A Child Misses 3 Weeks of School. Should Protective Services Step In?

“A growing number of states are debating whether to alter their policies on summoning child protection officials if a student has excessive absences.

In the largest county in Nevada, child welfare officials typically are required by state law to investigate when a student repeatedly misses school. But recently, they made a striking request to the state. They asked to stop reporting serial absences.

Across Minnesota, a band of school districts joined the same movement — seeking to handle absences in-house and stop relying so much on child protective services.

And in New York, some advocates want the nation’s largest school system to follow their lead.

The three recent developments illuminate a vexing and urgent question in education. Urban districts are struggling to reverse a surge in absenteeism as millions of American schoolchildren continue to miss significant class time. Some schools try calling families or mailing letters home.

But what if children are still missing class?

Should teachers turn to child protective services for help?”