What is chronic absenteeism? Any school day missed for any reason (excused absence, unexcused absence, and suspension)
Why is this important? Absenteeism can negatively impact reading levels at Grade 3, student achievement in the middle grades and high school graduation. Link to research here.
We can continue to address the BIG problem of student attendance by taking a tiered approach to the attendance data.
Tier 1 90 – 100% attendance. Satisfactory (1 to 2 days absent per month or 10 to 20 days per year)
Tier 2 80 – 90% attendance Chronic (2 to 4 days absent per month or 20 to 40 days per year)
Tier 3 <80 % attendance Severe chronic (4 to 8 days per month or over 40 days per year)
ACTION/REFLECTION
- Locate the student attendance data for your school or region. Read through all the names of the students who have a previous history of absenteeism in Tier 2, attending 80 to 90 % of the time (2 to 4 days absent per month or 20 to 40 days per year).
- Circle the students’ names with whom you already have some connection. Maybe you just recognize a name or 2. Start to develop a short list of students for your TWO by TEN focus.
- What about your colleagues? Think of 2 or 3 that you’d like to build a professional connection with through TWO by TEN.
- How about 5 parents of students in your class that you could focus on for your TWO by TEN.
Attendance is a flashlight not a hammer!
How can a trusted caring adult be a protective factor to change the curve of student absenteeism by building connections with students and with adults?