New Citywide Ordinance to Curb Truancy Praised : Schools: Law aimed at cutting dropout rate makes it unlawful for students to leave campus without a valid excuse. It takes effect Monday.

Anxious to reduce the city’s soaring school dropout rate and cut down on juvenile crime, Los Angeles officials Thursday praised a new citywide anti-truancy ordinance that becomes effective Monday.

“We’ve got to stop the cycle of kids skipping classes,” City Councilwoman Laura Chick said during a public awareness announcement at Canoga Park High School. “I believe this truancy ordinance will do exactly that.”

The ordinance, passed by the City Council in May, makes it unlawful for students younger than 18 to leave their campuses on school days between 8:30 a.m and 1:30 p.m. unless they have a valid excuse.

On Monday, officials said, Los Angeles police and Los Angeles Unified School District officers will begin issuing traffic citations if students are found loitering off campus.

Students receiving tickets must appear with a parent or guardian before a traffic court judge and could face up to $250 in fines, up to 20 hours of community service or suspended driving privileges, officials said.

Several students who listened to the outdoor announcement--most students were in classes--said the ordinance may be helpful. Yet some also worried that youths who miss school but do not hang around at public places will get away with it.

“I think it only deals with people who are going to the mall,” said Rian Bodner, 17, a senior. “There’s a whole lot of people it’s not going to get to because they’re not walking around.”

Officials emphasized that the ordinance will work in conjunction with other ongoing efforts to keep youths in school. Parents, staff members and students already are encouraged to help keep friends and relatives going to class so they can enjoy productive futures, officials said.

Larry Higgins, principal at 1,600-student Canoga Park High, said his efforts include having two probation officers go to the school twice a week to meet with students.

“We’ve got a lot of people doing a lot of different things to reach the ones who are not the goody-two-shoes,” Higgins said. “We’re attacking it from a number of areas.”

Chick, who authored the ordinance based on a similar law enacted in Monrovia last year, said the goal is to reduce the dropout rate and cut down on crime.

“There is a direct and proven link between chronic truancy and high school dropout rates,” said Chick, chairwoman of the council’s Public Safety Committee.

“Students who do not attend classes lose out on an education which creates additional problems for themselves, their neighborhoods, their schools and for our law enforcement officials,” she said.

School system officials say an average of about 62,000 students, about 10% of the district’s enrollment, are out of school each day. Of those, only about half return with written excuses, officials say.

Although the district does not keep statistics on truants, officials concede that dropout rates and declining graduation rates are evidence of youths’ disenchantment with school.

The state Department of Education earlier this year reported that 44% of the district’s class of 1994 quit school before graduation.

Los Angeles Police Chief Willie L. Williams, who attended Thursday’s announcement at the school, said police consider the ordinance a way of helping, not punishing, young people.

“We would love to have a zero goal of having to write any citations,” Williams said. “The goal is to make sure you’re safe, that you’re where you should be.”

The truancy ordinance includes exceptions. Tickets are not to be issued if a minor is accompanied by a parent or guardian, is on an emergency errand, is going to or returning from work or a medical appointment, or is going to or returning directly from a public place of entertainment such as a movie, sporting event or school activity.

Heather Lawson, 17, a senior, said she thought the ordinance would work, especially once word spreads about youths receiving tickets and having to appear with their parent or guardian before a traffic court judge.

“That’s when they’ll get the message,” she said. “Until then it will be, whatever.”

Raymond Obispo, 18, also a senior, endorsed the ordinance.

“That will prevent them from ditching and stuff,” Obispo said. “What’s the point of not going to school? Those people, they’re going to end up like a bum.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

New Ordinance CURFEW: It is unlawful for students younger than 18 to leave their campuses on school days between 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. unless they have a valid excuse.

EXCEPTIONS: The ordinance does not apply on occasions such as the following:

*The minor is accompanied by his or her parent, guardian or other adult having the care and custody of the minor.

*The minor is on an emergency errand.

*The minor is going to or coming from work.

*The minor is going to or coming from a medical appointment.

*The minor is going to or returning directly home from a public place such as a movie theater, sporting event or school activity.

PENALTIES: Violating the ordinance may result in fines up to $250 and up to 20 hours of community service.