THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION HAS RELEASED A STUDY REVEALING A SPIKE IN TRUANCY AT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. DATA SHOWS MORE THAN 250,000 CALIFORNIA STUDENTS MISSED 10% OR MORE OF THE 2013-14 SCHOOL YEAR. THE STUDY ALSO REVEALS AN ECONOMIC AND RACIAL DIVIDE, STATING MORE THAN 90% OF ABSENT STUDENTS WERE FROM LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS AND THAT AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHILDREN WERE TRUANT AT NEARLY FOUR TIMES THE RATE OF ALL STUDENTS. THE ABSENCES WERE HIGHEST AT THE KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST-GRADE LEVELS.
