Attendance & Truancy
The Attendance and Truancy Division is Lake County's truancy and dropout prevention program funded by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) since 1985 and administered by the Lake County Regional Office of Education.
The division is an intervention tool that is available to all schools in Lake County. Intervention occurs when schools refer students for poor attendance/truancy. Counselors complete an assessment of all students referred and, with the school's input, develop an individualized plan. The staff acts as referral agents and on-going liaisons between the schools and community resources.
For more information, download our Attendance & Truancy Presentation and FAQ.
Attendance
The attendance office is open daily from 7:50am-3:50pm. A voice mail system is available for calls 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
To report a students’ absence please call the Regional Safe School attendance line at: 847-872-1900.
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If leaving a message please remember to:
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Identify self (parent/guardian by name).
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Give the student’s name.
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Give the reason for absence.
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List the phone number where parent/guardian can be reached during the school day.
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Reminder: Parents/Guardians are responsible for contacting the transportation company at least 30 minutes prior to normal pick-up time if the student does not require transportation for that day.
Complying with the Compulsory School Attendance Law
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Parents need to know that all students in Lake County Area Schools are expected to attend school every day. The Compulsory School Attendance Law states that whoever has custody or control of any child between the ages of 6 and 17 years (changed starting with the 2014-2015 school year) must send the child to a public or private day school on a regular basis.
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What is Truancy?
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According to the U.S. Department of Education:
"Truancy is the first sign of trouble; the first indicator that a young person is giving up and losing his or her way. When young people start skipping school, they are telling their parents, school officials, and the community at large that they are in trouble and need our help if they are to keep moving forward in life..."
Statistics show that what may be "just truancy" today, can lead to:
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Potential delinquent activity
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Social isolation
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Educational failure via: Suspension, Expulsion, or Dropping out
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Truancy Office Contact
Sean Collins
312.209.5680 | Email