Dive Brief:

• The U.S. Department of Education has identified more than 6 million students from across the country who missed at least 15 days of school during the 2013-14 school year, putting themselves at risk of lower academic achievement and dropping out.
• District Administration reports 20% of high schoolers are chronically absent, along with 17% of students with disabilities — compared to 12% of middle schoolers, 10% of elementary schoolers and 12% of students without disabilities.
• The Obama administration recommends schools generate and act on data about absenteeism, develop positive messages and supportive engagement strategies, get community organizations involved in the fight against chronic absenteeism and foster shared accountability for improving outcomes.

Dive Insight:

Chronic absenteeism is generally described as missing at least 10% of school days in any given year, whether they are excused or unexcused. Some students struggle with illnesses that keep them from school, while others are pulled out by their parents for vacations and other reasons. The key for districts is making sure families understand the consequences of missing so much school. Research shows that attendance rates are a strong predictor of academic achievement and chronic absenteeism has become a way to estimate which students are most likely to drop out.

While some schools have worked with local governments to pass truancy laws and criminalize school absenteeism, holding both parents and students accountable, the Obama administration recommends focusing on positive rather than punitive measures. With restorative justice discipline models becoming more popular as a way to limit the school-to-prison pipeline, referrals to law enforcement for absence from school could do the opposite.

Recommended Reading

District Administration: Report: 6 million students miss too much school