counseling.  At Wimberley High School the district offers "Stay In School" incentives for proper attendance:  exemptions for final examinations and off campus lunch benefits.

Attendance is Mandatory
The State of Texas requires that all children between the ages of 6 and 18 be in school, unless specifically exempted by state law.

Please refer to the Wimberley Independent School District's Student Handbook  for the current attendance policy.

Please refer to the Wimberley Independent School District's Student Handbook for detailed information concerning the consequences of truancy.

The Wimberley Independent School District is committed to fighting truancy as a social problem, while making every effort to address the root causes for each individual's attendance problems.  With a combination of parental, law enforcement, and community involvement and support, we can keep kids in school.

Source:  Texas Association of School Boards