Increased Funding for Alabama’s Truancy Program

Next year, local law enforcement in Alabama will receive increased funds to support a key truancy program aimed at addressing the root causes of school absenteeism among children.

Despite a recent state report highlighting several concerns about the 21-year-old Helping Families Initiative—such as issues with oversight and the high administrative costs—advocates argue that the program remains essential.

Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, emphasized the program's importance, especially in the current post-COVID era. "To my knowledge, never in our state’s history or our country’s history, and coming out of COVID, has it been more important to battle and fight truancy than it is today,” Orr said. “The number of children not going to school is staggering in some places. And so having the district attorneys involved and engaged and holding parents accountable, and sometimes even before a judge, is very important."