AASD
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — A group of Appleton parents spoke out against proposed truancy citations in a self-organized listening session Monday.
“I know personally the issues some of these truant students are going through,” said Amanda Rudd, an Appleton Area School District parent who helped organize the listening session. “There is a deeper root cause than just these students being at fault and needing to be issued a ticket.”
The root causes she cited included care-giving responsibilities or mental health challenges.
Timeline:
- August 2019: Appleton gets rid of truancy court and citations
- March 2025: School district proposes reinstatement of truancy citation
- May 2025: City tables discussion
- July 2025: Appleton Area School District presents need for truancy citation
- August 4, 2025: Appleton Area School District hosts listening session
- August 18, 2025: Appleton parents host listening session
- September 24, 2025: Appleton Safety & Licensing Committee will discuss, likely vote
Appleton’s common council will likely vote soon after the safety and licensing committee votes, if passed.
State law permits districts to issue tickets for repeated truancy. Nearly half of the 50 districts with the highest truancy in Wisconsin adopt or follow that law, according to the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty.
The district says the new citations would only fine about 30 students who either don’t attend or stop attending school.
“These children aren’t there for long periods of time,” said Alderperson Sheri Hartzheim at last week’s safety and licensing committee meeting. “The key to all of this is, is that if there is communication, there isn’t a need for the truancy ordinance.”
Multiple members were unavailable or declined comment Monday.
The Appleton Area School District had no part in Monday’s listening session, but held their own earlier this month.
“While we may not always agree on the process or the approach, we all share the same goal: helping our students succeed,” said the Appleton Area School District in a statement.
Ultimately, student success begins with consistent attendance. When students are in school, they have greater access to learning, support, and opportunities that prepare them for their future. We value the ongoing conversations in our community and with the City of Appleton and remain committed to working together to ensure every student is present, engaged, and supported.
This work began in spring 2024 and has included District-led work groups composed of staff, parents, and community members, multiple Safety & Licensing Committee meetings, Appleton Common Council meetings, a District-led community listening session held on August 4, 2025, and more. We encourage community members to learn more here about this collaborative process.
The safety and licensing committee meeting Sept. 24 is open for public comment.
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