While another school year is just beginning in the Washington area, school officials are already revamping their truancy policies to keep thousands of students in school.

In D.C., where teachers are facing a 20-percent truancy rate, new procedures call for parents to be called after the first unexcused absence. After five infractions, the student is referred to a school support team.

Under the new policy, a student must accumulate 25 unexcused absences before referral to the juvenile-justice system, rather than 15.

Fairfax County schools plan to use a computer program to notify parents this year by phone and e-mail of each skipped class.

Montgomery County schools also use computer-generated warning lists to intervene before students reach truant status.

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