Government > Departments > Youth & Workforce Services > Truancy Abatement Program

Truancy Abatement Program

The City of Albany’s Truancy Abatement Program serves all school-aged youth who attend school in the City of Albany.  The program runs throughout the school year (September – June), striving to reduce truancy, juvenile crime and increase parental responsibility.

The Truancy Abatement Program is a collaborative effort involving the City, local schools, Albany County Probation, Albany Police Department and local community agencies and is funded through New York State Department of Criminal Justice Services. The operation of the program consists of police officers patrolling the streets of Albany and identifying students who are not in school during regular school hours.

School age youngsters who are not in school on a regular school day must have a legitimate reason for not being in attendance and must be prepared to show the appropriate documentation. Students with a legitimate and documented reason for not being in school are permitted to continue to their destination. All other students are escorted to the Truancy Abatement Center. Both parents and the school are notified immediately when their child is brought to the Truancy Center. Parents are expected to report to the Truancy Center immediately to meet with support staff and return their child to school. School and Truancy Center staff then follow-up with appropriate support services and aftercare.

Research has shown how poor attendance correlates with juvenile crime and violence, school failure and risky behaviors such as alcohol and drug use. The Truancy Abatement Program addresses truancy in a collaborative, timely and coordinated manner, while making children and their families accountable for school absences. The initiative is designed to promote school attendance by assisting in the enforcement of school attendance in the City of Albany. Services include assessment, counseling, referral and aftercare to youth and their families.

Contact Information

Truancy Center
200 Henry Johnson Blvd 
Albany, NY 12210
Phone: (518) 447-5977
Email: youth@ci.albany.ny.us


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