“I Missed the Bus”

• Author: Arthur H. Garrison
• Published date: 01 April 2006
• Date: 01 April 2006
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/1541204006286318
• Published By: Sage Publications, Inc.
• Subject Matter: Articles

10.1177/1541204006286318Youth Violence and Juvenile JusticeGarrison / SCHOOL GRADE TRANSITION

Research Note

“I MISSED THE BUS”

School Grade Transition, the Wilmington Truancy

Center, and Reasons Youth Don’t Go to School

Arthur H. Garrison

Delaware Criminal Justice Planning Council

Data from a 3-year truancy reduction program operating in Wilmington, Delaware, are

analyzed to assess the association of truancy and reasons for truancy with school grade

transition points from elementary to middle school and from middle school to high

school. Data showed that there was a 95% increase in the number of truants between

fifth and sixth grade and a 76% increase in the number of truants between eighth and

ninth grade. There was an 87% increase in truancy among youth between 10 and 11

years old and 68% increase in truancy among youth 13 and 14 years old. The study in-

cludes analysis of truancy by various demographic variables and makes policy sugges-

tions on how truancy can be reduced by focusing on the two key school transition points,

the fifth and eighth grades.

Keywords: truancy; grade transition; reasons for truancy

Data from a truancy reduction center in Wilmington, Delaware, are used in this study

to assess the association of truancy and reasons for truancy at school grade transition points.

This research seeks to add to the literature on the relationship between the reasons youth

give for why they are truant and school grade transition. Research that has been conducted

on why youth are truant generally includes poor school performance, lack of interest in

school, or that youth do not see any purpose or benefit in going to school (Ames & Archer,

1988; L. Anderman, Maehr, & Midfley, 1999; Chung, Elias, & Schneider, 1998).

One aspect of the newer research on truancy is how transition from one level of edu-

cation to another (Akos, 2002; Alspaugh, 1998a, 1998b, 2000; Alspaugh & Harting, 1995;

Arowosafe & Irvin, 1992; Mizelle & Mullins, 1997) can influence school performance and

lead to truancy. School transition research has also examined the relationship between

school grade transitions and various protective factors (Entwisle & Alexander, 1993;

Gutman & Midgley, 2000; Newman, Myers, Newman, Lohman, & Smith, 2000). School

level transition has also been used to explain why both dropout and truancy patterns in-

crease when youth move from elementary to middle school and from middle school to high

school (Alspaugh, 1998a, 1998b). Researchers have noted “potential dropouts from high

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Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, Vol. 4 No. 2, April 2006 204-212

DOI: 10.1177/1541204006286318

© 2006 Sage Publications