Alva Review-Courier -

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Five years after Arkansas banned the use of out-of-school suspension as a punishment for truancy, dozens of schools are still suspending children who repeatedly miss classes.

A study last month out of the Office for Education Policy at the University of Arkansas found that many schools are still routinely punishing students who aren't in school by forcing them to miss more instruction time. More than 1,000 students were suspended for truancy during the 2016-2017 school year, the study found.

Data indicate that suspensions negatively impact students' academic success, a...