WSU leading implementation of online K-12 truancy prevention program

Washington State University is leading the online implementation of a program aimed at reducing school truancy that could positively impact schools across the state, and possibly the nation.

Paul Strand, WSU Tri-Cities professor of psychology; Nick Lovrich, WSU Regents professor emeritus; Brian French, professor and director of WSU’s Learning and Performance Research Center and Psychometric Laboratory; and Bruce Austin, research associate in educational psychology and the LPRC, evaluated and refined the Washington Assessment of the Risks and Needs of Students program. WARNS uses data-driven procedures to track and improve interventions with students.

Within the program, schools can use the data to develop and implement a plan for at-risk students through school community truancy boards to help prevent and/or correct student behavior. A critical component to the use of scores for decisions about youth is building a line of evidence.

WSU’s recent evaluation of the program supports using the WARNS as a global screening assessment of risks and needs, citing its reliability and validity. The evaluation was published in SAGE Publications this spring.

Read the full story by Maegan Murray at WSU News >>