• Stress the importance and value of education and graduation.

• Insist your child attend school and does their homework.

• Attend parent-teacher meetings.

• Talk with your child about school, his or her friends, activities and report cards.

• Help your child set goals for attendance.

• Encourage participation in supervised after-school activities.

• Don't ignore calls or letters from the school about truancy.

• Know your school district's policies.

• Do not schedule long family vacations during school days.

• Develop consistent morning and evening family routines.

• Be careful what you call a "sick day".

• Establish a non-confrontational relationship with your child's teacher, principal and school counselor/social worker.

• Make random visits to your child's school.

• Ask your child on a daily basis "How was your day?" and "Did you have any problems?"

• When your child expresses negative feelings about school, reiterate with positive feedback about attending school.

• Always discuss the benefits of attending school vs. the consequences for failing to attend school.