Pennsylvania Department of Education Resources
Pennsylvania School Attendance Improvement and Truancy Reduction Toolkit
The Pennsylvania School Attendance Improvement and Truancy Reduction Toolkit is designed to provide resources and strategies for educators, child welfare professionals and court personnel to effectively address truancy in their local community. The toolkit is web-based in order to enable for updates and changes in the future as required by any changes in the School Code.
All future updates and/or changes will be annotated with the effective date.
Beginning October 10, 2026, schools also must include the Notice of Right to Request Educational Best Interest Hearing below as part of this notice.
Before distributing the notice, schools must customize the Notice of Right to Request Educational Best Interest Hearing by inserting the following:
- The name, contact information, and location of the Magisterial District Judge or Municipal Court where requests should be filed; and
- The name and contact information of the school personnel who should receive a copy of the request.
Schools may begin including this notice immediately in advance of the effective date.
As a reminder, section 1333 of the School Code prohibits a student who is habitually truant from transferring during the school year to a cyber charter school unless a judge determines it is in the educational best interest of the student. (24 P.S. § 13-1333(c.1)) If a citation has not been filed, a person in parental relation or a student aged 15 or older may request an educational best interest hearing using the process outlined in the Notice of Right to Request Educational Best Interest Hearing from the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts.
Targeting Truancy
An estimated 7.5 million students are chronically absent each school year, and high rates of truancy start as early as kindergarten. Every teacher knows that you can't teach empty seats. The U.S. Department of Education heard teachers’ concerns and issued guidance for how communities can improve student attendance. Among the ideas: implementing the Check & Connect program, looking deeper than attendance rates to figure out why students aren't coming to school, and encouraging kids to sign up for wake-up calls from celebrities to get them up and ready for the day.
- Key Policy Letters (Word)
Evidence Resource Center
Research and evidence-based approaches to improving student engagement and attendance.
National Resources
Attendance Works - Attendance Works collaborates with stakeholders to ensure that everyone recognizes that chronic absence is a serious issue that can be addressed using a positive, problem-solving approach. Their work includes research, policy ideas, and various tools on improving school participation and reducing truancy
National Center for School Engagement (NCSE) - NCSE collaborates with school districts, law enforcement agencies, courts, and state and federal agencies to support youth and their families to be engaged at school. They pay special attention to school engagement, attendance, dropout prevention, and the mental health needs of students and staff
National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments - School Participation - The Center offers information and technical assistance to states, districts, schools, institutions of higher learning, and communities focused on improving school climate and conditions for learning. This site includes links to research and tools on improving school participation and reducing truancy
National Dropout Prevention Center - By helping school systems implement proven and innovative dropout prevention strategies and structures, NDPC has made a transformative impact on education from the local to the national level.
National Student Attendance, Engagement, and Success Center - The mission of the NSAESC is to disseminate evidence-based practices and build and facilitate communities of practice to help students attend every day, be engaged in school, and succeed academically, so that they graduate high school prepared for college, career, and civic life.
Dropout Prevention - U.S. Department of Education What Works Clearinghouse - Search the WWC and access the Resources Page to find the information you need to make evidence-based decisions in your classrooms and schools.
Questions related to truancy may be directed to PDE at ra-edsafeschoolsrep@pa.gov. Questions regarding court procedures or hearing forms should be directed to the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts at AOPCLegalCC@pacourts.us.