The Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation of Arizona is taking a strong stance against students who skip class or turn up late for school and the effort appears to be working.

In 2002, the tribe's education department started imposing a minimum of $100-a-day fines on families whose children are truant or chronically tardy. The fines grow by $50 for each repeat offense.

To collect the money, the tribe takes the fines out of tribal members' per capita payments. One family lost a total of $1,000 when their two sons each had two truancies. "I read them the riot act," mother Debbie Pilcher told The Arizona Republic.

Since the fines started, nearly 90 percent of students are passing, compared to 44 percent. Graduation rates are 70 percent, up from 40 percent.

Get the Story:
For Yavapai students, skipping class is fines (The Arizona Republic 5/31)

Relevant Links:
Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation - http://www.ftmcdowell.org