September means back to school for many children, youth, and families. Yet for schools it is not only about welcoming students but also making sure that they are in school and in classes. Chronic absenteeism is not a local or regional problem; it is a national one. American schools have a chronic absentee problem. The U.S. Department of Education recently released data that shows more than 6.5 million students in grades K-12 (or 1 in 8 students) missed 15 or more days of school in 2013-14.
Students missing too many days of school correlates with poor academic performance. It may prevent young children from reaching early learning milestones, be an indicator of whether students will complete high school, and contribute to adulthood outcomes such as poverty, poor health, and involvement in the criminal justice system. The data show that chronic absenteeism is contributing to academic gaps. The most affected by absenteeism are African-American, Native American, Pacific Islander, and Latino students, as well those with learning disabilities.
Problems with absenteeism begin quite early – according to national research, 1 in 10 kindergarteners and first graders miss about 18 days of school because of excused or unexcused absences.
So what is being done locally to turn this around?
Tardiness and attendance have been a focus for Eastside Pathways since its inception with the establishment of the Attendance Collaborative. Earlier this month, the Attendance Collaborative began its fourth annual campaign to raise awareness about the importance of regular attendance and on-time arrivals. Bellevue School District schools were given posters and postcards to distribute to students and parents as well as banners. The school banners are hanging at the front entrance with the message “Right Place, Right Time, Ready To Learn” boldly displayed and also include the school names, mascot, and the starting time for class each day. Because Bellevue is a diverse community where nearly 100 different languages are spoken, the banners were printed in other languages so that all parents could understand the importance of the message. The City of Bellevue also assisted in the promotion of the attendance campaign by hanging banners on Bellevue overpasses prior to the first day of classes.
Earlier in 2016, Eastside Pathways funded a community program that supports the partnership’s attendance focus. The recipient of the Bill Henningsgaard Fund for Children grant was the Community Truancy Board (CTB), staffed by the Bellevue School District. It is an example of what Bellevue is doing to address the problem of truancy through the collaboration of school, court, and community resource providers. Community volunteers serve on panels that interview students and their parents in an effort to identify reasons for the student’s failure to attend school. The board makes recommendations to the students, their parents, and the school district intended to improve the student’s attendance record and support the youth in making such a change. For Eastside Pathways the CTB exemplifies the collective impact model with different partners working together for a common goal.
Chronic absenteeism is gaining national attention, supported by absentee data to help formulate appropriate solutions. As a result, an array of resources have been made available to the public. You can learn more at www.attendanceworks.org.
Article written by Nahyeli Mendivil, communications & operations manager at Eastside Pathways and truancy case manager at the Bellevue School District