One of the primary juvenile delinquency issues facing stillaguamish high school youth (grades 9-12) is truancy

The Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians has been awarded a 5-year, $499,700 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Tribal Youth Program (CFDA 16.731) to address truancy among high school students in grades 9-12. The grant will fund the hiring of an Online High School Support Specialist to provide focused support to non-traditional and alternative education students, as well as engage all tribal youth in cultural and leadership activities. The goal is to address the rising truancy issues exacerbated by the pandemic, as truancy is often a precursor to deteriorating mental health, substance abuse, and future criminal behavior. By educating tribal youth on the history, culture, and traditions of the Stillaguamish Tribe, the project aims to build community and spark greater interest in the Department of Youth Services' programs. The award commenced on October 1, 2023 and is set to conclude on September 30, 2028.

Truancy is often the first step down a path of deteriorating mental health, substance abuse, and future criminal misconduct. After the extended distance-learning phase of the pandemic, many students chose to remain in this online setting, by enrolling in an alternative education option, and others struggled to return at all. The department of youth services intends to hire an online high school support specialist to better support the non-traditional students, as well as engage those that could benefit from alternative education, but are not currently enrolled. Beyond engaging the alternative high school students with focused online support, the department of youth services will strive to engage all tribal youth in this age demographic in cultural and leadership activities. Building community by educating tribal youth on the history, culture, and traditions of the stillaguamish tribe is a proven method in sparking interest in department of youth services programs.