School district plans check on hundreds of truant teens

By Victoria Spilabotte

CREATED Aug. 30, 2012

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  • When the bell rings at school students should be in class, but hundreds are playing hooky and skipping school. It's an issue the Clark County School District faces each year. Video by ktnv.com

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Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) -- When the bell rings at school students should be in class, but hundreds are playing hooky and skipping school. It's an issue the Clark County School District faces each year.

"If kids aren't held accountable for going to school then problems arise in the community and obviously that's something we want to change," Eric Gant, CCSD truancy enforcement, said.

The district is asking the community to participate in "Reclaim Your Future." It's a program to help improve Clark County's graduation rates.

Last year volunteers went door to door hoping to find hundreds of high school seniors ditching school.

"Getting out there, walking our streets and finding the kids that aren't coming to school that we know have the ability to graduate," CCSD spokesperson, Amanda Fulkerson, said. "These kids are smart, they can do it, but for one reason or another they are not coming to class."

The district wants students to know there are options for graduation, whether it's taking classes online or at night. Last year, "Reclaim Your Future" inspired 22 truant teens to graduate. In September, the program is expanding and focusing on students at 16 high schools.

"You have to find something to light the spark, that's the hardest part lighting the spark," Gant said.  

"A lot of our kids are truant for no good reason," Fulkerson said. "Sometimes they just need a caring adult to come in their life and explain coming to school has so much more value than just being truant and hanging out on the street."

Fulkerson said the district wants kids in the classroom, that's how graduation rates will rise.

It's asking for community volunteers to help with this year's "Reclaim Your Future." The event takes place on September 22, 2012 at 8 a.m.

To sign up to volunteer, click here.