Schools chief wants to raise compulsory age to 18

HELENA (AP) — Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau says she will be asking lawmakers to increase the compulsory attendance age from 16 to 18 years of age.

Juneau laid out her legislative plans to Gov. Brian Schweitzer in a meeting Tuesday.

Juneau says she thinks it is important to raise the expectation of school attendance. The schools chief says many students who drop out at 16 years of age do so because they know they can.

Juneau, a Democrat, says a Republican state senator has agreed to sponsor the plan.

Nationally, about half of the states set their cutoff age at...