Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – Local schools are tightening their attention to truancy.

“The county is opening back up their truancy court,” District 186 superintendent Jennifer Gill at the last school board meeting. “It had been not active until last spring. Beginning in February we held our first one of this year, and it was the first one they had that was truly a court.”

“It’s a way to establish ideas to get kids into school and also to assist and support families who are struggling with things at home, things outside of the school, so it’s really a gathering of community groups,” said Jason Wind, the district’s executive director of school support. “A variety of people show up on a monthly basis to sit, talk, share resources, and try to provide. When we have families who attend that and get back on track, it’s great.”

School board vice president Buffy Lael-Wolf said, “I have heard conversations from teachers over the last few years (in which they say) I’ve got a classroom of 25 and ten of my kids aren’t there. What are we doing about that?”