By RUSTY SIMMONS, San Francisco Chronicle

A special investigative report by Scripps Howard News Service finds taxpayers paying millions for students who never show up for class. For-profit "ghost schools" collect money even when students are absent.

'Ghost schools' paid millions for absent students
• What is it like to go to a school next to a cocktail lounge?
• State laws for truancy, dropouts vary greatly
• Statement from White Hat Management about its schools
• Poll reveals Americans split on for-profit charter schools
• Ohio spends millions on students who rarely go to class
• Inflated school attendance spark refund push in Texas
• Florida taxpayers spend millions on absent students
• EDITORIAL: At-risk students at even bigger risk
'Ghost Schools' videos available at:

A special investigative report by Scripps Howard News Service has prepared an in-depth look at the issues surrounding vaccine exemptions and the risk of disease resurgence.

Thousands of unvaccinated children enter schools
• Fears of long-range side effects fuel vaccine debate
• Cost of vaccines puts them out of reach for many
• Poll: Americans see both need, potential dangers of vaccines
• Facts about common vaccines