Some Districts See Success Through Attendance Awards

The Washington Times (8/29, Wolfgang) reports, "To combat truancy, many school districts are offering iPods, laptops and even cars in exchange for perfect attendance." Santa Ana Unified School District spokeswoman Angela Burrell said the California district has seen success with its reward policy. "A lot of people are doing creative things" to fight truancy, she said. "Education specialists see value in such efforts. Skipping school is often the precursor to dropping out, and schools are wise to try and reach students before they give up on the system entirely, said James Appleton, executive director of the National Dropout Prevention Center."