The Harrison County Schools superintendent wants to implement a truancy diversion program and provide more resources to improve attendance rates.

The county has a 97.5 percent attendance rate and, as of Sept. 22, there were nearly 400 students truant out of about 10,950 students, according to Attendance Director James Kirby.

The state Department of Education considers any student who has five or more unexcused absences truant. That means earlier intervention is necessary at home, school and the county level, Superintendent Dr. Mark Manchin said.

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