How One School District Is Keeping Kids From Cutting Class

http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011/02/19/california-school-district-uses-gps-students-cutting-class/

Currently there is a new program in place in the Anaheim Union High School District that will hopefully reduce the number of unexcused absences in the school district. Seventh and eighth graders that have had four or more unexcused absences will be given a hand-held GPS device that will track the students' location 5 times a day - the time the depart for school, the time they arrive at school, lunch time, depart from school, and at 8:00pm. The students are required to punch in a code at each of these specified times which will in turn transmit data on the location of the student at the time the code was punched in.
I think this is a fantastic way of using technology to help with a societal problem - in this case, the troubling and chronic absences of students from school in this particular district. Of course, it come with a cost, and in this case a high one. The cost of the pilot program alone is about $18,000 and if it proves to be effective, the program will be spread to other school districts as well. It is hard to say whether it is worth the cost. It is well-known that California has had budget problems...is it worth reaching deeper into their pockets to help ensure kids go to school?