GRPS approves new truancy policy

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - Grand Rapids Public Schools is taking a tougher stance on truancy.

Monday evening, the school board approved a measure that will allow students to miss only 12 days per semester. Before Monday, the district did not have a truancy policy.

If a student misses more than 12 days, they will automatically fail the class, unless they achieve 70% or more on the final exam.

The district hopes this will help students prepare for life after high school.

"What I don't like hearing is that when our students go to college, or when they go to the workforce, that they haven't learned that being on the job every day or being in college every day isn't important, and I think we may have been sending that message with our former policy," said Ron Gorman, executive director of GRPS high schools and alternative education.

The new policy comes on the heels of a new state law tying state welfare benefits directly to school attendance.