ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, October 4, 1996 TAG: 9610040059
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER
Roanoke's school system has received a $385,160 federal grant to help improve student attendance and prevent truancy - a major problem in recent years.
Roanoke is one of 28 school districts in the nation to receive funds under the federal program, Superintendent Wayne Harris said Thursday. There were 361 applicants.
Harris has made improved attendance one of his priorities. He has set a goal of reducing the number of students who miss more than 10 days by 10 percent a year.
Twenty city schools showed improved attendance during the past year. Six met the goal of a 10 percent decrease in students missing more than 10 days.
During the 1994-95 school year, 34 percent of Roanoke's 13,000 students missed more than 10 days. Nearly 450 children missed 50 or more days.
This year, the school system has created a ``student support team'' of psychologists and teachers to work with students who miss more than 10 days. The schools also are working with Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court judges and several community agencies to help reduce absenteeism.
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